Appellate Court Opinions

Whether the North Carolina Utilities Commission committed reversible error in approving general rate applications submitted by Duke Energy Progress, LLC and Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC that included requests for performance-based regulation under N.C.G.S. 62-133.16.

When the Governor commutes a defendant's death sentence to life imprisonment but no court has vacated, altered, or amended the judgment that includes a sentence of death, does initial appellate jurisdiction then rest with the Court of Appeals under N.C.G.S. 7A-27?

Whether police had probable cause to conduct a warrantless search of a vehicle.

Whether the trial court prejudicially erred by excluding evidence of the victim's prior felony convictions under Rule 404(b) where the defendant alleged self-defense.

Whether the trial court's admission of cell-phone text messages constituted plain error.

Whether the Court of Appeals erred in holding a defendant who pled guilty to habitual felon status had a right of appeal.

Whether the Court of Appeals erred by determining defense counsel conceded defendant's guilt to the offense of possession of a firearm by a felon without the defendant's consent.

Whether defendant still has an appeal of right to this Court under N.C.G.S. 7A-27(a)(1) after the Governor commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment without parole.

Whether the trial court properly denied defendant's motion to suppress evidence from a Terry search and a warrantless search of defendant's automobile.

Whether the Court of Appeals erred in determining the State presented sufficient evidence to support two separate counts of assault by strangulation.

Whether the proposed class in this case satisfies the ascertainability requirement of class certification.

equitable distribution, alimony, civil contempt

equitable distribution, alimony, civil contempt

Corum claims, res judicata, motion to dismiss.

easement implied by prior use, easement by necessity, summary judgment

substantial right, interlocutory, Rule 37(b)

jurisdiction; timeliness of appeal; special proceeding; N.C. Gen. Stat. 1-301.2(e)

juvenile; initial adjudication; neglect; dependency; initial disposition; Rule 17 Guardian ad Litem; hospital medical records; affirmed

dispositional hearing; permanency planning; guardian ad litem; termination of parental rights; TPR; evidentiary standard