Criminal Defense Services

  • Arson is a crime involving the intentional destruction of property by fire or an explosion. There are two degrees of arson under North Carolina law.

  • In North Carolina, assault is defined as the intentional act of threatening or attempting to touch someone without their consent, or causing them to fear immediate physical harm. Assault can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the severity of the offense.

  • Child abuse occurs when someone inflicts or allows someone else to inflict physical, sexual, or emotional harm upon a person under the age of 18. This can include the following: 

    • Shoving, hitting, kicking, shaking, burning, and other forms of physical violence.

    • Forcing or coercing a child to engage in sexual activity, fondling their genitals, engaging in prostitution, producing pornographic materials, and exposing them to sexual images.

    • Creating or allowing the creation of an environment where there is a substantial risk of physical injury to the child. 

  • Cybercrime, also known as computer crime, is a broad term for criminal activity committed by using a computer to illegally access, transmit, or manipulate data. Such activity can include fraud, child pornography, cyberbullying, stalking, intellectual-property theft, identity theft, violations of privacy, and other acts.

  • Under North Carolina criminal law, domestic violence means committing one or more abusive acts on a person with whom the defendant has a personal relationship. The following acts constitute domestic violence in North Carolina:

    • Attempting to cause bodily injury.

    • Intentionally cause bodily injury.

    • Placing someone in fear of imminent serious bodily injury.

    • Placing someone in fear of continued harassment that inflicts substantial emotional distress.

  • In North Carolina, there are two main types of drug possession charges: simple possession and possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. Simple possession of most drugs is a misdemeanor, while possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver is a felon.y

  • In North Carolina, a DUI, or driving while impaired, is when someone drives a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or higher.

    DWI (driving while impaired) occurs when a person operates a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or other substances.

  • Gun crimes and other weapons offenses in North Carolina can be felonies or misdemeanors, and the penalties can be severe: 

    • Carrying a concealed weapon.

    • Carrying a gun in a prohibited place.

    • Possessing a firearm in a school zone.

    • Assault with a deadly weapon.

    • Discharging a firearm within an enclosure.

    • Altering, destroying, or removing a serial number from a firearm.

    • Selling a weapon other than a handgun to a minor.

    • Selling a minor a handgun.

    • Assaulting a law enforcement officer with a firearm.


    • Alcohol-related offenses.

    • Drug-related offenses.

    • Illegal purchase of tobacco.

    • Graffiti, vandalism, and other property-related offenses.

    • Indecent exposure.

    • Shoplifting.

    • Trespassing.

    • Reckless endangerment

    • School suspensions.


  • In North Carolina, the main difference between murder and manslaughter is that manslaughter is not committed with malicious intent. The severity of the punishment for both crimes depends on the circumstances of the case. 

    Here are some of the different types of murder and manslaughter in North Carolina:

    • First-degree murder

    • Second-degree murder 

    • Voluntary manslaughter

    • Involuntary manslaughter

    • Vehicular manslaughter

  • Sex crimes under North Carolina law include Misdemeanor Sexual Battery, an A1 Misdemeanor, Felony Statutory Rape laws, and First- and Second-Degree Rape.  Child pornography possession and distribution are also aggressively prosecuted by the State of North Carolina and the federal government

  • According to North Carolina law, a defendant is guilty of stalking when they "willfully on more than one occasion follows or harasses another person without a legal purpose and does so with the intent to place the person in reasonable fear for their safety or causes the person substantial emotional distress by placing the person in fear of death, bodily injury, or continued harassment."

  • Theft, or larceny, in North Carolina is a crime that involves taking someone's property with the intent to permanently deprive them of it. The classification of the crime depends on the value of the property stolen and other factors: 

    • Misdemeanor

    • Felony

    • Shoplifting

    • Receiving stolen goods

    • Theft of a vehicle

    • Speeding

    • Running a red light or stop sign

    • Driving without insurance

    • Driving with a suspended license

    • Driving while intoxicated (DWI)

    • Reckless driving

    • Careless driving

    • Driving with an open container of alcohol

    • Failing to stop for a school bus