Publications

Bail Bond Forfeitures

2026/08

Discipline, Suspension, and Removal of Court Officials

2026/07

Social Media and the First Amendment: A Guide to the Law for Local Governments

148

Smurfing Soon: Money Laundering Under G.S. 14-118.8

2026/06

Forensic Medical Exams and Health Care for Sexual Assault Victims Who Are Minors: Who is Authorized to Consent?

Health Law Bulletin

2026-2027 Finance Calendar of Duties for City and County Officials

Local Finance Bulletin

Forms of Local Government in North Carolina

Social Services and Public Health: The Role of the Board of Commissioners

Rebuttable Presumptions Against Pretrial Release

2026/05

Arrest Warrant and Indictment Forms, 2026 Edition

Initial Appearances Before North Carolina Magistrates

2026/04

Fundamentals of Property Tax Collection Law in North Carolina, Second Edition

Report

North Carolina Benchmarking Project Report 2026: Employee Retention

Can Local Governments Approve Nondisclosure Agreements?

147

Conflicts Involving Former Clients in Criminal Cases: Questions and Answers

2026/03

Reference Guide for Local Government Public Officials Comment Periods

146

Index of Select Emergency Management Resources for North Carolina Local Governments

Public Official Immunity: Public Official v. Public Employee Distinction (Quick-Reference Guide)

Revealing the Matrix: Publication and Termination Notice for North Carolina Local Government Emergency Prohibitions and Restrictions

145

Bona Fide Farms and Development Regulations

Planning and Zoning Law Bulletin

Code Officials Handbook: A Legal Guide to Administering Building and Property Codes in North Carolina

North Carolina Notary Public Manual (2026)

Abuse, Neglect, Dependency, and Termination of Parental Rights Proceedings in North Carolina, 2025 Edition

Setting Conditions of Release

Magistrates' Procedure in Small Claims Cases

Protections for Military Servicemembers in North Carolina Power of Sale Foreclosures

How Are We Doing? Evaluating Manager and Board Performance, Second Edition

Driver's License Revocations, Restorations, and Limited Driving Privileges in North Carolina, 2025 Edition

North Carolina Sentencing Handbook with Felony, Misdemeanor, and DWI Sentencing Grids, 2025 Edition

Strategic Planning for Elected Officials, Second Edition

Stages of Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Cases: From Report to Final Disposition, 2025 Edition

Obtaining a Court Order for the Provision of Protective and Emergency Services for a Disabled Adult, November 2025 Edition

Minors, Health, and the Law: A Legal Guide for North Carolina Health Professionals

Introduction to Zoning and Development Regulation in North Carolina, Fifth Edition

Safety vs. Privacy: A Guide to Drug and Alcohol Testing for Public Employers

Board-Manager Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships

2026 North Carolina Legislation Related to Planning and Development

Planning and Zoning Law Bulletin

Building Better Boards: A Retreat Guide for Local Governments

North Carolina Redevelopment Commissions: A Guide to Urban Redevelopment Law

Positions, Interests, and Public Values

North Carolina Pattern Jury Instructions for Civil, Criminal, and Motor Vehicle Negligence Cases, 2026 Edition (eBook)

Handbook for North Carolina Mayors and Council Members, Second Edition

Community Engagement Toolkit

Errata—North Carolina Crimes: A Guidebook on the Elements of Crime, Eighth Edition, 2025

2016 Supplement to the 2015 Punishment Chart for North Carolina Crimes and Motor Vehicle Offenses (Free PDF)

Errata–Update to Incorporation of a North Carolina Town, Third Edition (Free PDF)

Emerging Issues in Confrontation Litigation: A Supplement to Crawford v. Washington: Confrontation One Year Later

Errata—North Carolina Crimes: A Guidebook on the Elements of Crime, Eighth Edition, 2025

Errata–Update to Incorporation of a North Carolina Town, Third Edition (Free PDF)

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Initial Appearances Before North Carolina Magistrates

2026/04

This bulletin outlines the steps that magistrates must make while conducting initial appearances, starting with whether to begin or delay the proceeding when the defendant is first brought in. Topics covered include establishing probable cause, navigating procedures for offenses involving impaired driving, determining eligibility and conditions for pretrial release, conducting citizenship...

Fundamentals of Property Tax Collection Law in North Carolina, Second Edition

Chris McLaughlin's Fundamentals of Property Tax Collection Law in North Carolina updates and replaces his 2011 treatise of the same title and reflects all major legislative changes to the Machinery Act and related statutes through January 2026. This publication touches on a wide array of property tax collection topics, including tax administration, the payment of...

Report

North Carolina Benchmarking Project Report 2026: Employee Retention

The North Carolina Benchmarking Project allows participating North Carolina municipalities to compare their service and performance trends. Its annual reports grow out of topical performance strategy sessions bringing together public service professionals from municipalities in fifteen counties across the state.

The 2026 Benchmarking report on employee retention provides insights from...

Can Local Governments Approve Nondisclosure Agreements?

147

The bulletin discusses why private companies ask local governments to enter into nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), what local governments should do when companies seek confidential communications with them, and how to negotiate the tension between the need for confidentiality and the law pertaining to public records and open meetings. This bulletin also provides sample contract clauses to...

Conflicts Involving Former Clients in Criminal Cases: Questions and Answers

2026/03

This bulletin addresses common questions involving potential conflicts of interest with former clients in criminal cases. Focusing on issues that frequently arise in public defender offices, it examines conflicts involving former clients who later become witnesses or victims in current cases, the use of prior convictions for impeachment, and the handling of confidential information from prior...

Reference Guide for Local Government Public Officials Comment Periods

146

In North Carolina, boards of county commissioners, city councils, and local school boards are required to hold at least one public comment period each month during a regular meeting. Public comment periods serve as a critical part of the governance process. They allow local governments to understand the public’s concerns and perspectives, while affording the public an opportunity to impact...

Index of Select Emergency Management Resources for North Carolina Local Governments

Available for purchase as a printed book or as a free downloadable PDF.

This index provides a select list of resources for North Carolina local governments addressing emergency management issues. It is intended as a starting point for officials and staff seeking practical guidance across a range of government operations and service areas. Resources are organized by topic area and by...

Public Official Immunity: Public Official v. Public Employee Distinction (Quick-Reference Guide)

Public official immunity protects a public official from personal liability for negligent acts, unless the official acted outside the scope of his or her official duties or with malice or corruption. The immunity does not extend to public employees, meaning that they may be held individually liable for injuries caused by their negligence while performing their duties. The significant...

Revealing the Matrix: Publication and Termination Notice for North Carolina Local Government Emergency Prohibitions and Restrictions

145

When North Carolina counties and municipalities impose prohibitions or restrictions during locally declared states of emergency, they have to follow rules governing publication of prohibitions and restriction and the publication of notice that they are being terminated. These publication and termination-notice rules seem straightforward at first glance, but small pieces of the laws provide...