Through a contract with the Office of Indigent Defense Services, NCPLS advocates for the rights of those incarcerated in North Carolina state prisons.
What We Do
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NCPLS post-conviction attorneys review requests for post-conviction assistance. If an error or issue is found that would entitle a person to relief, NCPLS will work to resolve that issue either informally or through litigation. This work ensures that our clients don't spend more time in prison than the law permits. Because incarceration is expensive -- roughly $150 a day per person -- this work also ends up saving North Carolina taxpayers a substantial amount of money every year.
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NCPLS civil attorneys evaluate potential civil rights claims. These claims include use of force by prison staff; dangerous prison conditions; inadequate medical care; religious freedom; and free speech issues. NCPLS litigates these cases in court as resources permit. NCPLS also accepts appointments from certain federal courts in North Carolina to represent clients in discrete segments of pro se cases (amending complaints, discovery, settlement).
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NCPLS’ Safe and Humane Jails Project works to correct jail credit errors where a person who has been convicted in North Carolina believes they did not receive all of the jail credit they were due when they were sentenced. Ensuring jail credit is correctly applied protects our clients from spending any time unlawfully incarcerated beyond their sentence.
With grant funding, NCPLS’ Safe and Humane Jails Project advocates for the rights of those incarcerated in North Carolina county jails. Our goal is to ensure that those incarcerated in all 109 county jails across North Carolina are housed in safe and humane conditions and that their constitutional rights are protected.
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When NCPLS cannot litigate a case, we still provide legal advice and self-help packets on post-conviction and civil issues.
283
The number of requests for jail credit case review
Jail Credit Case Reviews
1567
The number of days correctly applied
$229832
The amount our work saved NC taxpayers
Our goal is to ensure that those incarcerated in all 109 county jails across North Carolina are housed in safe and humane conditions and that their constitutional rights are protected.
Safe and Humane Jails Project
The Jails Team reviews the following types of cases for issues that occur within a county jail:
Confiscated Legal Materials
Failure to Protect
Inadequate Medical or Mental Health Care
Religious Liberty
Sexual Assault
Use of Force
Wrongful Death
NCPLS does not provide copies of case law, statutes, or policies.
NCPLS does not answer hypothetical legal questions, perform general legal research on behalf of people in prison, or provide general information about legal developments.
NCPLS does not address federal sentencing issues or civil issues arising in federal prisons.
NCPLS does not address issues involving legal disputes in other states.
NCPLS does not provide information on legal topics other than post-conviction or civil rights issues. For example, we cannot answer questions relating to wills or estates, landlord-tenant disputes, child custody, divorce, Social Security, or other government benefits.
NCPLS generally cannot represent or assist people who are no longer in jail or prison (unless the representation started when the client was in prison or jail), including people serving terms of probation/post-release supervision.