GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1985 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 537

HOUSE BILL 698

 

AN ACT TO IMPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 15A-1232 is rewritten to read as follows:

"In instructing the jury, the judge shall not express an opinion as to whether or not a fact has been proved and shall not be required to state, summarize or recapitulate the evidence, or to explain the application of the law to the evidence."

Sec. 2.  G.S. 1A-1, Rule 51(a) is rewritten to read as follows:

"In charging the jury in any action governed by these rules, a judge shall not give an opinion as to whether or not a fact is fully or sufficiently proved and shall not be required to state, summarize or recapitulate the evidence, or to explain the application of the law to the evidence. If the judge undertakes to state the contentions of the parties, he shall give equal stress to the contentions of each party."

Sec. 3.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1985.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 1st day of July, 1985.