State v. Bohler, 198 N.C. App. 631 (Aug. 4, 2009)

The defendant’s stipulation that certain out-of-state convictions were substantially similar to specified North Carolina offenses was ineffective. However, the defendant could stipulate that the out-of-state convictions occurred and that they were either felonies or misdemeanors under the other state’s law, for purposes of assigning prior record level points. Based on the stipulation in this case, the defendant’s out-of-state convictions could be counted for prior record level purposes using the “default” classifications in G.S. 15A-1340.14(e).