Below is a compilation of freely available legal research material relevant to North Carolina, organized and supplemented with links to relevant Research Guides. The Research Guides detail the utility of the links provided as well as information about additional resources.
North Carolina Case Law
Resource |
Content |
Utility |
Case law searchable by court. | Includes the full text of case and links to documents citing a given opinion. See coverage information here. | |
Free Access through NC Bar membership. | Includes full text of opinions. | |
NC Appellate and NC Supreme Court decisions from 2003 to present. | PDF of opinions available for download along with lists of decisions by year. | |
NC Court of Appeals from 1968 to present. NC Supreme Court from 1950 to present. NC District Courts from 2005 to present. | Cases searchable by Court > Year > Month > Case Name. |
North Carolina Statutes
Resource |
Content |
Utility |
Searchable NC Statutes current as of the 2013 session. | Statute Text. Note: Content is unofficial and accuracy should be verified in print before citing. | |
Searchable select NC Statutes from 2005 to 1012. | Statute text organized by chapter. |
Tools for Statutory Interpretation
- Step-by-step guide to compiling legislative history: NC Legislature’s Legislative History Guide.
- Materials available in print or online: UNC’s N.C. Legislative History Research Guide.
Resource |
Number Format |
Content |
Utility |
[General Assembly of NC] |
YEAR- LAW #[e.g. 2013-1] | Searchable Session Laws. Includes local law from 1959 forward and public laws beginning in 1983 | References bill number. Contrast between language in statute and session law may inform interpretation. |
[NC State Government Publications Collection] |
YEAR- LAW #[e.g. 2013-1] | Session laws from 1817 to 2011 | References bill number. Contrast between language in statute and session law may inform interpretation. |
[General Assembly of NC] |
S [Senate]– LAW #[e.g. S-14]H [House]- LAW #[e.g. H-76] | Index of bills from 1985 to present | The revisions made during bill history may evidence legislative intent. |
Tools for Statutory Interpretation, Continued
Resource |
Number Format |
Content |
Utility |
Journal of House and Senate of NC General Assembly [NC Digital Collections] |
Organized by Year of Meeting | Searchable access to House and Senate Journals from 1822 to present. | Journals aid in the construction of a bill history, which is indicative of legislative intent. |
Legislative Research Commission [NC General Assembly] |
Organized by Year | Searchable scattered reports between 1983 and 2012 | Research influencing content of proposed legislation may evidence legislative intent. |
Regulations and Agencies
- For more information: UNC’s County and Municipal Ordinance Research Guide
- For more information: UNC’s Administrative Law Research Guide
Resource |
Content |
North Carolina Administrative Code [NC Office of Administrative Hearings] |
Searchable table of existing NC regulations. |
[Office of Administrative Hearings] |
Published twice monthly. Contains information relating to agency rulemaking, executive orders, contested case decisions and other notices required by or affecting Chapter 150B of NCGS. |
County and Municipal Ordinances made available by a private publisher. |
North Carolina Constitution
Resource |
Content |
[NC Legislative Library] |
The complete text of the current NC Constitution. |
[Justia] |
Text of the NC Constitution searchable by Article. |
[NC Legislative Library] |
The text of past incarnations of the NC Constitution along with Amendments. Additional pre-statehood materials available here. |