Smith's Criminal Case Compendium
Smith's Criminal Case Compendium
Table of Contents
Smith's Criminal Case Compendium
About
This compendium includes significant criminal cases by the U.S. Supreme Court & N.C. appellate courts, Nov. 2008 – Present. Selected 4th Circuit cases also are included.
Jessica Smith prepared case summaries Nov. 2008-June 4, 2019; later summaries are prepared by other School staff.
Instructions
Navigate using the table of contents to the left or by using the search box below. Use quotations for an exact phrase search. A search for multiple terms without quotations functions as an “or” search. Not sure where to start? The 5 minute video tutorial offers a guided tour of main features – Launch Tutorial (opens in new tab).
The trial court did not err by refusing to admit during the sentencing hearing the defendant’s evidence consisting of a notebook prepared in connection with earlier sentencing proceedings and containing recitations of an accomplice’s confessions, a forensic blood spatter expert report, and medical reports. The trial court declined to admit the notebook and instead asked that the defendant call live witnesses from his witness list, expressing concern about the “unsupported” and “unauthenticated” nature of the writings.