FINAL REPORT MARCH 2017 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STRENGTHENING THE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM OF NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina on Commission the Administration ofLaw & Justice North Carolina Administration on of Commission the Law & Justice TABLE of CONTENTS CONSIDERING HOW NORTH CAROLINA COURTS CAN BEST MEET INSTITUTIONAL NEEDS AND 21ST CENTURY PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS LETTER FROM THE CO-CHAIRS iii COMMISSION MEMBERS v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY vii PART ONE 1 • Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3 • The Commission’s Work ............................................................................................................. 4 • A Look Back: How We Got Here .............................................................................................. 6 • Adapting to a New Environment ........................................................................................... 8 NCCALJ FINAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS | North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice • A Framework for Recommendations .................................................................................14 • ..........................................................................................14 • TheFairness Ultimate ................................................................................................................................... Goal — Justice 15 • Access .......................................................................................................................................19 • ................................................................................................................................21 • NextEfficiency Steps .......................................................................................................................................24 • .......................................................................................................25 It’s Time to Begin … Again PART TWO 27 Committee Reports and Recommendations ...............................................................................27 • ............................................................................................29 • CivilCriminal Justice Investigation Committee and Report Adjudication Committee Report ................................43 • Legal Professionalism Committee Report ......................................................................47 • ..........................................................65 • Public Trust and Confidence Committee ............................................................................................. Report 81 Technology Committee Report APPENDICES 93 • ...................................................................................95 • Appendix A:B: CriminalJuvenile Reinvestment Case Management ......................................................................126 • ................................................................................................204 • Appendix C:D: PretrialImproving Justice Indigent Defense Services.................................................. 271 • .......................................................320 Appendix E: eCourts Strategic Technology Plan ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 358 P.O. Box 2448, Raleigh, NC 27602 // www.nccalj.org North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice (NCCALJ) This Final Report was compiled by the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice (NCCALJ) and is published online at www.NCCALJ.org. NCCALJ’s work was made possible with financial support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, the State Justice Institute, and the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission. NCCALJ Final Report North Carolina Administration on of Commission the Law & Justice LETTER from the CO-CHAIRS THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CO-CHAIR THE NORTH CAROLINA COMMISSION ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF LAW AND JUSTICE. TO: MARK MARTIN, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF NORTH CAROLINA The five co-chairs of the North Carolina This Final Report is the culmination of fifteen Commission on the Administration of Law and months of focused inquiry, informed dialogue, Justice (NCCALJ) are pleased to present to you the robust discussion, and extensive collaboration. Commission’s Final Report and recommendations. We are confident that the recommendations of the Commission will significantly improve the Part One of the NCCALJ Final Report provides administration of justice in the courts of North background on our work and the overall themes Carolina for the people of North Carolina. that guided our recommendations. Part Two contains the individual reports of each of our five Thank you for the honor of serving as the chairs of Committees. this important work. NCCALJ Final Report – iii LETTER FROM THE CO-CHAIRS | North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice During his speech at the North Carolina Bar Association in Cary, North Carolina, on May 27, 2015, Chief Justice Mark Martin announced the creation of the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice and appointed the five committee co-chairs. Pictured from left to right: David F. Levi, Justice Barbara A. Jackson, Chief Justice Mark Martin, Judge William A. Webb, Catharine Biggs Arrowood, and J. Bradley Wilson. Past President, North Carolina Bar Association Catharine Biggs Arrowood Chair, Legal Professionalism Committee Retired Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court Judge William A. Webb for the Eastern District of North Carolina Chair, Criminal Investigation and Adjudication Committee Associate Justice, Supreme Court of North Carolina Justice Barbara A. Jackson Chair, Technology Committee President and CEO, Blue Cross and J. Bradley Wilson Blue Shield of North Carolina Chair, Public Trust and Confidence Committee Dean, Duke Law School David F. Levi Chair, Civil Justice Committee iv – NCCALJ Final Report North Carolina Administration on of Commission the Law & Justice COMMISSION MEMBERS DRAWN STATEWIDE FROM BUSINESS, ACADEMIA, THE JUDICIAL BRANCH, THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, THE LEGAL PROFESSION, AND THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR COMMISSIONERS The NCCALJ is an independent, multidisciplinary J. Calvin Hill / Robert A. Ingram / Anne H. commission comprised of leaders from business, Lloyd / Judge Julian Mann III / Michael W. academia, the Judicial Branch, the Legislative Mitchell / Judge W. Osmond Smith III Branch, the Executive Branch, the legal profession, Criminal Investigation and and the non-profit sector. The Commission Adjudication Committee includes these five co-chairs and five Committees: Judge William A. Webb (ret.), Co-Chair Civil Justice Committee Dean David F. Levi, Co-Chair Augustus A. Adams / Sheriff Asa Buck III / Randy Byrd / James E. Coleman Jr. / Kearns Janet Ward Black / Alfred P. Carlton Jr. / Davis / Judge Paul A. Holcombe III / Darrin Sheila V. Eley / E.D. Gaskins Jr. / Robert E. D. Jordan / Robert C. Kemp III / Magistrate Harrington / George R. Hausen Jr. / Judge Sharon S. McLaurin / District Attorney R. NCCALJ Final Report – v COMMISSION MEMBERS | North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice • Reporters Chief Reporter Public Trust and Andrew Murray Jr. / Diann Seigle / Judge Anna — Jon Williams, Confidence Technology Mills Wagoner / Andrew P. Atkins, Civil Justice Legal Professionalism Committee / Paul Embley, / Darrell Legal Professionalism Criminal Catharine Biggs Arrowood, Co-Chair A.H. Miller, / Matthew W. Sawchak, Investigation and Adjudication / Jessica Smith, Public Trust and Confidence / Mildred R. Dean Luke Bierman / Richard T. Boyette / Technology Spearman, / Kurt D. Dean Jay Conison / Dean Phyliss Craig-Taylor / Stephenson, Representative N. Leo Daughtry / Andrew H. • Ex Officio President, Erteschik / Judge A. Robinson Hassell / National Center for State Courts — Mary C. McQueen, Mark W. Merritt / Richard G. Minor / Executive Director, State Justice / Jonathan Justice Robert F. Orr (ret.) / Raymond C. Institute Executive Director, D. Mattiello, Pierce / Lisa M. Sheppard Z. Smith Reynolds Public Trust and Confidence Committee / Maurice Green, Executive Director, Governor’s Crime / L. David Huffman, J. Bradley Wilson, Co-Chair Commission Dean, UNC School of Government / Michael R. Smith, Dean Martin H. Brinkley / Judge Wanda G. Senior Associate Dean, UNC School of / Thomas H. Thornburg, Bryant / Sheriff Earl R. Butler / Douglas Government Director and General Counsel, Judicial Division, American Clark / Frank E. Emory Jr. / Juan A. Flores Jr. / / Dr. Peter M. Koelling, Frank B. Holding Jr. / John Hood / A. Dale Bar Association Judicial Council Jenkins / Senator Floyd B. McKissick / Judge William M. Cameron, Chair, Conference of Clerks of Superior Jr. / Dean Suzanne Reynolds / Robert C. / The Honorable Susan S. Court Technology Committee Stephens / Representative Kenneth L. Frye, Chair, North Carolina Courts Goodman (09/2015 – 02/2016) / Representative Technology Committee Commission Sarah Stevens, Cherokee Supreme Court Justice Barbara A. Jackson, Co-Chair / Chief Justice William Boyum, Chief Public Defender, New Hanover / Jennifer Harjo, County District Attorney, Carl S. Armato / Senator Harry Judicial District 2 Z. Smith / Seth Edwards, Brown / Judge Susan R. Burch / Jason Reynolds (09/2015 – 01/2016) M. Hensley / Dean J. Rich Leonard /The / Leslie Winner, Honorable James J. MacCallum / Chief Judge Linda M. McGee / Iristine McNair / Brooks