The NC Supreme Court will review a zoning decision involving the Bergers’ failed casino project. Justice Phil Berger Jr’s brother is on the county commission. And he recused himself! #ncpol

Probably the best news in #ncpol in a long time. An email blast from Justice Earls:

Join us Wednesday night! I'm excited for this discussion. We'll have a former and a future NC Supreme Court candidate joining us. Former civil rights lawyer and appellate judge Chris Brook is running for one of the GOP seats in 2028. us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Really excited about this webinar next week! We're talking to two former appellate judges about why judicial elections are crucial to protecting the rights of workers, voters, and everyone who pays Duke Energy. Wednesday at 6:30. Join us! us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi... #ncpol

In addition to slashing Legal Aid’s funding, the new budget also says Legal Aid can’t help trans people with transitions or help immigrants.

By defunding Legal Aid, NC's new budget "takes money away from renters who are fighting bad landlords, from spouses seeking protection from domestic abusers," and thousands of other people who need help. Great post @theonollert.bsky.social carolinaforward.org/news/iolta_26/ #ncpol

This budget also includes ridiculous new restrictions on what Legal Aid can do and who they can help.

Correction! Newby himself will appoint these judges. He's never had that power before. ProPublica revealed that Newby defied a court order on adoption. The father didn't share his Christian beliefs, so the Newbys gave the baby to someone who shared their beliefs. www.propublica.org/article/paul...

The budget gives the GOP control of the board that provides a lot of funding for Legal Aid, which helps people who can't afford lawyers. They froze this funding last year, leading to harsh budget cuts in rural offices. I worked at Legal Aid in law school and tried to help a guy keep his home.

NC's proposed budget gives Republicans new powers over the lawyers who help poor people (Legal Aid and public defenders). It also creates a creepy new Family Court, whose judges will be chosen by legislators and Chief Justice Paul Newby (not the voters). drive.google.com/file/d/1Ansr... #ncpol

Great news, y’all! Justice for the People is out now. I’m so excited to share this story. You can read the inspiring tale of Justice Anita Earls, a modern-day civil rights hero. www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0H6... #ncpol

The court approved an even steeper increase for Duke Energy Carolinas, affirming the Utilities Commission’s decision. Earls dissented and called the approval of the disparate price increases “arbitrary and unlawful.”

The hight court recently approved Duke Energy’s 2023 price increase. And it wasn’t even close, so Newby could have sat out the case.

Democrats in the North Carolina House have introduced a constitutional amendment that would keep our justices from deciding cases when they have a conflicts of interest. Newby couldn’t rule on Duke Energy cases and Berger couldn’t hear his dad’s appeals. www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/202... #ncpol

Our research @pppaction.bsky.social found that Newby voted for corporations and employers over real people 89% of the time in 2021-2022. Justice Earls was the most pro-people judge we found. peoplesparityaction.org/wp-content/u... See my book for more on why Earls is the best judge in America.

Earls calls the Commission's decision "unlawful and arbitrary." She quotes some of the people who begged the Commission not to approve this hike. We cannot afford it. The only people happy about this are Duke Energy's shareholders, and guess who that includes...

The Utilities Commission must set the lowest possible price for the public. But it's allowing Duke Energy Carolinas ( in western NC) to charge a much higher rate than Duke Energy Progress. There's nothing to justify this. The only difference is that Republicans took over the Commission. That's it.

On Friday, the North Carolina Supreme Court finally signed off on Duke Energy's rate increases. The decision makes all of us poorer, but it makes Chief Justice Newby's family richer. Justice Earls' dissent lays out why the party-line decision was so wrong. They're just giving Duke our money. #ncpol

In 2022, when the NC Supreme Court heard arguments in a gerrymandering case, Chief Justice Paul Newby said that the NC Constitution doesn't guarantee "fair" elections. This lawsuit argued that it does. I hope Orr appeals, so Newby can explain to us why the constitution doesn't require fair elections

NC Court of Appeals rules against voters in a partisan gerrymandering lawsuit. The all-GOP panel cites the 2023 NC Supreme Court decision that legalized gerrymandering. The lower court had dismissed the case, which was filed by former GOP Justice Bob Orr #ncpol appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=...

In 7 states, at least 90% these courts are composed of ex-corporate lawyers. Arizona, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. In some states, this was an explicit goal.

We may have the worst business court here in North Carolina, because it’s run by our corrupt, partisan chief justice. He picks the judges and only has to dub a case “complex” to get it in business court. They’re hearing cases involving workers and consumers. #ncpol

The progressive majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court ended their program last year. One justice said it gave the appearance of a “two-tiered justice system.”

Ohioans amended their constitution to ban gerrymandering. The GOP repeatedly refused to comply. And eventually, a Trump judge ordered the state to use the unconstitutional map. Of all the possible maps, they had to use the one ruled unconstitutional. That’s how the GOP gerrymanders.

Our research found that Griffin ruled for corporations or employers over actual people in more than 2/3 of the cases. We also found that workers are much better off with a Democratic-majority panel. peoplesparityaction.org/wp-content/u...

Griffin also joined a ruling against the manager of a smoothie cafe, who had a stroke at work and didn't receive medical care for several hours, leading to partial paralysis. They say it should've been a workers comp case, even though the stroke had nothing to do with his job. Flood (R) dissents:

Our least favorite NC Court of Appeals judge, Jefferson Griffin, ruled against injured people in two cases yesterday. He threw out a lawsuit over a doctor who lost his license over unnecessary surgeries. appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=... Dissent by Judge Arrowood (D), who's on the ballot #ncpol

Very excited about this panel tonight! If you're in the Triad area, check it out. The GOP is making it harder to vote, and we're talking about how to fight back. #ncpol

The voters who are falsely flagged by Homeland Security will have to prove their citizenship to Republican-controlled elections boards at a hearing. How many people won’t or can’t show up? High court races have been decided by 401 and 734 in recent years.

The great Gene Nichol on the Leandro ruling. #ncpol