North Carolina Statewide Court Appearance Project
About
The North Carolina Constitution states that “justice shall be administered without [...] delay.” In North Carolina, 1 in 6 criminal incidents has at least one missed court appearance, delaying case resolutions. Prior to the Statewide Court Appearance Project, work on court appearance issues had been focused at the county level. Scaling efforts to the state level has potential to further enhance efficiency statewide.
When presented with the opportunity to work directly with local state court and law enforcement leaders and the UNC Criminal Justice Innovation Lab (the Lab), along with financial support from The Pew Charitable Trusts, the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (the NCAOC) convened the Statewide Court Appearance Project Committee.
The purpose of the Committee was to identify statewide policy solutions that promote court efficiency, protect public safety, address the underlying causes of why some people miss court, and provide options for alternative responses to missed appearances when they occur. Specifically, the Committee was charged with the following primary responsibilities:
- Oversee the collection and analysis of jail data from up to four counties;
- Review additional data on the impact of non-appearance on jail populations and court operations;
- Consider relevant policy options identified by Committee members; and
- Produce a report with data findings and scalable policy recommendations for adoption statewide.
The Committee’s work began in May 2024 and concluded with the issuance of a Final Report in May 2025.
Membership
The Committee was comprised of North Carolina criminal justice system leaders, including court actors, law enforcement, and county criminal justice services.
Committee members included:
| MEMBER | TITLE | COUNTY(IES) |
|---|---|---|
| Hon. Nathaniel J. Poovey, Chair | Senior Resident Superior Court Judge | Catawba |
| Hon. Regina Parker | Chief District Court Judge | Beaufort, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell, Washington |
| Hon. Jon David | District Attorney | Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus |
| Hon. Shelena Smith | Clerk of Superior Court | Robeson |
| Hon. Charles Blackwood | Sheriff | Orange |
| Beth Stang | Chief Public Defender | Henderson, Polk, Transylvania |
| Christopher Graves | Chief Magistrate | Wake |
| Alan Balog | Burlington Chief of Police | Alamance and Guilford |
| Cait Fenhagen | Director of Criminal Justice Resource Department | Orange |
| Jennifer Gibbs | Director of Criminal Justice Alternatives | Wake |
Meetings
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Final Report
The Final Report of the Statewide Court Appearance Project is the culmination of twelve months of in-depth research, informed dialogue, robust discussion, and extensive collaboration to identify statewide solutions to improve court appearance issues in North Carolina. The Committee believes that its recommendations reflect a pragmatic and evidence-informed approach. They include immediate actions that can be quickly implemented as well as long-term strategies requiring additional stakeholder support and resources.
The Report is presented in three main sections. First, the Data Findings section includes contextual court system data and data on court appearance in North Carolina. Second is a section presenting the Committee’s recommendations for strategies to promote court appearance. Lastly is a section presenting the Committee’s recommendations for alternative system responses to missed appearances when they occur.
Resources
The Lab’s Court Appearance Toolbox
Research, Policy, and Planning Court Data and Statistics
Remote Hearing Model Administrative Order
eCourts Guide & File Training and Resources
National Center for State Courts Courthouse Planning & Security
Public Safety Assessment (PSA) - How it Works
Waiver of Rights and Consent to Audio-Video Proceeding Form
Request for Relief From Fines, Fees and Other Monetary Obligations, and Order on Request Form