by Michelle Sparrow | Feb 18, 2012 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law Blog
The North Carolina General Assembly will once again grapple with issues surrounding the Innocence Inquiry Commission when the session starts in May. Prosecutors told a House judiciary subcommittee last week that they wanted concessions beyond what they agreed to in... by Michelle Sparrow | Dec 30, 2011 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law Blog
Beginning in January, North Carolina offenders sentenced to six months or less will serve their time in county jails rather than the state’s prisons. Offenders sentenced to 90 days or less will still serve their time in county jails, but those convicted of more... by Michelle Sparrow | Dec 15, 2011 | Criminal Law Blog, Homicide
With a stroke of her pen this morning, North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue preserved the state’s Racial Justice Law — for the moment. The governor’s veto of Senate Bill 9 allows the petitions of 154 death row inmates to proceed. The bill would have... by Michelle Sparrow | Dec 9, 2011 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law Blog
We are continuing a brief rundown of new laws that went into effect on Dec. 1. As we mentioned in our last two posts, the laws cover a lot of ground. North Carolina now has stiffer penalties for DWI repeat offenders and allows the court to expunge the criminal records... by Michelle Sparrow | Dec 2, 2011 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law Blog
Criminal defense lawyers in North Carolina took special note of a host of new laws that went into effect on Dec. 1. Most of the laws add new crimes to the books — the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, for example, and Laura’s Law. Still, two add protections...