primary organizing law for the US state of North Carolina
The smoke from the fireworks has cleared. The memories of parades and picnics have faded. The 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence has come and gone.…
A pair of bills on early voting were submitted in the General Assembly during this year’s short session. Neither went anywhere, but they exposed the mindsets of legislators from both…
Note: This is the third in a series of research briefs discussing rational basis review, a judicial doctrine that is being used to shield economic regulations from constitutional challenges. How should…
North Carolina has regressed on government transparency. The General Assembly has made itself functionally immune to the state’s public records law, and some local governments are skirting the open meetings…
Introduction Article IX, Section 2 of the North Carolina State Constitution speaks to the state’s responsibility for public education when it declares, “The General Assembly shall provide by taxation and…
I recently spoke with a group in western North Carolina about election policy. One of them asked what policies I am pursuing for the upcoming short session of the General…
RALEIGH – The John Locke Foundation is encouraged by today’s court ruling in the long-running Leandro case. “This is a victory for the Constitution, the rule of law, and the people…
The right to a fair trial before an impartial tribunal is one of the oldest and most fundamental principles of natural justice. That’s why, in addition to carrying a pair…
Introduction No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause, because his interest would certainly bias his judgment. James Madison, Federalist No. 10 There can be no…
As part of the John Locke Foundation’s NC250: Freedom’s Vanguard initiative, this essay contest invited students, scholars, historians, and writers to explore North Carolina’s pivotal role in the American Revolution…
The North Carolina General Assembly approved a new congressional map on October 21 to bolster Republicans in the 2026 election. This unnecessary, mid-decade redistricting, while not illegal, is a flagrant…
A judge in Utah has added a new wrinkle to this year’s mid-decade redistricting fight, overturning a Republican-drawn congressional map: The Utah Legislature violated voters’ rights by approving congressional boundaries…