NC Criminal Law

Jamie Markham on Friday, July 31st, 2026

In Monday’s post, Jeff mentioned the expanded authority for license plate readers included in the state budget. News stories this week exemplify arguments on both sides of the issue of expanded use of cameras and other law enforcement technologies. WRAL reported...

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With the consent of all parties, the district court may accept guilty pleas to Class H and I felonies. G.S. 7A-272(c).

A misdemeanor statement of charges is a criminal pleading prepared by the prosecutor, charging a misdemeanor. A statement of charges is a type of pleading, but is not a form of process, and cannot be used to initiate a prosecution and compel the defendant to appear. See G.S. 15A-922(b)(1).

Prosecution of the defendant for an infraction will bar a subsequent prosecution for a more serious offense arising out of the same conduct.

There is no double jeopardy bar to a second trial when a charge is dismissed because an indictment or other criminal pleading is fatally defective.

If a case is transferred to another district for prosecution, the prosecutor of the originating district must continue to prosecute the case, unless the prosecutor of the receiving district consents to the prosecution. See G.S. 15A-133(d).