Chapter 14

The terms listed below have the following definitions as used in this Article, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning: (1) "Cave" means any naturally occurring subterranean cavity. The word "cave" includes or is synonymous with cavern, pit, well, sinkhole, and gr…

It is unlawful for any person, without express, prior, written permission of the owner, to willfully or knowingly: (1) Break, break off, crack, carve upon, write, burn or otherwise mark upon, remove, or in any manner destroy, disturb, deface, mar or harm the surfaces of any cave …

It is unlawful to sell or offer for sale any speleothems in this State, or to export them for sale outside the State. A person who violates any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. (1987, c. 449; 1993, c. 539, s. 104; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24,…

The owner of a cave, and his agents and employees, shall not be liable for any injury to, or for the death of any person, or for any loss or damage to property, by reason of any act or omission unless it is established that the injury, death, loss, or damage occurred as a result …

(a) No person shall operate any motorized all-terrain vehicle: (1) On any private property not owned by the operator, without the written consent of the owner; or (2) Within the banks of any stream or waterway, but excluding a sound or the Atlantic Ocean, the adjacent lands of wh…

(a) Definition of Nonferrous Metals. - For purposes of this section, the term "nonferrous metals" means metals not containing significant quantities of iron or steel, including, but not limited to, copper wire, copper clad steel wire, copper pipe, copper bars, copper sheeting, al…

The following definitions apply to this Article: (1) Authorized representative. - A real estate broker or other person who has written legal authority to act on behalf of a property owner. (2) Contract for deed. - As defined in G.S. 47H-1. (3) Law enforcement agency. - A county s…

A property owner or an authorized representative of the property owner may initiate an expedited removal proceeding for the removal of an unauthorized person unlawfully occupying residential property pursuant to this Article. The complaint in the proceeding shall allege at least …

(a) An expedited removal proceeding shall commence with the filing of a complaint and issuance of a summons in the county where the property is located. If the office of the clerk of the superior court is closed, the complaint shall be filed with, and the summons issued by, a mag…

An unauthorized person, property owner, or authorized representative of the property owner may appeal a court order issued pursuant to G.S. 14-159.52(b) to the district court for a trial de novo. If the court finds for the property owner or the authorized representative of the pr…

If the court has entered an order of removal and an unauthorized person fails to remove personal property from the residential property within the time allowed by the order, the property owner or authorized representative of the property owner may remove the personal property fro…

No law enforcement agency, law enforcement officer, or magistrate may be held liable to an unauthorized person or any other person or entity for compliance with or actions taken in furtherance of the provisions of this Article, including for the loss or destruction of or damage t…

(a) A person may bring a civil cause of action against the property owner or authorized representative for wrongful removal under this Article. A person harmed by a wrongful removal under this Article may be entitled to recover possession of the property and may recover from the …

(a) Any person who willfully goes on the land, waters, ponds, or a legally established waterfowl blind of another that has been posted in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 14-159.7, to hunt, fish or trap without written permission of the landowner, lessee, or his agent shall…

For purposes of posting property under G.S. 14-159.7, the owner or lessee of the property may use either of the following methods: (1) The owner or lessee of the property may place notices, signs, or posters on the property. The notices, signs or posters shall measure not less th…

Any person who shall mutilate, destroy or take down any "posted," "no hunting" or similar notice, sign or poster on the lands, waters, or legally established waterfowl blind of another, or who shall post such sign or poster on the lands, waters or legally established waterfowl bl…

Nothing in this Article shall be construed to prohibit the entrance of any person upon navigable waters and the bays and sounds adjoining such waters for the purpose of fishing, hunting or trapping. (1949, c. 887, s. 4; 1953, c. 1226; 1979, c. 830, s. 11.)

If any person or corporation shall pass or receive, as the representative of, or as the substitute for, money, any bill, check, certificate, promissory note, or other security of the kind mentioned in G.S. 14-15, whether the same be issued within or without the State, such person…

The following definitions apply in this Article: (1) Court officer. - Magistrate, clerk of superior court, acting clerk, assistant or deputy clerk, judge, or justice of the General Court of Justice; district attorney, assistant district attorney, or any other attorney designated …

(a) Any person who assaults any legislative officer, executive officer, court officer, or local elected officer, or assaults another person as retaliation against any legislative officer, executive officer, court officer, or local elected officer because of the exercise of that o…

(a) Any person who knowingly and willfully makes any threat to inflict serious bodily injury upon or to kill any legislative officer, executive officer, court officer, or local elected officer, or who knowingly and willfully makes any threat to inflict serious bodily injury upon …

In prosecutions under G.S. 14-16.7 of this Article it shall not be necessary to prove that any legislative officer, executive officer, court officer, or local elected officer actually received the threatening communication or actually believed the threat. (1981, c. 822, s. 1; 199…

Any person who has been elected to any office covered by this Article but has not yet taken the oath of office shall be considered to hold the office for the purpose of this Article and G.S. 143B-1208.5. (1981, c. 822, s. 1; 2011-145, s. 19.1(dd1); 2011-391, s. 43(l); 2014-100, s…

(a) If any person shall wantonly and willfully injure the personal property of another he shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), if any person shall wantonly and willfully injure the personal property of another, causing da…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to alter, deface, destroy or remove the permanent serial number, manufacturer's identification plate or other permanent, distinguishing number or identification mark from any item of personal property with the intent thereby to conceal or m…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to alter, deface, destroy, or remove the permanent serial number, manufacturer's identification plate, or other permanent distinguishing number or identification mark from any firearm with the intent thereby to conceal or misrepresent the i…

A person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor if the person intentionally injures, destroys, removes, vandalizes, or tampers with or otherwise intentionally interferes with the operation of any of the following: (1) Any machinery, apparatus, or equipment used by a fire department o…

(a) Any person who either individually or in association with one or more other persons willfully injures or tampers with any vehicles or breaks or removes any part or parts of or from a vehicle without the consent of the owner is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. (b) Any person w…

If any person shall loose, unmoor, or turn adrift from any landing or other place wherever the same shall be, any boat, canoe, or other marine vessel, or if any person shall direct the same to be done without the consent of the owner, or the person having the lawful custody or po…

If any person shall willfully and unlawfully poison any horse, mule, hog, sheep or other livestock, the property of another, such person shall be punished as a Class I felon. (1898-9, c. 253; Code, s. 1003; Rev., s. 3313; C.S., s. 4334; 1969, c. 1224, s. 3; 1973, c. 1388; 1979, c…

(a) The following definitions apply in this section: (1) Assistance animal. - An animal that is trained and may be used to assist a "person with a disability" as defined in G.S. 168A-3. The term "assistance animal" is not limited to a dog and includes any animal trained to assist…

Unless the conduct is covered under some other provision of law providing greater punishment, knowingly possessing a catalytic converter that has been removed from a motor vehicle is a Class I felony unless the person in possession is any of the following: (1) An employee or agen…

Any person who shall rent or hire from any person, firm or corporation, any horse, mule or like animal, or any buggy, wagon, truck, automobile, or other like vehicle, aircraft, motor, trailer, appliance, equipment, tool, or other thing of value, who shall maliciously or willfully…

Any person who shall rent or hire, any horse, mule, or other like animal, or any buggy, wagon, truck, automobile, or other like vehicle, aircraft, motor, trailer, appliance, equipment, tool, or other thing of value, who shall, without the permission of the person, firm or corpora…

Any person who shall rent or hire, any horse, mule or other like animal, or any buggy, wagon, truck, automobile, or other vehicle, aircraft, motor, trailer, appliance, equipment, tool, or other thing of value, and who shall willfully fail to return the same to the possession of t…

Any person who shall, with intent to cheat and defraud the owner thereof of the rental price therefor, hire or rent any horse or mule or any other like animal, or any buggy, wagon, truck, automobile or other like vehicle, aircraft, motor, trailer, appliance, equipment, tool, or o…

Every person entrusted with any property as bailee, lessee, tenant or lodger, or with any power of attorney for the sale or transfer thereof, who fraudulently converts the same, or the proceeds thereof, to his own use, or secretes it with a fraudulent intent to convert it to his …

For the purposes of this Article, the terms "rent," "hire" and "lease" are used to designate the letting for hire of any horse, mule or other like animal, or any buggy, wagon, truck, automobile, aircraft, motor, trailer, appliance, equipment, tool, or other thing of value by leas…

It shall be prima facie evidence of intent to commit a crime as set forth in G.S. 14-167, 14-168, and 14-168.1 with respect to any property other than a truck, automobile, or other motor vehicle when one who has, by written instrument, leased or rented the personal property of an…

(a) It shall be a Class 3 misdemeanor for any person to fail to return rented property with intent to defeat the rights of the owner, which is rented pursuant to a written rental agreement in which there is an option to purchase the property, after the date of termination provide…

(a) Prima Facie Evidence. - It shall be prima facie evidence of intent to commit a crime as set forth in G.S. 14-167, 14-168, and 14-168.1 when one who has, by written instrument, leased or rented a truck, automobile, or other motor vehicle owned by another: (1) Failed or refused…

Except as otherwise provided, any person violating the provisions of this Article shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (1927, c. 61, s. 5; 1929, c. 38, s. 1; 1969, c. 1224, s. 15; 1993, c. 539, s. 115; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).) Article 25. Regulating the Leasing of …

(a) A murder which shall be perpetrated by means of a nuclear, biological, or chemical weapon of mass destruction as defined in G.S. 14-288.21, poison, lying in wait, imprisonment, starving, torture, or by any other kind of willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing, or which …

The common-law crime of suicide is hereby abolished as an offense. (1973, c. 1205.)

If any person shall commit the crime against nature, with mankind or beast, he shall be punished as a Class I felon. (5 Eliz., c. 17; 25 Hen. VIII, c. 6; R.C., c. 34, s. 6; 1868-9, c. 167, s. 6; Code, s. 1010; Rev., s. 3349; C.S., s. 4336; 1965, c. 621, s. 4; 1979, c. 760, s. 5; …

(a) Offense. - A person commits the offense of incest if the person engages in carnal intercourse with the person's (i) grandparent or grandchild, (ii) parent or child or stepchild or legally adopted child, (iii) brother or sister of the half or whole blood, or (iv) uncle, aunt, …

Voluntary manslaughter shall be punishable as a Class D felony, and involuntary manslaughter shall be punishable as a Class F felony. (4 Hen. VII, s. 13; 1816, c. 918, P.R.; R.C., c. 34, s. 24; 1879, c. 255; Code, s. 1055; Rev., s. 3632; C.S., s. 4201; 1933, c. 249; 1979, c. 760,…

(a) Legislative Intent. - The General Assembly recognizes that deaths due to the opioid epidemic are devastating families and communities across North Carolina. The General Assembly finds that the opioid crisis is overwhelming medical providers engaged in the lawful distribution …

If any person, being married, shall marry any other person during the life of the former husband or wife, every such offender, and every person counseling, aiding or abetting such offender, shall be punished as a Class I felon. Any such offense may be dealt with, tried, determine…

If any man and woman, not being married to each other, shall lewdly and lasciviously associate, bed and cohabit together, they shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor: Provided, that the admissions or confessions of one shall not be received in evidence against the other. (1805,…