First-degree murder; authentication; relevance

intentional child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury; felony-murder rule; sufficiency of the evidence; "inherently incredible" witness testimony; plain error review

jury voir dire; jury impanelment; civil litigation; peremptory challenge; judgment notwithstanding the verdicts; lack of jurisdiction; N.C. R. App. P. 3(d)

N.C.G.S. § 47-20; deeds of trust; loan modification; extension of lien maturity date; Restatement (Third) of Property (Mortgages) § 7.3(b).

trial court; first amendment; quiet title; preliminary injunction; fraud; constructive; ecclesiastical entanglement; subject matter jurisdiction; property; trust; judicial modification of trust; contract; breach; failure to state a claim

arbitration, equitable distribution, alimony, child support

Domestic Violence Protection Order, subject matter jurisdiction, legitimate purpose

intestate succession rights of surviving spouse, marital abandonment, N.C.G.S. 31A-1(a)(3)

true threats, false report concerning mass violence, motion to dismiss

termination of parental rights, TPR, private termination, competent evidence, conclusions of law, minor child, DSS, visitation, jurisdictional defect, intent to appeal, fairly inferred, motion to dismiss, neglect, future neglect, reasonable progress, willfulness.

child support; imputed income; past-prospective child support; extraordinary expenses; findings of fact

Sweepstakes; Entertaining Display; Preliminary Injunction

interlocutory appeal, substantial right, discovery order, discovery requests, discovery responses, sanctions, production of documents, request to translate documents to English

speedy trial, Barker analysis, curative instruction, prejudicial evidence

Sixth Amendment, speedy trial, sufficiency of the evidence, malice, Harbison error

Invited error; plain error review; second-degree murder; overwhelming evidence of self-defense; number, size, and manner of display of text messages and photographs; enlargement of sexually explicit photographs; irrelevant evidence; highly prejudicial; inflaming jury’s passion; needless presentation of cumulative evidence; unfair prejudice; new trial granted.

ineffective assistance of counsel, special sentencing condition, motion to sever, expert witness

Failure by trial court to advise def of right to open and close closing arguments; sexual offense

First-degree murder; concealing death; dismembering human remains