Last Friday, Governor Roy Cooper signed a proclamation celebrating that 16 and 17 year olds will no longer be tried in adult court for misdemeanor charges. While teens accused of violent felonies and some drug crimes may still be charged as adults, the progress made towards raising the age is certainly something to celebrate. The change will take effect in 2019.
Cooper also signed Senate Bill 445 into law. This law reduces the wait time for criminal record expungement for first time, nonviolent offenders. Previously, the wait time was 15 years for all offenses. The law has now changed the waiting period to 10 years for nonviolent felonies and 5 years for nonviolent misdemeanors.
Learn more about the raise the age proclamation and the expungement law at https://governor.nc.gov/news/governor-cooper-signs-criminal-justice-bill-and-raise-age-proclamation