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Not long after publishing our most recent update on Coronavirus and NC Courts, the Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court issued AM I REQUIRED TO GO TO COURT?Emergency Directives supplementing prior Orders regarding court operations.

Most notably, Justice Beasley in her Order:

  1. Clarifies there will not be Jury Trials in North Carolina likely through at least the end of September 2020; and,

Today we received another disturbing email, advising someone who works in the Wake County courthouse in Raleigh is positive for the Coronavirus.

Last week, criminal defense lawyers in Durham madly texted and emailed one another, sharing similar news.

The Clerk of Court in Mecklenburg County recently advised a group of family law attorneys in Charlotte that three clerks are positive and “ten times that amount” have been sent home because of possible exposure.

A Public Defender who works at the Moss Justice Center in York County, South Carolina has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 Severe Acute Respiratory CRIMINAL LAWYERS IN YORK COUNTY SCSyndrome Coronavirus 2.

The Justice Center is where criminal charges in York County, which includes Rock Hill, Fort Mill, and Lake Wylie, are heard.

Other court personnel work in the Moss Center, including the Office of the Public Defender, 16th District Solicitors (prosecutors) for the State of South Carolina, Magistrates, and the Clerk of Court for York County.

Shawn Patrick Ellis created quite a kerfuffle in more ways than one.REASONABLE SUSPICION IN NORTH CAROLINA

His defiant middle finger and later refusal to identify himself to law enforcement resulted in a Superior Court criminal conviction for Resisting Officers.

On a day focused on NC court closures, continuances, and the Coronavirus, Justice Robin Hudson delivered an opinion addressing the legality of giving someone the middle finger.

Being accused of wrongdoing and allegedly committing a crime when you’re innocent is disturbing at best.FALSE ACCUSATIONS

Your good name and reputation in the community are at stake.

Even if found not guilty or the criminal charges are ultimately thrown out or dismissed, false allegations can affect your freedom, your future, and how you’re treated by friends and neighbors.

Will my case be continued?WILL MY CASE BE CONTINUED IF COURT CLOSES?

This morning at 11:00 a.m., the Chief Justice of the NC Supreme Court formally announced her Order regarding the Coronavirus.  It will affect court calendars, continuances, and future settings in North Carolina.

The procedures and protocols apply statewide, involving a substantial number of civil matters and criminal charges in Charlotte, N.C.

If I say “hey” and smile, I’m genuinely glad to see you.  But I’m not going to shake your hand.  Should I go to court if I am sick?

Greeting my friend Tom, a Gastonia lawyer in court this morning, I offered him an “elbow bump.”

He at first looked quizzically at me, then quickly bumped elbows saying:

If you’ve been arrested and charged with an offense involving “drunk driving,” we think it’s a really good idea to have a Charlotte DWI lawyer standing by your side in court.  CAN I GET MY DWI CHARGES THROWN OUT>

The consequences of a possible conviction are such that you should begin your defense without delay.

Good decisions are predicated on obtaining good information.

DWI fatality and homicide cases, those involving murder, manslaughter, and felony death by vehicle charges in Mecklenburg County are handled by a special team of prosecutors.

Defense attorneys and prosecutors alike refer to it as the “Homicide Team.”

The lawyers in Charlotte who comprise the DA Homicide Team are some of the most seasoned courtroom attorneys I know.  If you have a matter with the Homicide Team, it’s a serious criminal charge and one that deserves careful consideration by a defense attorney with substantial courtroom experience- Bill Powers