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Criminal Practice — Sentencing – Aggravating Factor – Pretrial Release – Constitutional
State v. Harris (Lawyers Weekly No. 15-07-0674, 8 pp.) (Wanda Bryant, J.) Appealed from Guilford County Superior Court (Anderson Cromer, J.) N.C. App. Holding: In State v. Webb, 309 N.C. 549, 308 S.E.2d 252 (1983), our Supreme Court upheld the General Assembly’s decision to make it an aggravating factor when a crime is committed while […]
Criminal Practice – DWI – Sentencing – Aggravating Factor — $1,000 Damage – Blakeley – Harmless Error – Restitution
State v. Wood Even though the trial court should have allowed the jury to decide the aggravating-factor issue of whether defendant’s negligence led to an accident causing more than $1,000 in property damage, the voir dire testimony of the victim of that accident clearly established that the damage to his vehicle could be repaired for approximately $1,600. The trial court’s error was h[...]
Criminal Practice – Sentencing – Aggravating Factor – First-Degree Kidnapping – Deadly Weapon
State v. Vaughters Where defendant’s use of a firearm was not necessary to prove all the elements of first-degree kidnapping, the trial court could consider defendant’s use of a firearm as an aggravating factor.
Criminal Practice – Second-Degree Murder – Jury Instructions – Felony Murder – Child Abuse – Sentencing – Aggravating Factor
State v. Barrow Since the state’s evidence would have permitted the jury to find that defendant did not use a deadly weapon but still killed the five-month-old victim with malice, the trial court properly instructed the jury on the offense of second-degree murder. We find no error in defendant’s conviction of second-degree murder, but we remand for re-sentencing.
Criminal Practice – DWI – Evidence – DWLR – Motion to Suppress – Aggravating Factor – Stipulation
State v. Presley Although defense counsel successfully moved to dismiss the driving while license revoked (DWLR) charge against defendant, counsel did not move to suppress evidence regarding the DWLR charge for which the officer stopped defendant, leading to the driving while impaired charge against her. Defendant has waived her right to appeal the denial of any intended motion to suppres[...]
Top Legal News
- Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to gun charges
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- Police chief who led newspaper raid resigns
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- Supreme Court opens new term today
- Judge blocks 2 provisions in NC abortion law
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Commentary
- Amotion sees resurgence after almost a decade
- The flip side of generative AI in law and how to address it
- The fight for equal educational opportunity continues
- Court’s term was rough on big business
- Ex-president, bar association have made their choice
- Ruling sharpens boundaries in attorney-client privilege
- Lawyers Weekly debuts new and improved web experience
- US Supreme Court bites back at parody’s use of the First Amendment
- Supreme Court leaves key internet protection untouched
- Case study: North Carolina courts provide guidance on scope, limitations of attorney-client privilege
- A Different Ode to Pro Bono Work
- A roadmap to attracting, developing, retaining great associates
