Appellate Court Opinions

Termination of parental rights; adjudication of ground for termination of willful abandonment pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(7).

Termination of parental rights; adjudication of ground for termination based on neglect under N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1).

Whether the trial court's factual findings supported its legal conclusion that respondent-mother had acted inconsistently with her constitutionally protected status as a parent by ceding custody of her minor children to their paternal grandmother and whether the trial court appropriately applied the 'best interests of the child' standard in awarding guardianship to the paternal grandmother.

Whether the trial court violated respondent-father's constitutional rights when it denied his request for a continuance, preventing him from appearing at a hearing on a petition for termination of his parental rights because the federal prison where respondent-father was incarcerated was under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whether the Court of Appeals erred by holding that respondent-father failed to preserve his constitutional argument.

Termination of parental rights pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1); whether the evidence and findings supported the conclusion that there was a likelihood of repetition of neglect.

Termination of parental rights; whether the trial court abused its discretion in denying respondent-mother's motion to continue the termination hearing.

Appeal from an order terminating respondent's parental rights; whether evidence supports the trial court's dispositional findings of fact; whether the trial court abused its discretion in concluding it was in the child's best interests to terminate respondent's parental rights.

On discretionary review pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7A-31 seeking review of the sufficiency of defendant's indictment.

Whether the trial court's order denying defendant's motion to suppress was insufficient to evaluate the constitutionality of the checking station.

Whether the trial court committed prejudicial error by admitting certain testimony from an investigating police officer.

On a motion to dismiss for a Sixth Amendment speedy trial violation, the State may not elicit privileged testimony from a criminal defendant's former attorney to justify the delay in the case. A criminal defendant can prove prejudice for purposes of his Sixth Amendment speedy trial claim under Barker v. Wingo by demonstrating actual or presumptive prejudice.

Whether the trial court had a sufficient factual basis to enter judgment on multiple assault sentences from defendant's guilty plea.

Whether the Court of Appeals erred in finding no error in the trial court's denial of defendant's motion to dismiss and failure to instruct the jury on the statutory definition of 'registrant' pursuant to N.C.G.S. 90-87(25).

Termination of parental rights; whether the trial court erred in adjudicating the existence of neglect, such that there was a probability that neglect would recur if the juvenile was returned to respondent-father's care, and willful failure to correct the conditions that led to the juvenile's removal under N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1) and N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(2).

Termination of parental rights; service of a summons upon a nonresident respondent-parent.

Appeal from order terminating respondent-father's parental rights; whether the trial court abused its discretion by concluding that termination of parental rights was in the children's best interests.

Termination of parental rights; whether the trial court erred by determining that there was a showing of past neglect and a probability of a repetition of neglect pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1) and whether the trial court erred by determining that termination was in the child's best interests.

Termination of parental rights; whether the trial court erred in adjudicating the existence of neglect and willful failure to make reasonable progress in correcting the conditions that led to the juvenile's removal under N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1) and N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(2).