North Carolina Legal Resources for Lawyers and Non-Lawyers
Links to Useful NC Resources on Criminal Law, DWI Law, Traffic Law, Workers’ Compensation, Personal Injury, and Family Law
At Kurtz & Blum, PLLC, our savvy attorneys and staff work hard to meet our clients needs. We do our best to help you, answer your questions, and ease your worries. We also understand the value of outside resources and educating yourself, especially when dealing with something as complicated as law. While we’re ready to assist you with any aspect of your case at any time, the links below include a variety of useful legal resources. We will always be here to answer any additional questions you might have.
Resource Quick Links
- Find a Court Date – Whether if you’re looking for a court date for yourself or for anyone else, the North Carolina Court System website maintains calendars for civil and criminal courtrooms across the state.
- Traffic and Insurance Points – Provides an overview of the points that are accumulated on your license and on your insurance when you have received a traffic violation.
- North Carolina Law – From FindLaw; a resource and database with somewhat friendly summaries of North Carolina’s laws.
- Raleigh Police Department Crash Reports – Searchable database of reported Raleigh vehicle accidents.
- North Carolina General Statutes – Database of North Carolina statutes provided by the General Assembly website. It is a full, searchable index of North Carolina laws passed by the legislature.
- North Carolina Legal Forms:
North Carolina Law & Court Resources
- North Carolina General Assembly – Official website of the NC legislature. The legislative branch in North Carolina is known as the General Assembly and is made of up the Senate and House of Representatives. The General Assembly provides the laws that govern North Carolina.
- North Carolina Rules of Evidence – Rules of evidence permit how and what evidence can be presented in case. The rules are very specific about what evidence is and isn’t allowed during a trial in order to preserve the fairest trial possible.
- North Carolina Court System – The North Carolina Court System’s website consists of ample information on NC Courts from keeping court calendars to FAQs about going to court. You will sometimes hear this website referred to as AOC for Administrative Office of the Courts.
- Going to Court – Information from the NC Court System website about what you should expect if you are going to any North Carolina criminal or civil court.
- FAQ About Criminal Laws – Frequently asked questions about going to court for criminal cases from the North Carolina Court System website.
- FAQ About Civil Cases – Frequently asked questions about going to court for civil cases from the North Carolina Court System website.
- FAQ About Traffic Violations – Frequently asked questions about going to court for traffic violations from the North Carolina Court System website.
- Wake County District Attorney’s Office – The Wake County DA’s Office website holds basic legal information from a prosecutor’s perspective.
- FAQ from the Wake County DA’s Office – The Wake County DA’s Office answers some commonly asked questions from a prosecutor’s perspective.
- Wake County Clerk of the Court – The Clerk is responsible for all administrative, clerical and record-keeping functions of the district and superior court. The Clerk also receives and disburses money collected each year from court fees and fines. The Clerk’s website holds helpful, need-to-know information about Wake County courts.
- NC Department of Justice – The North Carolina Department of Justice provides legal representation to state agencies, assists local law enforcement, provides training and standards for law enforcement, and protects NC consumers. The website has extensive information about the DOJ and the Attorney’s General work that you can browse.
- NC Secretary of State – The Secretary of State has many responsibilities including analysis of legal documents submitted by corporations, overseeing lobbying, regulating notary policy, supervising securities, and managing Uniform Commercial Code regulation.
- United States Courts – The United States Courts website is an extensive database of information on the federal courts. If your case is not being tried in a North Carolina or other state court, you can start gathering information here.
Resources for North Carolina Drivers
- North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles – The NC DMV website provides significant information on state laws, policies, and need-to-know facts that you need to have while on North Carolina roads.
- Obtain a Driving Record – If you are in need of a driving record, visit the link provided, which takes you to a NC DMV page with directions on how to order a driving record.
- Form to Obtain Driving Record – Form needed to release a driving record.
- Form to Request an Official Record – Form needed in the event you need to request a third party’s official record.
- Vehicle Registration – NC DMV page providing information on how to title and register your vehicle as well as how to obtain a license plate.
- Driver’s License – Information from the DMV on your NC driver’s license as well as how to get and renew a license.
- Driver’s Handbook – The handbook published by the DMV for North Carolina drivers.
- Motorcyclist’s Handbook – The handbook published by the DMV for North Carolina citizens with a motorcycle license.
- Commercial Driver’s Manual – Manual published by the DMV for North Carolina commercial driver’s license holders.
- Medical Evaluation Program – Information from the NC DMV on evaluating medical information on licensed drivers and applicants.
- Brochure – General information on the medical evaluation program
- Medical Request for Driver Re-examination – Form needed if calling a NC driver’s ability to safely drive into question. A re-examination is only performed in event there is an interest in public safety.
- Medical Report Form – Form that is completed in the event that the DMV decides that a NC driver’s medical information needs to be reviewed to determine if a driver can still safely operate a vehicle.
- Vision Report – Form needed to evaluate a NC driver’s visual fitness in operating a motor vehicle.
- Tinted Window Permit – Application for a tinted window based on a driver’s medical condition that he or she suffers photosensitivity to visible light
- Crash Report Form Instruction Manual – Extensive manual from NC’s Department of Transportation on reporting accidents.
- National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration – NHTSA was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 and works to increase road safety for all motorists.
Resources for DWI Law and Information
- DUI Law – FindLaw’s information on DUI/DWI law.
- Smart Start – Certain DWI convictions will require you to obtain an interlock device on your vehicle that will prevent it from starting unless you clear a breathalyzer. Smart Start is one of the companies providing interlock devices in North Carolina.
- DUI/DWI Information Impaired Driving Databases – Database providing extensive information about DUI/DWIs internationally.
- Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus: The Science and the Law – Overview from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration about identifying horizontal gaze nystamus (HGN) as a sign of intoxication
- Punishment and Recidivism in Drunk Driving – A study on the effects of the severity of punishment on repeat drunk driving offenses.
Substance Abuse Treatment Providers
- Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services – A division of the NC Department of Health and Human Services, it provides comprehensive information for those looking for help for themselves or for loved ones.
- Community Treatment and Resource Provider Directory – The directory contains information about organizations in North Carolina that provide assistance and support to individuals and families.
- Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator – A national health treatment locator from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
- Substance Abuse – The World Health Organization’s information about substance abuse.
- Local and Statewide Treatment Providers:
- CosTran – Raleigh, NC
- First at Blue Ridge – Ridgecrest, NC
- First Step Services – Raleigh, Durham, and Garner, NC
- Visions Counseling Studio – Durham, NC
- Genesis DWI Services – Durham, NC
Criminal Law Resources
- Criminal Law Basics – FindLaw’s collection of information providing a basic overview of some criminal law principles.
- Relief From a Criminal Conviction – A guide from the School of Government on the various ways you can obtain relief from a criminal conviction.
- Criminal Law Blog – From the School of Government, this blog discusses a variety of current issues in criminal law.
- Felony Sentencing Chart – A chart that provides a quick overview of felony classes and punishments.
- C-Cat – The Collateral Consequences Assessment Tool was created by the School of Government to provide a way of identifying all the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction, which can range from voting, availability for certain jobs, limiting public benefits, and more.
- Crime Lab Procedures – North Carolina follows international standards for official crime laboratory accreditation.
- Crime Laboratory Documentation – Documents and audits from accredited crime labs in North Carolina.
- Forensic Resources – Website put together by the Indigent Defense Services, which provides public defenders and private defense counsel resources with which to challenge forensic evidence used by the prosecution.
- Office of Indigent Defense Services – The Indigent Defense Services Act of 2000 established the Office of Indigent Defense Services in order to better serve North Carolina’s indigent citizens who are in need of legal services.
- Brief Bank – The Office of Indigent Defense Services maintains an easily accessible public record of case briefs filed by their office.
- Offender Public Information – North Carolina’s Department of Public Safety provides a search function for current and previous offenders.
- Opening Statements in a Criminal Case – Information on delivery, technique, and content of an opening statement in a criminal case.
- Closing Arguments in a Criminal Case – Information on delivery, technique, and content of a closing argument in a criminal case.
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers – The NACDL promotes a rational and humane criminal justice system at all state and federal levels. The website has extensive information and resources on criminal cases, news, and lawyers.
- Cumberland County Sheriff’s Incident Report – Searchable database of incidents within Cumberland County, NC.
- Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision – The commission oversees a compact between states in guiding the transfer of offenders in a manner that promotes effective supervision strategies consistent with public safety, offender accountability, and victim’s rights.
- Criminal Exonerations – An article that shows just how serious false convictions are in the United States.
- Division of Adult Correction – From the NC Department of Public Safety, the DAC’s job is promote public safety through a fair and humane correction system.
- NC Prisoner Legal Services – Nonprofit law firm that protects prisoners’ constitutional rights by challenging illegal convictions and sentences and by ensuring safe and humane conditions of confinement.
- The Innocence Project – A national litigation and public policy organization that works on freeing wrongly convicted individuals through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to stop further injustice.
Family Law Resources
- Family Law Center – FindLaw’s information on family law topics ranging from divorce, child custody, adoption, and more.
- Wake County Family Court Calendar – Wake County’s Family Court calendar can show when your case is scheduled.
- NC Child Support Enforcement – From the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Child Support Enforcement program’s goal is collect as much money as possible to help NC children.
- NC Association for Marriage and Family Therapy – Professional website for marriage and family therapists promoting the well-being of families, couples, and individuals.
Personal Injury Resources
- NC Industrial Commission – The North Carolina Industrial Commission (NCIC) has authority over workers’ compensation claims among other duties.
- Form 18 – Workers’ compensation claim form
- Form 18B – Claim for lung disease
- Form 18M – Application for additional medical compensation
- Form 33 – Request that claim be assigned for hearing
- FAQ on Workers’ Compensation – The top of the page holds workers’ compensation related questions and answers.
- TrialSmith – Experts can be an integral part of a trial. TrialSmith is a website devoted to plaintiff lawyers that provides extensive resources on various case topics and expert witnesses.
Technology and Law Resource Links
- National Clearinghouse for Law, Science, and Technology – NCLST functions as a database of information that assembles the available scientific, technological, and relevant legal resources into a comprehensive “one-stop” searchable database with equal access for all.
- MIT Technology Review – The Technology Review identifies and investigates new technologies and how they impact society. The Review filters through the flood of technologies to determine what is important.
- Lie Detector Roulette – Article on the uncertainty of the results from polygraph tests. Why the results from taking a lie detector test should not be the end all, be all of evidence.
- Computer Forensics, Cybercrime, and Steganography Resources – Database of information on forensics from leading researchers that can help you understand and battle forensic investigation.
- On the role of file system metadata in digital forensics – Most studies on digital forensics focus on how to obtain forensic evidence, but this article focus on obtaining quality and quantity of digital forensics.
- Small Firm Innovation – This website focuses on insight and advice to small firms and solo practitioners on running a law practice through first-person accounts.
- Shear on Social Media Law – A blog dedicated to informing about legal and policy issues on those who use social media law.
- Engadget – A website devoted to news, reviews, and opinions on consumer electronics and the science and technology that they’re built upon.
Other Resource Links
- North Carolina Bar – The NC Bar’s public-friendly website. This particular website is designed for non-lawyers looking to gather more information on North Carolina’s lawyers and the Bar organization.
- Find a Lawyer – Search for a North Carolina lawyer via the NC Bar.
- NC Bar’s Lawyer Website – The North Carolina Bar’s website for NC attorneys.
- Rules of Professional Conduct – The North Carolina Bar’s rules of professional conduct, which all attorneys admitted to the NC Bar must follow.
- North Caroline Bar Association – The NCBA is a voluntary organization of lawyers, paralegals, and law students that is meant to serve the public and uphold the integrity of the profession.
- Legal Aid of North Carolina – Statewide, nonprofit law firm that helps individuals, families and communities with legal problems affecting basic human needs.
- NC Lawyer Referral Service – The North Carolina Bar’s lawyer referral service can help you find an attorney in your area if you are in need of one.
- NC Lawyers’ Mutual Insurance Company – Company that provides malpractice insurance to many North Carolina attorneys.
- ACLU of North Carolina – The American Civil Liberties Union is a national organization devoted to preserving the guarantees of individual liberty.
- School of Government – UNC’s School of Government provides extensive information on state and local government.
- Administration of Justice – Bulletin published by the School of Government providing an overview of resolutions, contentions, and issues with our laws.
- Superior Court Judges’ Benchbook – A quick reference guide for judges put together by the School of Government.
- Above the Law – A legal blog that publishes a variety of information and gossip on law firms, lawyers, law schools, law suits, and more. If you want inside gossip on the big names in law this is the website to go.
- Lawyerist – A law practice blog that tags itself as a law practice survival guide. It includes information on technology, career development, skills, practice management, legal ethics, and law school.
- Forensic Magazine – A resource on forensic-related technologies, products, industry trends, and solutions. Their mission is to help forensics specialists keep current with today’s demands, featuring valuable trade tips, invigorating articles, and more.
- Medical Abbreviations Search – A handy tool for determining the meaning of various medical abbreviations.
- Search Engines:
- Google Advance Search – General search engine
- Bing – General search engine
- Surfwax – Search engine that uses semantic and lexically related search options
- Youtube – Video search engine
- Spokeo – People search engine
- 411.com – Directory search engine
- Wolfram|Alpha – Computational and knowledge search engine
- DuckDuckGo – Non-tracking search engine
- Wikipedia – A user-created encyclopedia; accuracy isn’t guaranteed but it’s a good place to review topics.