The case of a fired Durham police sergeant gives the N.C. Supreme Court a chance to consider constitutional protection of economic liberty.
All by Mitch Kokai
OPINION: Popular ed school fads fail students who need help the most
The fight over Critical Race Theory grabs headlines. But there’s a more fundamental problem plaguing public schools.
N.C. Appeals Court rules Greenville red-light camera program unconstitutional
A unanimous three-judge panel of the N.C. Court of Appeals has ruled Greenville's red-light camera program unconstitutional. The judges agreed the program does not provide enough of its proceeds to local schools.
State Supreme Court rules government retirees had contractual health care right
The N.C. Supreme Court has ruled, 4-2, that 220,000 state government retirees had a contractual right to premium-free health care benefits that had been promised to them. Now a trial court will have to determine whether state changes to those benefits a decade ago violated the contract.
Democrats' 'no' votes on Free the Smiles veto override follow common pattern
Neither state Senate Democrat who initially voted for the Free the Smiles legislation last month was willing to stick with that "yes" vote this week. Both of their "yes" votes turned into "no" when they had a chance to help override Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of the school masking measure.
Appeals Court considers lawsuit challenging Cooper team's 2020 racetrack shutdown
Two years after Gov. Roy Cooper's administration shut down an Alamance County racetrack during the height of the COVID-19 scare, the track's owners continue a legal fight against the state.
U.S. Supreme Court votes 6-3 to deny N.C. legislators' redistricting appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court has voted 6-3 to deny N.C. legislators' request to block a court-drawn congressional map for North Carolina. The high court's decision should end legal action connected to new N.C. election maps for the 2022 election cycle.
State Supreme Court agrees to fast-track case against N.C. voter ID law
The N.C. Supreme Court has agreed to take up a lawsuit challenging North Carolina's voter ID law. The high court's decision removes the case from the state Court of Appeals and places it on a faster track for final resolution.
Legislators get opposition, support for U.S. Supreme Court redistricting plea
Each of the plaintiffs in North Carolina's legal dispute over election maps is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stay out of the fight. So is the N.C. Justice Department.
OPINION: Earls' disturbing comments help make case for income tax cap
State government should face a limit on the amount of your income it can tax. Disturbing comments from one N.C. Supreme Court justice help explain why.
Pennsylvania case mirrors N.C. redistricting appeal to U.S. Supreme Court
Based on a 4-3 vote from the state Supreme Court, a congressional election map drawn by legislators gets tossed out. The court substitutes its own map for 2022 elections. The new map tips the scale toward the Democratic Party.
Lawmakers take N.C. congressional map dispute to U.S. Supreme Court
State legislative leaders are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to step into the legal dispute over a new congressional map for North Carolina.
State Supreme Court rejects competing redistricting appeals
The N.C. Supreme Court is refusing to insert itself back into the state's legal dispute over legislative and congressional redistricting at this time. A series of court orders issued about 10 p.m. Wednesday denied requests for action from supporters and critics of a three-judge panel's ruling on election maps.
OPINION: Redistricting critique suggests Democrats want to shield themselves from the voters
Critics accuse North Carolina’s Republican-led General Assembly of drawing election districts that would shield GOP majorities from the impact of voters’ choices.
OPINION: Court should have heeded O'Connor's warning about redistricting
It's a shame the N.C. Supreme Court ignored a valuable lesson from the writing of the politically savvy Sandra Day O’Connor. That lesson could have helped the court avoid its recent decision rejecting state election maps.
State Supreme Court spells out details of redistricting ruling
Ten days after throwing out North Carolina's newly drawn congressional and legislative election maps, the state Supreme Court has produced its formal opinion in the case.
State Supreme Court debates future of voter ID, tax cap amendments
The fate of two approved amendments to North Carolina's Constitution now sits in the hands of the state Supreme Court. The court spent an hour Monday morning questioning lawyers who argued for and against the amendments.
Three N.C. congressmen among 38 seeking cognitive test from Biden
Three N.C. congressmen have joined 35 Republican colleagues signing on to a letter asking President Biden to take a cognitive test.
Legal challenge to governor's emergency powers one step closer to three-judge panel
A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Gov. Roy Cooper's emergency powers has moved closer to a resolution. The senior resident Superior Court judge for Wake County has agreed the case should head to a three-judge panel.
OPINION: Election map critics stretch N.C. Constitution to reach political goal
Critics argue that North Carolina’s new election maps violate key basic provisions of the state’s Declaration of Rights. Those critics include the four Democrats serving on the N.C. Supreme Court. They labeled the maps unconstitutional.