Other Manuals

Other online reference sources prepared by the School of Government (not part of the Indigent Defense Manual Series) may be useful to indigent defenders. Click on the link that interests you to view the manual or resource.

Abuse, Neglect, Dependency, and Termination of Parental Rights Proceedings in North Carolina
Sara DePasquale, 2023
     This manual presents and explains the laws, procedures, concepts, and people related to abuse, neglect, dependency, and termination of parental rights proceedings in North Carolina. It is designed for district court judges, social services attorneys, parents’ attorneys, and guardian ad litem attorney advocates. It includes a detailed chapter on evidence issue that may arise in these proceedings and in criminal cases. It is available for purchase as a soft-bound book here.

Chapter 3, Child Support in North Carolina Trial Judges' Bench Book, District Court, Volume 1, Family Law (2021 ed.)
Cheryl D. Howell & Jan S. Simmons, 2021
     The child support chapter from the North Carolina District Court Judges' Bench Book covers the different aspects of child support proceedings. The chapter is reproduced with persmission of the School of Government.

Relief from a Criminal Conviction
John Rubin, 2023
     This guide, recipient of the Margaret Taylor Writing Award from the School of Government, explains in one place the principal mechanisms available in North Carolina for obtaining relief from a criminal conviction, including expunctions, certificates of relief, and petitions to terminate sex offender registration and resotre firearm rights.

Collateral Consequences Assessment Tool (C-CAT)    
Caitlin Little & John Rubin, 2023
    This resource centralizes, in a searchable format, the collateral consequences imposed under North Carolina law for a criminal conviction and helps attorneys, other professionals, and affected individuals advise people more accurately and completely about the impact of a conviction. C-CAT includes links to additional resources, including a guide to relief from a conviction and resources on sex offender registration requirements.

COVID-19 Tool Kit
Ian Mance & John Rubin, June 2020 to June 2021
    This page contains resources for North Carolina defense attorneys on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including original legal research produced by the School's Public Defense Education group on, among other topics, release from custody, jury trials, witness testimony, sentencing, and the challenges of practicing during a pandemic.

NC Superior Court Judges' Benchbook
Shea Denning, ed.
     The benchbook addresses topics of interest to superior court judges, including criminal law, evidence, and general trial court procedure. The outlines are updated periodically and display the date of the last update.

NC Pro - Digital Knowledge Base on Criminal Law and Procedure for North Carolina Prosecutors
Shea Denning & Joseph L. Hyde
     This resource addresses criminal law topics of interest to prosecutors, including the following: pretrial, trial, sentencing, appeals & relief, juvenile prosecutions, expert testimony, evidence, and pattern jury instructions.