Publications - New Titles

This bulletin provides an overview of notable changes that the General Assembly made to the laws related to planning and development regulations during the 2025 legislative long session. The changes are organized by topic, covering such areas as zoning (including down-zoning), infrastructure, amendments to 2024 Helene-recovery legislation, environmental regulations, the State Building Code,...

Abuse, neglect, dependency (A/N/D), and termination of parental rights (TPR) proceedings are civil actions. These cases involve multiple parties, including a county department of social services (DSS) as the petitioner in an A/N/D action, the individual or agency with standing who commenced a TPR action, the juvenile who is the subject of the action, respondent parents, and, when applicable,...

This bulletin explains the role of magistrates in reviewing applications for process, such as search warrants, charging documents, and orders for arrest. Typically submitted by law enforcement or other interested parties, these applications require a magistrate to act as a neutral and detached official, carefully evaluating whether probable cause exists. By following these procedures,...

North Carolina local governments face mounting pressures to maintain and expand critical infrastructure—from repairing aging roads and bridges to upgrading water systems for climate resilience—while navigating fiscal constraints, economic volatility, and state oversight. Amid these demands, the capital improvement plan (CIP) emerges as an important tool, offering a structured roadmap to...