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North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 8 Evidence

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Article 1 - Statutes.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-1.   Printed statutes and certified copies evidence
    All statutes, or joint resolutions, passed by the General Assembly may be read in evidence from the printed statute book; or a copy of any...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-2.   Martin's collection of private acts
    Any private act published by Francis X. Martin, in his collection of private acts, shall be received in evidence in every court. (1826, c. 7,...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-3.   Laws of other states or foreign countries
    (a) A printed copy of a statute, or other written law, of another state, or of a territory, or of a foreign country, or a...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-4.   Judicial notice of laws of United States, other states and foreign countries
    When any question shall arise as to the law of the United States, or of any other state or territory of the United States, or...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-5.   Town ordinances certified
    In a trial in which the offense charged is the violation of a town ordinance, a copy of the ordinance alleged to have been violated,...

Article 2 - Grants, Deeds and Wills.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-6.   Copies certified by Secretary of State or State Archivist
    Copies of the plats and certificates of survey, or their accompanying warrants, and all abstracts of grants, which may be filed in the office of...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-7.   Certified copies of grants and abstracts
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-8.   Certified copies of grants and abstracts recorded
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-9.   Copies of grants certified by clerk of Secretary of State validated
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-10.   Copies of grants in Burke
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-11.   Copies of grants in Moore
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-12.   Copies of grants in Onslow
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-13.   Certain deeds dated before 1835 evidence of due execution
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-14.   Certified copies of maps of Cherokee lands
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-15.   Certified copies of certain surveys and maps obtained from the State of Tennessee
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-16.   Evidence of title under H.E. McCulloch grants
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-17.   Conveyances or certified copies evidence of title under McCulloch
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-18.   Certified copies of registered instruments evidence
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-19.   Common survey of contiguous tracts evidence
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-20.   Repealed by Session Laws 1993, c. 288, s. 1
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-21.   Deeds and records thereof lost, presumed to be in due form
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-22.   Local: recitals in tax deeds in Haywood and Henderson
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-22.1.   Local: tax deeds in Richmond
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-23.   Local: copies of records from Tyrrell
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-24.   Local: records of partition in Duplin
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-25.   Local: records of wills in Duplin
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-26.   Local: records of deeds and wills in Anson
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-27.   Local: records of wills in Brunswick
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-28.   Copies of wills
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-29.   Copies of wills in Secretary of State's office
    500 Can't connect to www.ncleg.net:80 (Bad hostname 'www.ncleg.net')
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-30.   Copies of wills recorded in wrong county
    Whereas, by reason of the uncertainty of the boundary lines of many of the counties of the State, wills have been proved, recorded and registered...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-31.   Copy of will proved and lost before recorded
    When any will which has been proved and ordered to be recorded was destroyed during the war between the states, before it was recorded, a...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-32.   Certified copies of deeds and wills from other states
    In cases where inhabitants of other states or territories, by will or deed, devise or convey property situated in this State, and the original will...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-33.   Copies of lost records in Bladen
    The clerk of the Superior Court of Bladen County shall transcribe the judgment docket and index books and the will books in his office, and...

Article 3 - Public Records.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-34.   Copies of official writings
    (a) Copies of all official bonds, writings, papers, or documents, recorded or filed as records in any court, or public office, or lodged in the...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-35.   Authenticated copies of public records
    All copies of bonds, contracts, notes, mortgages, or other papers relating to or connected with any loan, account, settlement of any account or any part...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-35.1.   Division of Motor Vehicles' record admissible as prima facie evidence of convictions of offenses involving impaired driving
    Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 15A‑924(d), a properly certified copy under G.S. 8‑35 or G.S. 20‑26(b) of the license records of a defendant kept by...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-35.2.   Records of clerk of court criminal index admissible in certain cases
    Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 15A‑924(d) or 15A‑1340.4(e), certified copies of the records contained in the criminal index or similar records maintained manually or by...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-36.   Authenticated copy of record of administration
    When letters testamentary or of administration on the goods and chattels of any person deceased, being an inhabitant in another state or territory, have been...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-37.   Certificate of Commissioner of Motor Vehicles as to ownership of automobile
    In any civil or criminal action in which the ownership of a motor vehicle is relevant, evidence as to the letters and numbers appearing upon...

Article 3A - Findings, Records and Reports of Federal Officers and Employees.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-37.1.   Finding of presumed death
    (a) A written finding of presumed death, made by the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, or other officer or employee of the...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-37.2.   Report or record that person missing, interned, captured, etc
    An official written report or record, or duly certified copy thereof, that a person is missing, missing in action, interned in a neutral country, or...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-37.3.   Deemed signed and issued pursuant to law; evidence of authority to certify
    For the purposes of 8‑37.1 and 8‑37.2 any finding, report or record, or duly certified copy thereof, purporting to have been signed by such an...

Article 4 - Other Writings in Evidence.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-38.   Repealed by Session Laws 1983 (Regular Session, 1984), c. 1037, s. 13
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-39.   Parol evidence to identify land described
    In all actions for the possession of or title to any real estate parol testimony may be introduced to identify the land sued for, and...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-40.   Repealed by Session Laws 1983 (Regular Session, 1984), c. 1037, s. 12
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-40.1.   Repealed by Session Laws 1983 (Regular Session, 1984), c. 1037, s. 10
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-41.   Bills of lading in evidence
    In all actions by or against common carriers or in the trial of any criminal action in which it shall be thought necessary to introduce...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-42.   Book accounts under sixty dollars
    When any person shall bring an action upon a contract, or shall plead, or give notice of, a setoff or counterclaim for goods, wares and...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-43.   Book accounts proved by personal representative
    In all actions where executors and administrators are parties, such book account for all articles delivered within two years previous to the death of the...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-44.   Copies of book accounts in evidence
    A copy from the book of accounts proved in manner above directed may be given in evidence in any such action or setoff as aforesaid,...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-44.1.   Hospital medical records
    Copies or originals of hospital medical records shall not be held inadmissible in any court action or proceeding on the grounds that they lack certification,...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-45.   Itemized and verified accounts
    In any actions instituted in any court of this State upon an account for goods sold and delivered, for rents, for services rendered, or labor...

Article 4A - Photographic Copies of Business and Public Records.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-45.1.   Photographic reproductions admissible; destruction of originals
    (a) If any business, institution, member of a profession or calling, or any department or agency of government, in the regular course of business or...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-45.2.   Uniformity of interpretation
    This Article shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose of making uniform the law of those states which enact it....
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-45.3.   Photographic reproduction of records of Department of Revenue and Employment Security Commission
    (a) The State Department of Revenue is hereby specifically authorized to have photographed, photocopied, or microphotocopied all records of the Department, including tax returns required...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-45.4.   Title of Article
    This Article may be cited as the "Uniform Photographic Copies of Business and Public Records as Evidence Act." (1951, c. 262, s. 4.)

Article 4B - Evidence of Fraud, Duress, Undue Influence.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-45.5.   Statements, releases, etc., obtained from persons in shock or under the influence of drugs; fraud presumed
    Any oral or written statement, waiver, release, receipt, or other representation of any kind by any person made or executed while a patient in any...

Article 5 - Life Tables.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-46.   Mortality tables as evidence
    Whenever it is necessary to establish the expectancy of continued life of any person from any period of the person's life, whether the person is...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-47.   Present worth of annuities
    Whenever it is necessary to establish the present worth or cash value of an annuity to a person, payable annually during the person's life, such...

Article 6 - Calendars.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-48.   Clark's Calendar; proof of dates
    (a) In any controversy or inquiry in any court or before any fact finding board, commission, administrative agency or other body, where it becomes necessary...

Article 7 - Competency of Witnesses.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-49.   Witness not excluded by interest or crime
    No person offered as a witness shall be excluded, by reason of incapacity from interest or crime, from giving evidence either in person or by...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-50.   Parties competent as witnesses
    (a) On the trial of any issue, or of any matter or question, or on any inquiry arising in any action, suit or other proceeding...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-50.1.   Competency of blood tests; jury charge; taxing of expenses as costs
    (a) In the trial of any criminal action or proceeding in any court in which the question of parentage arises, regardless of any presumptions with...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-50.2.   Results of speed-measuring instruments; admissibility
    (a) The results of the use of radio microwave, laser, or other speed‑measuring instruments shall be admissible as evidence of the speed of an object...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-50.3.   Expired September 30, 2007
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-51.   Repealed by Session Laws 1983 (Regular Session, 1984), c. 1037, s. 5
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-51.1.   Dying declarations
    Dying declarations admissible in administrative proceedings shall be as provided in G.S. 8C‑1, Rule 804. (1973, c. 464, s. 1; 1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c....
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-52.   Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 41
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.   Communications between physician and patient
    No person, duly authorized to practice physic or surgery, shall be required to disclose any information which he may have acquired in attending a patient...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.1.   Physician-patient and nurse privilege; limitations
    (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 8‑53 and G.S. 8‑53.13, the physician‑patient or nurse privilege shall not be a ground for excluding evidence regarding the...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.2.   Communications between clergymen and communicants
    No priest, rabbi, accredited Christian Science practitioner, or a clergyman or ordained minister of an established church shall be competent to testify in any action,...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.3.   Communications between psychologist and client or patient
    No person, duly authorized as a licensed psychologist or licensed psychological associate, nor any of his or her employees or associates, shall be required to...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.4.   School counselor privilege
    No person certified by the State Department of Public Instruction as a school counselor and duly appointed or designated as such by the governing body...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.5.   Communications between licensed marital and family therapist and client(s)
    No person, duly licensed as a licensed marriage and family therapist, nor any of the person's employees or associates, shall be required to disclose any...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.6.   No disclosure in alimony and divorce actions
    In an action pursuant to G.S. 50‑5.1, 50‑6, 50‑7, 50‑16.2A, and 50‑16.3A if either or both of the parties have sought and obtained marital counseling...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.7.   Social worker privilege
    No person engaged in delivery of private social work services, duly licensed or certified pursuant to Chapter 90B of the General Statutes shall be required...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.8.   Counselor privilege
    No person, duly licensed pursuant to Chapter 90, Article 24, of the General Statutes, shall be required to disclose any information which he or she...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.9.   Optometrist/patient privilege
    No person licensed pursuant to Article 6 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes shall be required to disclose any information that may have been...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.10.   Peer support group counselors
    (a) Definitions. The following definitions apply in this section: (1) Client law enforcement employee. Any law enforcement employee or a member of his or her...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.11.   Persons, companies, or other entities engaged in gathering or dissemination of news
    (a) Definitions. The following definitions apply in this section: (1) Journalist. Any person, company, or entity, or the employees, independent contractors, or agents of that...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.12.   Communications with agents of rape crisis centers and domestic violence programs privileged
    (a) Definitions. The following definitions apply in this section: (1) Agent. An employee or agent of a center who has completed a minimum of 20...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53.13.   Nurse privilege
    No person licensed pursuant to Article 9A of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes shall be required to disclose any information that may have been...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-54.   Defendant in criminal action competent but not compellable to testify
    In the trial of all indictments, complaints, or other proceedings against persons charged with the commission of crimes, offenses or misdemeanors, the person so charged...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-55.   Testimony enforced in certain criminal investigations; immunity
    If any justice, judge or magistrate of the General Court of Justice shall have good reason to believe that any person within his jurisdiction has...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-56.   Husband and wife as witnesses in civil action
    In any trial or inquiry in any suit, action or proceeding in any court, or before any person having, by law or consent of parties,...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-57.   Husband and wife as witnesses in criminal actions
    (a) The spouse of the defendant shall be a competent witness for the defendant in all criminal actions, but the failure of the defendant to...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-57.1.   Husband-wife privilege waived in child abuse
    Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 8‑56 and G.S. 8‑57, the husband‑wife privilege shall not be ground for excluding evidence regarding the abuse or neglect of...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-57.2.   Presumed father or mother as witnesses where paternity at issue
    Whenever an issue of paternity of a child born or conceived during a marriage arises in any civil or criminal proceeding, the presumed father or...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-58.   Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1286, ss. 11, 26
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-58.1.   Injured party as witness when medical charges at issue
    Whenever an issue of hospital, medical, dental, pharmaceutical, or funeral charges arises in any civil proceeding, the injured party or his guardian, administrator, or executor...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-58.2 through 8-58.5.   Reserved for future codification purposes

Article 7A - Restrictions on Evidence in Rape Cases.

Article 7B - Expert Testimony.

Article 7C - Admissibility of Forensic Evidence.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-58.20.   Forensic analysis admissible as evidence
    (a) In any criminal prosecution, a laboratory report of a written forensic analysis, including an analysis of the defendant's DNA, or a forensic sample alleged...

Article 8 - Attendance of Witness.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-59.   Issue and service of subpoena
    In obtaining the testimony of witnesses in causes pending in the trial divisions of the General Court of Justice, subpoenas shall be issued and served...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-60.   Repealed by Session Laws 1967, c. 954, s. 4
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-61.   Subpoena for the production of documentary evidence
    Subpoenas for the production of records, books, papers, documents, or tangible things may be issued in criminal actions in the same manner as provided for...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-62.   Repealed by Session Laws 1967, c. 954, s. 4
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-63.   Witnesses attend until discharge; effect of nonattendance
    Every witness, being summoned to appear in any of the said courts, in manner before directed, shall appear accordingly, and, subject to the provisions of...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-64.   Witnesses exempt from civil arrest
    Every witness shall be exempt from arrest in civil actions or special proceedings during his attendance at any court, or before a commissioner, arbitrator, referee,...

Article 9 - Attendance of Witnesses from without State.

Article 10 - Depositions.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-71 through 8-73.   Repealed by Session Laws 1967, c. 954, s. 4
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-74.   Depositions for defendant in criminal actions
    In all criminal actions, hearings and investigations it shall be lawful for the defendant in any such action to make affidavit before the clerk of...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-75.   Repealed by Session Laws 1971, c. 381, s. 13
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-76.   Depositions before municipal authorities
    Any board of aldermen, board of town or county commissioners or any person interested in any proceeding, investigation, hearing or trial before such board, may...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-77.   Repealed by Session Laws 1995, c. 379, s. 9
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-78.   Commissioner may subpoena witness and punish for contempt
    Commissioners to take depositions appointed by the courts of this State, or by the courts of the states or territories of the United States, arbitrators,...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-79.   Attendance before commissioner enforced
    The sheriff of the county where the witness may be shall execute all such subpoenas, and make due return thereof before the commissioner, or other...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-80.   Remedies against defaulting witness before commissioner
    But in case the default be made before a commissioner, arbitrator, referee or other person, acting under a commission or authority from any of the...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-81.   Objection to deposition before trial
    At any time before the trial, or hearing of an action or proceeding, any party may make a motion to the judge or court to...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-82.   Deposition not quashed after trial begun
    No deposition shall be quashed, or rejected, on objection first made after a trial has begun, merely because of an irregularity in taking the same,...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-83.   When deposition may be read on the trial
    Every deposition taken and returned in the manner provided by law may be read on the trial of the action or proceeding, or before any...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-84.   Repealed by Session Laws 1975, c. 762, s. 4

Article 11 - Perpetuation of Testimony.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-85.   Court reporter's certified transcription
    Testimony taken and transcribed by a court reporter and certified by the reporter or by the judge who presided at the trial at which the...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-86 through 8-88.   Repealed by Session Laws 1967, c. 954, s. 4

Article 12 - Inspection and Production of Writings.

Article 13 - Photographs.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-97.   Photographs as substantive or illustrative evidence
    Any party may introduce a photograph, video tape, motion picture, X‑ray or other photographic representation as substantive evidence upon laying a proper foundation and meeting...
  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-98 through 8-102.   Reserved for future codification purposes

Article 14 - Chain of Custody.

Article 15 - Mediation Negotiations.

  • N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-110.   Inadmissibility of negotiations
    (a) Evidence of statements made and conduct occurring during mediation at a community mediation center authorized by G.S. 7A‑38.5 shall not be subject to discovery...

Last modified: August 6, 2008