Protesting is in the genetic makeup of our Country. Protests against abuses by the English Crown resulted in the enactment of the Magna Carta, the genesis of our modern-day Constitutional Rights. The Stamp Act Protests (1765), Boston Tea Party (1773), Abolitionist Movement (1830-1865), Women’s Suffrage Parade (1913), March on Washington (1963), Civil Rights Movement (1958-1964),… View Article
If I am a convicted felon can I still use a gun to defend myself or my family in the event it becomes necessary? The answer: it depends. Generally speaking, a person convicted of a felony is prohibited from possessing a firearm under both state and federal law. North Carolina General Statute § 14-415.1… View Article
On Monday, March 23rd, Governor Cooper entered Executive Order 120 that amended Executive Order 117 to reduce the number of people defined as a “mass gathering” from more than 100 to more than 50; ordered that specific entertainment facilities and personal care and grooming businesses close for business, and put in place long term care… View Article
Since our last post on Monday, March 16th, a lot has changed. Multiple directives and orders have been entered by our Governor, N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice, and local Court officials. We have addressed hundreds of questions about the status of our court system considering COVID-19. Following is a timeline, summary and link to the… View Article
In Part One of this blog series, we summarized the provisions of G.S. § 14.51.2 that provide for the use of defensive force in your home, motor vehicle and workplace. In this article, we examine the provisions of immunity set out in G.S. § 14-51.2 and the procedural mechanisms to properly assert immunity on behalf… View Article
In 2011, the North Carolina General Assembly significantly expanded the common law defenses of self-defense and defense of others when it enacted G.S.§ 14-51.2 and G.S. § 14-51.3. These statutes apply to offenses occurring on or after 1 December 2011. Together, these statutes (The Castle Doctrine Statutes) create a rebuttable presumption that the lawful occupant… View Article
You have carefully decided it is appropriate and necessary to carry a weapon to protect you and your family while in the public. Carrying the weapon in a manner that is visible to the public is called “open carry” and is allowed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, §… View Article
With Greenville, North Carolina being home to East Carolina University students, it is no surprise that many parents contact our office because their child has been arrested and charged with Driving While Impaired (DWI). In North Carolina, DWI includes not just impairment from alcohol, but also from controlled substances, including cocaine, marijuana, opioids or prescription… View Article
“Doctor shopping” is the practice of an individual visiting multiple healthcare physicians to deceptively obtain prescriptions for controlled substances. There are many classes of controlled substances sought by those who doctor shop. However, opioid narcotics (pain killers) are the number one target by far according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Centers… View Article
In criminal cases, we often want to use cell phone records, credit card receipts, Facebook post/messages, Instagram photographs, and other business records in the defense of our client. The records custodian must authenticate these records before the court will admit them. In the past, this required that you issue a subpoena to the records custodian and… View Article
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