Gun rights litigation at the national level tends to draw headlines. What receives far less attention is how North Carolina law can affect your concealed handgun permit when alcohol or drug issues enter the picture.

This is where careful legal analysis matters.

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The short version is this. The constitutional landscape after Bruen has made status-based firearm prohibitions more vulnerable than they were a decade ago. But vulnerability does not automatically mean invalidation.

After examining the Court’s recent Second Amendment decisions, the current judicial philosophy of the justices, and the institutional posture of the Court, the Over Under prediction here is intended to be relatively straightforward.

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In North Carolina, the legal distinction between a state-regulated commodity and a federal felony is 0.3% Delta-9 THC. As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to rule on the constitutionality of firearm bans for cannabis users, North Carolinians face a potentially dangerous legal paradox. Hemp and marijuana are chemically and visually indistinguishable, yet possessing the wrong one can lead to a lifetime loss of gun rights, in addition to other potential criminal consequences both in federal and state court.

Why North Carolina’s Hemp Laws May Cause an Evidentiary Crisis for Gun Owners

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This guide explains what actually happens in Charlotte after an arrest, how pretrial release decisions are made, and what steps matter in the first hours and days.

1. The Initial Appearance in Charlotte | What to Expect at the Mecklenburg County Jail

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1. Felony Death by Vehicle | The Statutory Framework

North Carolina General Statute § 20-141.4(a1) defines felony death by vehicle through three distinct elements. First, the Defendant unintentionally caused the death of another. Second, the Defendant was engaged in the offense of impaired driving under G.S. § 20-138.1 or G.S. § 20-138.2. Third, the commission of the impaired driving offense was a proximate cause of the death.

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1. Misdemeanor Death by Vehicle | Statutory Offense in North Carolina

North Carolina General Statute 20-141.4(a2) defines misdemeanor death by vehicle as an offense with three elements. First, the person was engaged in the violation of any State law or local ordinance applying to the operation or use of a vehicle or to the regulation of traffic. Second, that violation was a proximate cause of the death of another person. Third, the death was unintentional. Every element must be present, and the State must prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Some of my best friends are lawyers. The profession as a whole is comprised of noble, hard-working professionals dedicated to justice, due process, and helping others.

AND if you ever want to truly test your patience, try defending an attorney when the tables are turned, and the lawyer becomes the defendant.

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TL;DR: The February 2026 NC Court of Appeals Decision, State v. Webber, upheld a trial judge’s decision to strip a defendant of the right to counsel and force them to stand trial alone. The defendant had burned through four appointed attorneys over several years, privately retained a fifth, refused court-appointed counsel, and walked into the courtroom on the day of trial without a lawyer. The Court found the defendant forfeited and otherwise waived the right to counsel through their conduct.

North Carolina courts look at the totality of circumstances before stripping a defendant of the right to counsel. No single act automatically triggers forfeiture. What follows are the seven patterns set forth in Webber that, alone or in combination, can cost a defendant their lawyer:

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TL;DR Jury selection in North Carolina criminal cases involves two distinct types of challenges, challenges for cause and peremptory challenges, each governed by separate statutory procedures. When a juror raises a concern after being accepted, the law under N.C. Gen. Stat. section 15A-1214(g) provides a specific process for addressing concerns, including the possibility of reopening voir dire. Whether a defendant can later challenge a jury selection decision on appeal may depend on exhausting available peremptory challenges.

Bill Powers has helped clients in North Carolina for more than thirty years. Bill enjoys teaching and hosting continuing legal education programs. If you are facing a serious criminal charge in North Carolina, such as Misdemeanor Death by Vehicle or Felony Serious Injury or Felony Death by Vehicle involving DUI charges, and have questions about how the trial process works, please call Bill Powers and the criminal defense team at Powers Law Firm at 704-342-4357 to schedule a consultation.

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1. What the totality-of-the-circumstances standard actually demands when a defendant challenges the facial validity of a probable cause determination based on officer observations?
2. What appellate rights survive when a defendant enters a guilty or Alford plea without first cataloguing every intended issue to preserve?

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