Bulletin2023 North Carolina Legislation Related to Planning and Development Regulation2023 North Carolina Legislation Related to Planning and Development RegulationThe 2023 “long session” was a long session indeed. The North Carolina General Assembly convened in January and work continued well into the fall. With a veto-proof majority, the Republican-controlled General Assembly implemented many policy changes across a range of topics. With regard to planning and development regulations, notable changes included the creation of a new Residential...
BulletinA Parliamentary Procedure Primer for Local GovernmentsA Parliamentary Procedure Primer for Local GovernmentsIt’s the first Monday of the month, and many North Carolina local governments are holding boardmeetings. Who controls the agenda at these meetings? What are the various motions that come into play, and what is their proper order? How can a board undo a vote or reconsider an issue? Parliamentary procedure governs these topics. This bulletin provides an overview of parliamentary...
BulletinPretrial Integrity ActPretrial Integrity ActDuring the 2023 legislative session, the North Carolina General Assembly made significant changes to the state’s pretrial release laws in a bill informally known as the "Pretrial Integrity Act."1 Its provisions, which took effect on October 1, 2023, most notably limit magistrates' authority to set conditions of release for defendants arrested for a new offense while on pretrial release and for...
BookNorth Carolina Juvenile Delinquency Process, 2024 EditionNorth Carolina Juvenile Delinquency Process, 2024 EditionThe N.C. Juvenile Delinquency Process Flowchart is a visual resource that illustrates the many pathways that a juvenile delinquency case can follow in North Carolina. The Flowchart incorporates the new legal provisions under the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act (JJRA) that expand juvenile court jurisdiction to include most offenses committed by youth at ages 16 and 17 as well as new...
BulletinConsent to Care for Minor Patients: An Update on the Legal Landscape After S.L. 2023-106, Part IIIConsent to Care for Minor Patients: An Update on the Legal Landscape After S.L. 2023-106, Part IIILast August, following a legislative override of a veto by the governor, the General Assembly passed Session Law 2023-106. Part I of the law establishes a “Parents’ Bill of Rights” and Part II outlines new requirements related to parents’ involvement in their children’s education. Part III of the session law, which is the focus of this bulletin, amends Chapter 90, Article 1A of the North...
Bulletin2024 Property Tax Calendar2024 Property Tax CalendarThe new year brings new local property tax due dates and assessment and collection deadlines. Chris McLaughlin lists and describes these inProperty Tax Bulletin181, “2024 Property Tax Calendar.” The bulletin includes deadlines for the 2024–25 tax year as established by the Machinery Act. Duties for which no specific deadline is prescribed by law are not included.Pursuant...
BookNorth Carolina Pattern Jury Instructions for Civil, Criminal, and Motor Vehicle Negligence Cases, 2023 Edition (eBook)North Carolina Pattern Jury Instructions for Civil, Criminal, and Motor Vehicle Negligence Cases, 2023 Edition (eBook)North Carolina Pattern Jury Instructionsare sample jury instructions organized by legal topic. Trial judges use them for particular cases based on the relevant law and facts, and share them with juries as guidance for reaching a decision in their cases. The instructions are created and compiled by The Pattern Jury Instruction Committee, made up of trial judges assisted...
BulletinPretrial Release in Criminal Domestic Violence CasesPretrial Release in Criminal Domestic Violence CasesA person arrested for a noncapital criminal offense usually has a right to pretrial release upon the setting of reasonable conditions. Pretrial release is generally ordered by a magistrate at a defendant’s initial appearance. While the North Carolina General Statutes provide general rules for considering the pretrial release of a defendant for most offenses, there are some requirements...
ReportA Handbook for Historic Resilience Community PlanningA Handbook for Historic Resilience Community PlanningIn August 2021, when Tropical Storm Fred hit western North Carolina, a Transylvania County resident told reporters that water gushed into her front yard “like a rushing river.” A Cruso resident said the floodwaters lifted his house off its foundation. Downtown Canton was submerged under several feet of water, and the landmark Colonial Theatre was swamped. Significant parts of the...
BulletinInfant Safe Surrender in North Carolina: Significant Changes in 2023Infant Safe Surrender in North Carolina: Significant Changes in 2023The law on infant safe surrender, sometimes referred to as infant safe haven, allows a parent to intentionally and safely abandon their infant without criminal prosecution. If a parent’s abandonment of their infant occurs in the way the law proscribes, then it is not a criminal act or neglect. The infant safe surrender law is designed to prevent infant mortality by giving a parent a safe...
ReportCounty Salaries in North Carolina, 2023County Salaries in North Carolina, 2023County Salaries in North Carolinais a self-reported data repository of county salaries, sponsored by the School of Government. North Carolina counties volunteer to provide this information to benefit other public organizations and the general public. For questions about a particular county’s salary data, please contact that county’s human resources department.This report is a...
BookNorth Carolina Magistrates' Guide to Pretrial ReleaseNorth Carolina Magistrates' Guide to Pretrial ReleaseGuiding PrinciplesUpon arrest, a defendant must be taken without unnecessary delay before a judicial official, who MUST hold an initial appearance and set pretrial release (PTR) conditions except when a relevant statute prohibits release, restricts the officials who can set conditions, or requires the setting of certain conditions. G.S. 15A-511(f); 15A-533 (right to PTR determination)....
ReportSupporting Rural Workers: Creating Community-Designed Approaches for Federal EITC UptakeSupporting Rural Workers: Creating Community-Designed Approaches for Federal EITC UptakeIn North Carolina, four out of five eligible tax filers receive the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable tax credit for low-income workers. This means that roughly one million taxpayers are putting those critical funds, up to a maximum of over $6,900, back into their pockets. It also means that some eligible taxpayers are still missing out. Research on barriers to claiming the...
ReportSupporting Rural Workers: The Mixed-Methods Study to Create Community-Designed Approaches for Federal EITC UptakeSupporting Rural Workers: The Mixed-Methods Study to Create Community-Designed Approaches for Federal EITC UptakeIn North Carolina, four out of five eligible tax filers receive the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable tax credit for low-income workers. This means that roughly one million taxpayers are putting those critical funds, up to a maximum of over $6,900, back into their pockets. It also means that some eligible taxpayers are still missing out. Research on barriers to claiming the...
ReportSupporting Rural Workers: Best Practices for Increasing Uptake of the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit among Rural Populations in North CarolinaSupporting Rural Workers: Best Practices for Increasing Uptake of the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit among Rural Populations in North CarolinaIn North Carolina, four out of five eligible tax filers receive the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable tax credit for low-income workers. This means that roughly one million taxpayers are putting those critical funds, up to a maximum of over $6,900, back into their pockets. It also means that some eligible taxpayers are still missing out. Research on barriers to claiming the...
ReportExpanding Affordable Housing Options in Communities Impacted by Hurricanes Matthew and FlorenceExpanding Affordable Housing Options in Communities Impacted by Hurricanes Matthew and FlorenceIn September 2021, the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) engaged the Development Finance Initiative (DFI) at the School of Government. DFI provided analysis to support NCORR's use of funds from the Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery to...
BookIntroduction to Local Government Finance, Fifth EditionIntroduction to Local Government Finance, Fifth EditionFinance—the acquisition, management, and expenditure of money and other financial resources—is critical to local government operations. How a local government approaches finance significantly affects how its officials and employees perform their duties and how it can serve its constituents. But North Carolina’s local governments do not operate with complete independence or at the sole...
BookLocal Social Services Boards in North CarolinaLocal Social Services Boards in North CarolinaLocal Social Services Boards in North Carolinaprovides social services board members with the information that they need to understand their roles and legal responsibilities within North Carolina’s social services system. It may also be a useful reference for county social services directors, social services attorneys, county commissioners, county...
ReportNorth Carolina Benchmarking Project Report 2023: Challenges and InnovationsNorth Carolina Benchmarking Project Report 2023: Challenges and InnovationsThe North Carolina Benchmarking Project was established in 1995 so that participating municipalities could compare service data and performance trends. In 2022, the Benchmarking Project relaunched as Benchmarking 2.0 with a new emphasis on collaboration and relationship-building. Benchmarking 2.0 offers revised framework metrics, streamlined data collection, an interactive online dashboard,...
BookLand Use Law in North Carolina, Fourth EditionLand Use Law in North Carolina, Fourth EditionThis book provides a detailed legal analysis of development regulation. It addresses the types of regulations that may be employed and the scope of legal authority for each. The fourth edition incorporates legal developments through 2023. Topics include:• Process for ordinance amendments,•Spot, contract, and conditional zoning,•Quasi-judicial procedures,•Special use...
BulletinThe Builders' Inventory ExclusionThe Builders' Inventory ExclusionFor years, home builders have been pushing to exempt their real property inventory from property taxes in the same fashion that personal property inventory held by traditional merchants and manufacturers is exempt under Chapter 105, Sections 275(32a), (33), and (34) of the North Carolina General Statutes (hereinafter G.S.).Home builders got their wish, sort of, for a few years. In 2010...
Bulletin2023-24 Finance Calendar of Duties for City and County Officials2023-24 Finance Calendar of Duties for City and County OfficialsThe annual School of Government publication,Finance Calendar of Duties for City and County Officials (2023–2024), identifies the timeline throughout the fiscal year for the principal accounting, financial reporting, and budgeting duties of city and county officials. This calendar is part of theLocal Finance Bulletinseries.
BookArrest Warrant and Indictment Forms, 2023 EditionArrest Warrant and Indictment Forms, 2023 EditionThis publication provides arrest warrant and indictment forms for selected North Carolina criminal offenses. It includes charging language and sample charges for several hundred felonies and misdemeanors. Offenses are selected for inclusion based on how serious they are and the frequency with which they are charged, among other factors.
BulletinFrom Starting to Sustaining: What Actions are Local Governments in North Carolina Taking to Advance Diversity, Equity, and InclusionFrom Starting to Sustaining: What Actions are Local Governments in North Carolina Taking to Advance Diversity, Equity, and InclusionMany local governments are recognizing the importance of building more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces and communities. Municipal and county administrators and elected officials are increasingly interested in learning about the steps they can take and the steps other local governments are taking. In response, the coauthors conducted a study to understand how North Carolina local...
BulletinJuvenile Law Related to the Investigation of Delinquent ActsJuvenile Law Related to the Investigation of Delinquent ActsInvestigations of offenses that are subject to juvenile jurisdiction often require an understanding of both criminal law and juvenile law. Because juveniles have constitutional due process rights in the context of delinquency proceedings, much of the criminal law related to search and seizure also applies in juvenile matters. In addition, juvenile law contains some legal requirements that are...
ReportLessons from a Team of Bloggers on Community EngagementLessons from a Team of Bloggers on Community EngagementIn December 2014, a group of twelve people started theCommunity Engagement Learning Exchange(CELE) blog to explore different experiences and views related to community engagement. Unlike blogs that advocate on behalf of a community or organization or that focus on specific social or political issues, this effort was designed to offer...
ReportAffordable Housing Digest for the Town of BooneAffordable Housing Digest for the Town of BooneAt the request of the Town of Boone (hereinafter Town), the School of Government conducted the first of two in- person workshops on the topic of affordable housing. The workshop was conducted by Development Finance Initiative (DFI) Assistant Director Sarah Odio and DFI Real Estate Development Analyst Frank Muraca on February 20, 2023.
BulletinBuilding a Better System for Today and Tomorrow: Municipal Performance Management during the COVID-19 PandemicBuilding a Better System for Today and Tomorrow: Municipal Performance Management during the COVID-19 PandemicLocal government managers know that management is never easy. In recent years, however, they have faced situations in which “never easy” has become “almost impossible.” Job turnover and workforce transformation, social unrest, natural disasters, and a global pandemic have presented substantial new challenges. Proactive public managers need to prepare their organizations to handle unexpected...
BulletinLocal Elected Officials' Leadership DerailmentLocal Elected Officials' Leadership DerailmentWhat Is This Study About, and Why Does It Matter?Although many studies examine effective leadership in the public sector, including in local government, little is known about behaviors that derail public leaders. Yet understanding this topic is important. When local elected officials are derailed they are not the only ones who pay a price. Trust in government, the legitimacy of the...
BulletinBuy American? Buy America? Build America? An Introduction to Domestic Procurement Preferences in Federal Financial Assistance for North Carolina's Counties and MunicipalitiesBuy American? Buy America? Build America? An Introduction to Domestic Procurement Preferences in Federal Financial Assistance for North Carolina's Counties and MunicipalitiesMany of North Carolina’s local governments have been awash in federal funding since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.Yet the complexity and quantity of rules applicable to the expenditure of those monies has not decreased since the pandemic began. Federal funds arrived in local government coffers, as they always have, with significant “strings attached.”Since at least...
BookHuman Trafficking: Mandated Reporting and Agency ResponseHuman Trafficking: Mandated Reporting and Agency ResponseThe purpose of this primer is to explain North Carolina reporting laws as they apply to human trafficking so that any person can understand when they are required to make a report, how to make a report, and where the report must be made. A brief explanation of how an agency receiving a report handles the report is provided. This primer is not meant to be a tool for how to screen for human...
BookProtections for Military Servicemembers in North Carolina Power of Sale ForeclosuresProtections for Military Servicemembers in North Carolina Power of Sale ForeclosuresAt a hearing on a power of sale foreclosure before the clerk of superior court, the clerk’s authority is limited to six legal findings. Chapter 45, Section 21.16(d) of the North Carolina General Statutes (hereinafter G.S.). The purpose of this publication is to provide guidance to clerks related to one of these legal findings: military service of the respondent. There are both federal and...
BookNorth Carolina Trial Judges' Bench Book, District Court, Vol. 1, Family Law, 2021 (digital edition)North Carolina Trial Judges' Bench Book, District Court, Vol. 1, Family Law, 2021 (digital edition)TheNorth Carolina Trial Judges' Bench Book, District Court, Vol. 1, Family Law, 2021is a comprehensive legal reference created for North Carolina district judges. It provides summaries of North Carolina law governing cases routinely heard in district court. The School of Government offersVolume 1, Family Lawand its individual chapters for sale in a print and PDF format. Chapters cover...
BookNorth Carolina Trial Judges' Bench Book, District Court, Vol. 1 Family Law, 2021 (paperback)North Carolina Trial Judges' Bench Book, District Court, Vol. 1 Family Law, 2021 (paperback)TheNorth Carolina Trial Judges' Bench Book, District Court, Vol. 1, Family Law, 2021is a comprehensive legal reference created for North Carolina district judges published in two parts, Part A and Part B. This volume provides summaries of North Carolina law governing cases routinely heard in district court.Chapters cover topics including equitable distribution, child...
BookArrest, Search, and Investigation in North Carolina, Sixth Edition, 2021Arrest, Search, and Investigation in North Carolina, Sixth Edition, 2021This edition covers the legal rules that govern an officer’s authority to enforce laws and to investigate criminal offenses. It also covers the basic rules of evidence in criminal cases. Supplementary material is placed in footnotes at the bottom of the text, and relevant case summary sections are located at the end of each chapter (for chapters 2–5). Footnotes to the text and case summary...
BookAnnexation Law, 2023 EditionAnnexation Law, 2023 Edition
BookUnderstanding Law for Public AdministrationUnderstanding Law for Public AdministrationCynicism about the law abounds. The legislative process often seems aimless, and individuals regularly suffer injustice in the court system. Despite even the best intentions, the law will be flawed—it is a human endeavor subject to human limitations and differences. But history proves that there is no form of governance better suited to the pursuit of happiness than a rule of law. Studying the...
BulletinWhat to Do With Contaminated Property: A Primer on Brownfield Redevelopment for Local Government and Economic Development OfficialsThis bulletin is a guide for local government and economic development officials who have contaminated properties in their jurisdiction or possession and don’t know what to do with them. It discusses how contamination presents a problem, how state or federal cleanup assistance programs might help solve that problem, and the considerations and potential risks associated with these programs
BookNorth Carolina Driver's License Revocation and RestorationThere are more than 8 million licensed drivers in North Carolina, and there are more than 1 million people whose licenses have been revoked by the DMV. A small number of those people (around 6,000) have been issued a limited driving privilege by the courts that authorizes driving during the period of revocation, subject to certain limitations. Someone whose license has been revoked may have...
BookAbuse, Neglect, Dependency, and the Termination of Parental Rights, 2023 EditionAbuse, Neglect, Dependency, and the Termination of Parental Rights, 2023 EditionThis manual is written for legal professionals involved in abuse, neglect, dependency, and related termination of parental rights proceedings in North Carolina. It provides easily accessible information about the laws, procedures, and concepts that apply to these proceedings. Topics are organized into fourteen chapters that address the different stages of these proceedings from the receipt of...
BookQuasi-Judicial Handbook: A Guide for Boards Making Development Regulation Decisions, Second EditionQuasi-Judicial Handbook: A Guide for Boards Making Development Regulation Decisions, Second Edition
Book2016 Supplement to the 2015 Punishment Chart for North Carolina Crimes and Motor Vehicle Offenses (Free PDF)2016 Supplement to the 2015 Punishment Chart for North Carolina Crimes and Motor Vehicle Offenses (Free PDF) See below for a free PDF download of the 2016 Supplement.
BookUpdate to Local Government Revenue Sources in North Carolina (Free PDF)Update to Local Government Revenue Sources in North Carolina (Free PDF)
BookUpdate to Incorporation of a North Carolina Town, Third Edition (Free PDF)Update to Incorporation of a North Carolina Town, Third Edition (Free PDF)
BookEmerging Issues in Confrontation Litigation: A Supplement to Crawford v. Washington: Confrontation One Year LaterEmerging Issues in Confrontation Litigation: A Supplement to Crawford v. Washington: Confrontation One Year LaterDesigned as a reference for North Carolina judges and litigants, this supplement discusses Davis v. Washington, the United States Supreme Courts first decision interpreting Crawford; describes a number of key issues that remain open even after Davis; and summarizes significant Crawford cases decided since publication of Crawford v. Washington: Confrontation One Year Later
BookUpdate to Economic Development Law for North Carolina Local Government (Free PDF)Update to Economic Development Law for North Carolina Local Government (Free PDF)
