(a) Jurisdiction. – Court-martial judgments which include a sentence to confinement shall have a right of appeal to the Wake County Superior Court. The provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1451 shall apply to appeals under this section.

(b) Filing and Service. – An appeal under this section must be made in writing and filed with the Clerk of Superior Court of Wake County within 10 days after the approval of the sentence by the Governor. A copy of the petition shall be filed with the military court and the military trial counsel of record. For the purposes of a filing fee, the appeal shall be treated as an administrative appeal to the Superior Court.

(c) Assertion of Errors. – All errors, including, but not limited to, the following, must be asserted or shall be deemed waived:

(1) Any error of law, including the following:

a. The court erroneously failed to dismiss the charge prior to the court-martial.

b. The court’s ruling was contrary to law with regard to motions made before or during the trial or with regard to the admission or exclusion of evidence.

c. The evidence, at the close of all the evidence, was insufficient to justify submission of the case to the court-martial panel, whether or not a motion so asserting was made before verdict.

d. The court erroneously instructed the court-martial panel.

Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 127A-62

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • in writing: may be construed to include printing, engraving, lithographing, and any other mode of representing words and letters: Provided, that in all cases where a written signature is required by law, the same shall be in a proper handwriting, or in a proper mark. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
  • Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.

(2) The verdict is contrary to the weight of the evidence.

(3) For any other cause, the defendant did not receive a fair and impartial trial.

(d) Appointment of Superior Court Judge. – The appeal shall be heard by a judge assigned by the Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, to be heard at a session of the Wake County Superior Court designated by the Chief Justice.

(e) Applicable Law. – The presiding judge, in determining whether there were errors, shall apply the law as provided for trial by courts-martial under this Article.

(f) Setting Aside of Findings or Sentence. – The findings or sentence, or both, may be modified or set aside, in whole or in part, by the court on the ground of newly discovered evidence, fraud on the court, lack of jurisdiction over the accused or the offense, or error prejudicial to the substantial rights of the accused.

(g) Hearings and Rehearings. – The court may remand the matter to the court-martial for evidentiary hearings or other proceedings, to be conducted by a military judge alone, that it deems necessary prior to the court’s final disposition of the case. If the court sets aside the findings or sentence, the court may, except when the setting aside is based on lack of sufficient evidence in the record to support the findings, order a rehearing. If the court sets aside the findings and sentence and does not order a rehearing, the court shall dismiss the charges. If the court orders a rehearing, but the convening authority finds a rehearing impractical, the convening authority shall dismiss the charges.

(h) Counsel. –

(1) The Staff Judge Advocate of the North Carolina National Guard shall:

a. Designate a judge advocate who is qualified and certified under Article 27(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and who is a member of the North Carolina Bar, to represent the defendant.

b. Designate a judge advocate who is qualified and certified under Article 27(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and who is a member of the North Carolina Bar, to represent the State.

(2) The counsel designated to represent the defendant under sub-subdivision a. of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall not be the counsel who represented the defendant at the court-martial.

(3) Where a defendant alleges ineffective assistance of prior counsel as a ground for relief, the defendant shall be deemed to waive the attorney-client privilege with respect to both oral and written communications between the defendant and the prior counsel to the extent the defendant’s prior counsel reasonably believes the communications are necessary to defend against the allegations of ineffectiveness. This waiver of the attorney-client privilege shall be automatic upon the filing of the pleadings alleging ineffective assistance of prior counsel, and the Wake County Superior Court need not enter an order waiving the privilege.

(4) The Adjutant General, upon the recommendation of the Staff Judge Advocate, shall place the designated judge advocates described in this subsection onto State active duty for the periods of time necessary for either counsel to provide adequate representation to the respective parties, if regularly scheduled unit training periods are insufficient. The Staff Judge Advocate shall verify to the Adjutant General whether any such additional periods of time are necessary.

(i) Discretionary Review. – Review of decisions by the Wake County Superior Court shall be pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-31.1

(j) The rules for practice and procedure for review of courts-martial by the Wake County Superior Court shall be consistent with those prescribed for review of administrative appeals by the Superior Court, except as modified by this section. (2010-193, s. 16; 2011-195, s. 1(a).)

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