Bill Text: NC H450 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Criminal Contempt/Bail Procedure
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-07-18 - Ch. SL 2013-303 [H450 Detail]
Download: North_Carolina-2013-H450-Chaptered.html
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2013
SESSION LAW 2013-303
HOUSE BILL 450
AN ACT to provide for bail procedure when confinement is imposed as punishment for criminal contempt.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 5A‑17 reads as rewritten:
"§
5A‑17. Appeals.Appeals; bail proceedings.
(a) A person found in criminal contempt may appeal in the manner provided for appeals in criminal actions, except appeal from a finding of contempt by a judicial official inferior to a superior court judge is by hearing de novo before a superior court judge.
(b) Upon appeal in a case where the judicial official imposes confinement, a bail hearing shall be held within a reasonable time period after imposition of the confinement. The judicial official holding the bail hearing shall be:
(1) A district court judge if the confinement is imposed by a clerk or magistrate.
(2) A superior court judge if the confinement is imposed by a district court judge.
(3) A superior court judge other than the superior court judge that imposed the confinement.
(c) A person found in contempt and who has given notice of appeal may be retained in custody not more than 24 hours from the time of imposition of confinement without a bail determination being made by a judicial official as designated under subdivisions (1) through (3) of subsection (b) of this section. If a designated judicial official has not acted within 24 hours of the imposition of confinement, any judicial official shall act under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section and hold the bail hearing."
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective December 1, 2013, and applies to confinement imposed on or after that date.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 9th day of July, 2013.
s/ Daniel J. Forest
President of the Senate
s/ Thom Tillis
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ Pat McCrory
Governor
Approved 6:17 p.m. this 18th day of July, 2013