North Carolina

North Carolina sits in the Southeastern region of the US, and is located in the Fourth Federal Circuit Court System. With a land area of nearly 54,000 sq. miles it is the 28th most expansive US state, and with over 10 million residents, is the 9th most populous state. North Carolina is divided into 100 counties, with the capital city of Raleigh. This city, along with Durham, makes up the Research Triangle Park, which is the largest research park in the US.  Charlotte is the most populous municipal, and is also the third largest banking center in the US, after New York and San Francisco.

Although the Great Depression greatly affected the state, the New Deal which was struck by Franklin D. Roosevelt helped farmers in the cotton and tobacco industries. Piedmont, Durham, and Raleigh, were among the many cities which thrived soon after WWII, helping the state’s economy begin its growth following the period of depression. The development of the Research Triangle, major universities in the area, and Charlotte becoming a major banking hub in the 1990s, all led to the state’s economic prowess. This along with the boom in tourism, has greatly helped the state recover after several years of downturn. In fact, North Carolina has a very broad economic base. Research, banking, hydroelectric power, agriculture, and tourism, are a few of the many industries the state thrives in. Charlotte is also a major textile and trade hub, and in 2010 Forbes Magazine rated the state as the 3rd best for Business.  

The Government of North Carolina has a structure that was laid out in the North Carolina Constitution.  Like the federal government, the state has a government broken into the judicial, legislative, and executive branches.

The executive branch consists of a ten-member state council, which includes the following officers:

  • Governor
  • Lieutenant Governor
  • Attorney General
  • Secretary of State
  • Commissioner of Agriculture
  • Commissioner of Insurance
  • Commissioner of Labor
  • Superintendent of Public Education
  • State Treasurer
  • State Auditor

The legislative branch is the North Carolina General Assembly, consisting of the 120-member North Carolina House of Representatives and the 50-member North Carolina Senate.

The judicial branch of North Carolina is led by the Supreme Court of North Carolina, consisting of seven justices.  The North Carolina Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court, consisting of 15 member judges who rule on cases in panels of three.  These two courts combined create the appellate division of the state’s court system.

North Carolina’s trial court division consists of the Superior Court and the District Court.  The Superior Court hears all the felony cases and reviews District court decisions. The District court has original jurisdiction over family law matters, juvenile cases for children under the age of 16 and children under 18 who are dependent, neglected or abused. Additionally, the court hears civil claims under $10,000, and small claims involving up to $5000.

North Carolina contributes 15 electoral votes to the general election.

Among the popular universities in the state are Duke, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest. There are a total of 58 public community colleges in the state, and North Carolina State University is the largest in the state, with over 34,000 enrolled students.

Industrialization, marijuana legalization, immigration, workplace and labor and employment news stories, Bitcoin and data security/breach cases, are some of the major stories covered by the National Law Review, as they relate to the state of North Carolina. Visitors will find these, and other major updates, legislation, agency news, and prominent headlines on the NLR website, and will routinely find the most up to date stories from the state.

Custom text Title Organization
Mar
8
2014
Do You Need an Estate Plan in North Carolina? Poyner Spruill LLP
Mar
7
2014
Field Set for North Carolina Supreme Court Races Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Feb
25
2014
North Carolina Business Court Weighs In On Enforcement of Restrictive Covenants Following Acquisition of a Company Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Feb
20
2014
North Carolina Case Law Update: Community Covenants' Impact on Club Operations Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Feb
18
2014
North Carolina Court Discusses Application of Res Judicata in Quasi-Judicial Land Use Proceedings Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Feb
13
2014
Proposed Fracking Setback Rules Approved in North Carolina Poyner Spruill LLP
Feb
7
2014
North Carolina Court of Appeals: Tillman Substantive Unconscionability Test No Longer Valid Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jan
23
2014
Perfect Preparation Is Key for a Quasi-Judicial Land Use Proceeding In North Carolina Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jan
22
2014
North Carolina Courts Strict In Application of Statutes Governing Appeals of Quasi-Judicial Land Use Decisions Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jan
20
2014
Eastern District of North Carolina (E.D.N.C.) Bankruptcy Court Rules that Borrower Can Raise Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Claims Against Lender Based on Refusal to Modify Loan Poyner Spruill LLP
Jan
14
2014
The Privilege License Tax and the Game of Chance Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jan
12
2014
Hey Wait, What About North Carolina's Fancy New Quasi-Judicial Statute? Poyner Spruill LLP
Jan
8
2014
And they're off! Re: North Carolina Short Legislature Session Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jan
7
2014
A Slightly Different Charter School Re: Accelerated Learning Solutions Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Dec
12
2013
New Online End-of-Life Planning Tool Now Available to NC Citizens and Health Care Providers Poyner Spruill LLP
Nov
28
2013
2013 Year-End Estate Planning Advisory Katten
Nov
25
2013
New Laws Just In Time For Christmas - North Carolina General Assembly News Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Nov
21
2013
Fraud by Omission Claims: Pleading Isn’t Easy Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Nov
15
2013
North Carolina General Assembly to Study Market Based Principals in Health Care: Sustainability and Transparency Poyner Spruill LLP
Nov
15
2013
North Carolina Court of Appeals: Admission by Defendants That They Received Summons and Complaint is Sufficient for Proper Service Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Nov
14
2013
North Carolina Court of Appeals: Parties Seeking Enforcement of a Note Need to Make the Chain of Title Clear in the Pleadings, and Should Plainly Request to the Trial Court That Any Dismissal of Their Complaint be Without Prejudice Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Oct
26
2013
Money Well Spent Re: North Carolina Legislature Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Oct
25
2013
Support for Airlines Merger Grows McDermott Will & Emery
Oct
12
2013
This is 9-1-1 -- Please State Your Emergency Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Oct
2
2013
The North Carolina Supreme Court: Metrics for 2013 Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Sep
26
2013
E-Verify Laws in North Carolina are Unfair for Our Largest Employers and May Discourage Growth of Our Small Businesses Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Sep
25
2013
Brad Cooper: The Latest Reminder That Howerton – Not Daubert – Controls Expert Testimony In North Carolina Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Sep
13
2013
It Was Never About State-Based Immigration Reform Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Sep
11
2013
North Carolina Supreme Court Limits Private Lawsuits for Sedimentation Violations Poyner Spruill LLP
Sep
6
2013
Raleigh's New Form-Based Unified Development Ordinance Takes Effect, With Broad Implications Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Aug
28
2013
North Carolina Court of Appeals Ends Its August on the Scope of Easements and Appeals of Quasi-Judicial Decisions Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Aug
22
2013
Raleigh's New Unified Development Code (UDO) Takes Effect September 1 - What Does It Mean for Development? Poyner Spruill LLP
Aug
20
2013
State of North Carolina Files Lawsuit Over Its Ownership of River Beds Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Aug
16
2013
Securities Fraud Claims Against CommScope Dismissed Katten
Aug
9
2013
Read the Fine Print! Restrictions in a Power of Attorney May Invalidate Loan Documents Poyner Spruill LLP
Aug
9
2013
Details Matter: A Checklist for Pleading Fraud Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Aug
8
2013
Recent Nursing Facility Certificate of Need (CON) Decision Creates Controversy: What Is “Past Quality of Care” in a CON Review? Poyner Spruill LLP
Aug
7
2013
City of Asheville and North Carolina Play Game of "Marco Polo" Over Water System Ownership Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Aug
6
2013
Busy North Carolina Court of Appeals Issues Rulings In Land Use Sphere Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Aug
6
2013
Checking the "Landscape" of the North Carolina General Assembly's Just-Concluded Session Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Aug
2
2013
Imperfect Blend: Fourth Circuit Holds Lanham Act , May Preempt North Carolina Gasoline Blending Statute McDermott Will & Emery
Jul
31
2013
Federal Agency Approaches, or Lands On, Charlotte Airport Kerfuffle in North Carolina Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jul
29
2013
Immigration Policy Center Releases Data Highlighting Immigrants' Positive Impact on Innovation in the U.S. Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Jul
26
2013
Fights That Matter: Local Government and State Tangle Over Ownership and Control of an Airport Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jul
25
2013
Highlights from the Recently Proposed North Carolina Tax Reform Plan Poyner Spruill LLP
Jul
24
2013
A Two-fer: North Carolina Lawsuits Over Damage to Coastal Wetlands and Damage by Local Government Prayer Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jul
20
2013
North Carolina Appellate Court Speaks on Sovereign Immunity and the "Nature" of the Plaintiff's Involvement with the Government Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jul
17
2013
North Carolina Court of Appeals Opinions Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jul
16
2013
North Carolina Court of Appeals Holds Michael Peterson Entitled to New Trial Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jun
20
2013
Georgia and North Carolina Employers Must Begin Using E-Verify July 1, 2013 - Are You Ready? Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
 

NLR Logo

We collaborate with the world's leading lawyers to deliver news tailored for you. Sign Up to receive our free e-Newsbulletins

 

Sign Up for e-NewsBulletins