Homicide by text: Michelle Carter and the death of Conrad Roy
Sticks and stones might break my bones, but words will never break me—but can they?
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Understanding the Law
Explaining court cases, statutes, and executive actions across the country, providing valuable analysis of the facts and legal impact on the public.
Know Your ABC’s: Armed, Battle-ready, and Concealed-and-Carrying
Many policymakers across the United States have argued that arming school staff may be the most effective way to prevent a shooting or stop one that has already begun. ...[Continue Reading]
Redrawing of four NC Congressional Districts ruled unconstitutional: Gerrymandered districts not fixed in time for the fall 2018 midterms
Defendant lawmakers argue the shifting of voters was a ripple effect required to remedy the constitutional defects.
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Lawyers as Counselors: Preparing Law Students and Practitioners to Face Clients’ Mental Health Concerns
Every attorney is all but guaranteed to encounter clients with either acute or chronic mental health conditions that will have some bearing upon their case – from their capacity to simply convey the facts of their situation in an intake interview to the presentation of an insanity defense to the ...[Continue Reading]
Excessive use of force: where decisions made in seconds are scrutinized for years
The truth is that only those officers, under those circumstances, at that scene, on that day, can truly account for both what was and was not reasonable. ...[Continue Reading]
Why does North Carolina’s Certificate of Need Law Matter? It depends who you ask
The debate surrounding North Carolina’s Certificate of Need (“CON”) Law is not new, nor has a clear winner ever been declared. That may be about to change. A 2018 lawsuit filed by a Winston Salem surgeon will potentially set the stage for courts to declare a winner. North Carolina’s ...[Continue Reading]
Stopping School Violence Starts with Understanding Who Attacks Schools: Leveraging Local Opportunities to Reduce Violence by Students
In 2004 the United States Secret Service concludedthat attackers “varied considerably in demographic, background, and other characteristics” and was unable to develop a profile of a “school shooter.” The Secret Service did find that school shooters shared certain characteristics. ...[Continue Reading]
Family or property: Pets and their changing protections under the law
Laws regarding animal rights continue to change as humans have begun to rethink what it means to own a “pet.” ...[Continue Reading]
Back to the drawing board
Racially-motivated redistricting in North Carolina ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States. ...[Continue Reading]
Is the price of infidelity going down?
Over 200 alienation of affection lawsuits are filed in North Carolina every year, and each one provides the judiciary with an opportunity to decide the fate of the controversial tort. ...[Continue Reading]
This land is your land, this land is my land…unless perhaps, the government owns it.
The legal fight over federal land continues to impact private citizens, tribal lands, and businesses, and a new administration has left many questioning the future of federal land regulation. ...[Continue Reading]
Let the taps flow: NC Legislature proposes a bill that will allow breweries to distribute more beer
A new bill would allow craft beer breweries to distribute more beer, making them more competitive with national brands. ...[Continue Reading]
Lex Luna – The Law of the Moon
The rising interest in private space travel creates a variety of legal issues. ...[Continue Reading]
Just another ordinary burglary
Determining whether the crime for which an alien was convicted was or was not a “crime of violence” is key. ...[Continue Reading]
Will the Rolling Stone verdict chill speech?
The defamation judgment against Rolling Stone is consistent with a 2016 trend that could have the effect of chilling speech among media entities. ...[Continue Reading]