North Carolina Lawyers Weekly
North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley has extended filing deadlines for county court documents through April 17 due to COVID-19.
Beasley issued an order on March 19 saying that county court pleadings, motions, notices, and other documents due to be filed from March 16 to April 17 will be deemed timely filed if they are before the close of business on April 17. Any actions required during that time can also be postponed until April 17.
She also ordered that all other acts that were or are due in the same period regarding civil actions, criminal actions, estates, and special proceedings will be considered timely.
The order doesn’t apply to documents and papers due to be filed with the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court.
“We’re working to slow the spread of infection and one of the ways we can do that is to suspend routine filings and other court-related deadlines,” Beasley said. “We want attorneys and people representing themselves in court to stay home and out of the courthouse to the fullest extent possible.”
On March 13, Beasley issued two emergency directives postponing most cases in superior and district courts for 30 days and instructing local officials to take steps to limit the risk of exposure in courthouses.
