Article 17.

Clerical Functions in the District Court.

§ 7A-180.  Functions of clerk of superior court in district court matters.

The clerk of superior court:

(1) Has and exercises all of the judicial powers and duties in respect of actions and proceedings pending from time to time in the district court of the clerk's county which are now or hereafter conferred or imposed upon the clerk by law in respect of actions and proceedings pending in the superior court of the clerk's county.

(2) Performs all of the clerical, administrative and fiscal functions required in the operation of the district court of the clerk's county in the same manner as the clerk is required to perform functions in the operation of the superior court of the clerk's county.

(3) Maintains, under the supervision of the Administrative Office of the Courts, an office of uniform consolidated records of all judicial proceedings in the superior court division and the district court division of the General Court of Justice in the clerk's county. Those records shall include civil actions, special proceedings, estates, criminal actions, juvenile actions, minutes of the court and all other records required by law to be maintained. The form and procedure for filing, docketing, indexing, and recording shall be as prescribed by the Administrative Officer of the Courts notwithstanding any contrary statutory provision as to the title and form of the record or as a method of indexing.

(4) Has the power to accept written appearances, waivers of trial or hearing and pleas of guilty or admissions of responsibility for the types of offenses specified in G.S. 7A-273(2) and G.S. 7A-273(2a) in accordance with the schedules of offenses promulgated by the Conference of Chief District Judges pursuant to G.S. 7A-148, and in those cases, to enter judgment and collect the fine or penalty and costs.

(5) Has the power to issue warrants of arrest valid throughout the State, and search warrants valid throughout the county of the issuing clerk.

(6) Has the power to conduct an initial appearance in accordance with Chapter 15A, Article 24, Initial Appearance, and to fix conditions of release in accordance with Chapter 15A, Article 26, Bail.

(7) Continues to exercise all powers, duties and authority vested in or imposed upon clerks of superior court by general law, with the exception of jurisdiction in juvenile matters.

(8) Has the power to accept written appearances, waivers of trial and pleas of guilty to violations of G.S. 14-107 when restitution, including service charges and processing fees allowed under G.S. 14-107, is made, the amount of the check is two thousand dollars ($2,000) or less, and the warrant does not charge a fourth or subsequent violation of this statute, and, in those cases, to enter judgments as the chief district judge shall direct and, forward the amounts collected as restitution to the appropriate prosecuting witnesses and to collect the costs.

(9) Repealed by Session Laws 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 900, s. 118(c). (1965, c. 310, s. 1; 1967, c. 691, s. 16; 1969, c. 1190, s. 14; 1973, c. 503, ss. 3, 4; c. 1286, s. 6; 1975, c. 166, s. 23; c. 626, s. 2; 1981, c. 142; 1983, c. 586, s. 4; 1985, c. 425, s. 3; c. 764, s. 10; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 852, s. 17; 1987, c. 355, s. 3; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 1041, s. 2; 1991, c. 520, s. 1; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 900, s. 118(c); 1993, c. 374, s. 3; 2021-47, s. 7(b).)

§ 7A-181.  Functions of assistant and deputy clerks of superior court in district court matters.

Assistant and deputy clerks of superior court:

(1) Have the same powers and duties with respect to matters in the district court division as they have in the superior court division;

(2) Have the same powers as the clerk of superior court with respect to the issuance of warrants and acceptance of written appearances, waivers of trial and pleas of guilty; and

(3) Have the same power as the clerk of superior court to fix conditions of release in accordance with Chapter 15A, Article 26, Bail, and the same power as the clerk of superior court to conduct an initial appearance in accordance with Chapter 15A, Article 24, Initial Appearance. (1965, c. 310, s. 1; 1967, c. 691, s. 17; 1973, c. 503, s. 5; 1975, c. 166, s. 24; c. 626, s. 3.)

§ 7A-182.  Clerical functions at additional seats of court.

(a) In any county in which the General Assembly has authorized the district court to hold sessions at a place or places in addition to the county seat, the clerk of superior court shall furnish assistant and deputy clerks to the extent necessary to process efficiently the judicial business at such additional seat or seats of court. Only such records as are necessary for the expeditious processing of current judicial business shall be kept at the additional seat or seats of court. The office of the clerk of superior court at the county seat shall remain the permanent depository of official records.

(b) If an additional seat of a district court is designated for any municipality located in more than one county of a district, the clerical functions for that seat of court shall be provided by the clerks of superior court of the contiguous counties, in accordance with standing rules issued by the chief district judge, after consultation with the clerks concerned and a committee of the district bar appointed for this purpose. An assistant or deputy clerk assigned to a seat of district court described in this subsection shall have the same powers and authority as if he were acting in his own county. (1965, c. 310, s. 1; 1967, c. 691, s. 18; 1969, c. 1190, s. 15.)

§ 7A-183.  Clerk or assistant clerk as child support hearing officer.

A clerk or assistant clerk of superior court who meets the  qualifications of G.S. 50-39 and is properly designated pursuant to G.S. Chapter 50, Article 2, to serve as a child support hearing officer, may serve in that capacity and has the authority and responsibility assigned to child support hearing officers by Chapter 50. (1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 993, s. 3.)

§ 7A-184.  Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 7A-185.  Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 7A-186.  Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 7A-187.  Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 7A-188.  Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 7A-189.  Reserved for future codification purposes.