What are North Carolina Court Records?

Docket Sheets

Dockets are official summaries of proceedings and filings in a case. This usually includes information about the parties and legal representatives involved, dates, and filings in a particular case.

Judgments and Orders

These are official declarations made by a judge to resolve a legal matter. These court records typically outline each party's punishment and responsibilities.

Transcripts

Transcripts are typed verbatim version of what was said during a court proceeding. They are created by the official court reporter in attendance or by listening to an audio recording made by the clerk.

Evidence

This includes physical and document-based materials containing facts and observations about the case.

Court Minutes

They are official records of courtroom proceedings from the beginning to the end of a trial. They include a summary of events such as recesses, testimonies, and official statements.

Pleadings

These are records of petitions, complaints, and statements made by each party in a case describing the party's request to the court.

Briefs

Briefs are arguments written by legal counsel and submitted to the court. These documents explain a party's side of the case and why the court should grant their request.

Civil Cases

Civil cases seek to resolve disputes between individuals or organizations. These types of cases typically ask the court to protect a private civil right or to grant a civil remedy to one party that has suffered some type of loss as a result of the actions of another. Civil cases are initiated when one party (plaintiff) files a lawsuit against another (defendant). Common reasons for such lawsuits include breaches of contract, property damage, disputes over tenancy, or bodily injury claims.

In the complaint, the plaintiff must specify the reason for the claim and why the court should grant their request. Civil cases are decided using a standard of proof called the preponderance of evidence. This requires the plaintiff to demonstrate that their version of the facts is more likely than not.

Criminal Cases

In criminal cases, the state files a lawsuit against an individual for breaking the law. Criminal cases seek to uphold the law and guarantee justice by making sure that offenders are punished. Consequently, a person found guilty may face penalties ranging from payment of fines and imprisonment to, in certain situations, the death penalty.

In North Carolina, the district attorney for each district is responsible for filing the lawsuit against criminal offenders. It is the responsibility of the district attorney or their representative to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant has committed the alleged offense. Failure to do so will lead to the dismissal of the charges against the defendant.

North Carolina Supreme Court

This is the highest court in the state. It generally handles any errors within judicial interpretation or in other legal procedures made by lower courts. The Supreme Court's caseload mainly includes challenges to laws within the constitution, as well as appeals opposing death penalty sentences.

The North Carolina Supreme Court is made up of the Chief Justice and six associate justices. The Chief Justice, who is elected for an eight-year term, is the head of the state's judicial branch.

North Carolina Courts of Appeals

The Courts of Appeals is the state's intermediate appellate court. It handles the most appeals from trial courts within the state. This court is composed of popularly elected judges who all serve eight year terms. Each Appeals case is overviewed by three judges who are assigned by the current chief judge. Note that the Chief Judge is selected by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Superior Courts

The Superior Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction in the state. These courts handle all standard criminal cases as well as any civil cases valued at at least $10,000. Any appeals to misdemeanor cases from District Courts are also included. North Carolina Superior Courts criminal cases are decided by a jury, while in civil cases, the jury system is waived. North Carolina Superior Court has a business court division that hears issues related to business laws in the state.

District Courts

The District Courts are trial courts of limited jurisdiction. However, they handle all civil cases involving $10,000 or less, misdemeanors, and infractions. They issue arrest warrants, set bail, and accept guilty pleas for misdemeanors. District Courts also handle juvenile proceedings, domestic relations cases, and mental health hospital commitments.

These courts have a small claims division that handles cases involving property recovery, ejectment, enforcement of liens filed by mechanics, and monetary claims of $10,000 or less. District Courts are divided into 41 districts across the state, and each court is located in the county seat of each county.

North Carolina Specialty Courts

Specialty courts, also known as recovery courts, are judicially supervised court intervention that targets individuals within the criminal and juvenile court system who are struggling with substance use or mental illness. Examples of specialty courts in North Carolina are:

• Veteran treatment courts
• Family recovery courts
• Mental health courts
• DWI courts