Court changes bill sent to Gov. Stein after divided House vote
House Bill 377 would make a series of changes to North Carolina court administration, electronic filing, adoption records, landlord-tenant appeals and other judicial procedures.
RALEIGH — A wide-ranging North Carolina court administration bill was sent to Gov. Josh Stein on Friday after clearing the House on a divided vote last week.
House Bill 377, titled “2026 Court Changes,” was presented to the governor Aug. 7, according to the General Assembly bill record. The House adopted the conference report Aug. 5 in a 62-45 vote, after the Senate adopted it July 29 in a 26-11 vote.
The bill would make numerous changes across the state court system, including provisions related to adoption filings, landlord-tenant appeals, guardianship bonds, divorce judgments, interpreter payments, electronic court filings, indigent defense records, wills, jury commissions and safe babies court eligibility.
The conference committee version describes the measure as an act “to enact certain modifications to the laws related to the North Carolina court system and to make technical corrections to estate planning statutes.”
Among its provisions, the bill would allow certain adoption records to be made available electronically to the state Division of Social Services through the court system’s electronic filing and case management system. It also would clarify how a renter appealing an adverse district court judgment can maintain a stay of execution by continuing required rent payments.
Other sections would amend bond requirements for estate and guardianship matters, allow clerks of superior court to enter certain absolute divorce judgments when statutory conditions are met, and clarify payment rules for American Sign Language interpreters appointed in court proceedings.
The bill also would let some sworn filings be supported by unsworn declarations when filed electronically under rules issued by the state Supreme Court. Another provision would allow attorneys appointed by the Office of Indigent Defense Services to access trial division files electronically in certain appellate cases.
If signed, different parts of the bill would take effect on different dates, with several provisions scheduled for Oct. 1, 2026.
Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.
