Tort/Negligence – Medical Malpractice – Civil Practice – Pleadings Amendment – Rule 9(j)

In this medical malpractice action, plaintiff moved to amend her complaint in order to correct a mere technical error in her N.C. R. Civ. P. 9(j) certification. Nevertheless, since plaintiff’s motion to amend was made 20 months after she amended her first complaint and was not requested until defendant’s dispositive motions hearing was already in progress, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying plaintiff’s motion to amend.

Affirmed.

Williams v. Maryfield, Inc. (Lawyers Weekly No. 012-089-23, 10 pp.) (John Arrowood, J.) Appealed from Guilford County Superior Court (Susan Bray, J.) Amanda Dure and Joseph Anderson for plaintiff; Stephen Teague, Kara Bordman and Lyn Broom for defendant. North Carolina Court of Appeals (unpublished)