UNC School of Government and its Resources: Part I

This post is Part I of a three part series that describes the various resources available from the School of Government (“SOG”), and why the SOG can provide invaluable guidance for those researching North Carolina law.

Our neighbor across the parking lot (formerly, and often still referred to as, the Institute of Government), was established in 1931 by Albert Coates . Mr. Coates arrived at UNC as a professor at the law school before he tirelessly dedicated himself to creating the Institute of Government. Attorneys and other trusted advisors in the SOG support state and local government officials by providing training, counsel, and research services. Colloquially put, the SOG encourages and ensures “good government.”

As it turns out, Albert Coates was a visionary. The SOG has become the United States’ largest university-based local and state government organization providing such training and advisory services to more than 12,000 public officials each year. But one need not be a public official to access many of the SOG’s resources.

The SOG’s criminal law publications are useful to prosecutors, public defenders, and law students planning to practice in these capacities. Along with searching the SOG’s website for individual publications or by topic to find criminal law materials, users can visit the following “microsites” to find a more comprehensive list of criminal law resources.

• The criminal law microsite provides links and citations to publications like the popular North Carolina Crimes guidebook, case summaries, and newly-created apps for practitioners. Users are also pointed to other microsites like the guide to Relief for a Criminal Conviction which reviews the various ways to obtain expunctions, petitions to restore rights, and certificates of relief. The site includes links to relevant forms and opinions.
• The indigent defense education microsite links to sample motions, forms, and briefs and provides access to the Indigent Deference Manual Series which is a comprehensive guide to the representation process for financially unstable defendants. The materials available through this microsite are particularly useful for public defenders.

Stay tuned for Part II of this series. We’ll be highlighting the SOG experts’ publications about North Carolina local government law.