Table of Contents
National and Local Media Spill a Lot of Ink on New NC 'Right-to-Counsel' Law
On August 23, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed a bill into law that made the state the first in the country to grant public university students facing non-academic disciplinary charges the right to an attorney. Since its signing, the landmark piece of legislation has received widespread media coverage. Outlined below is a brief recap of some of the most prominent coverage:
- “North Carolina Becomes First State to Guarantee Students Option for Lawyer in Disciplinary Hearings,” Inside Higher Ed
- “North Carolina Now the First State to Give College Students the Right to an Attorney,” Red Alert Politics “
- North Carolina Students Granted Right to Attorney at Campus Courts,” The Washington Free Beacon
- “North Carolina Allows Students Legal Representation in University Disciplinary Hearings,” Reason Online
- “NC Law Allows University Students Facing Discipline to Hire an Attorney,” Charlotte Observer
- “NC Law Allows University Students Facing Discipline to Hire an Attorney,” News & Observer (different version of story)
- “Who’s Afraid of Lawyers?,” Minding the Campus
- “New Law Gives North Carolina Public College Students the Right to a Lawyer in Campus Courts,” American Bar Association Journal
- “EDITORIAL: Constitution-Free Campuses,” The Washington Times
- “New Law Allows NC Students to Hire Attorneys for Campus Disciplinary Hearings,” News 14 Carolina
- “Law Gives Students Right to Attorney,” The Daily Tar Heel
- “Balancing the Scales for Students,” News & Observer
- “NC Law Allows College Students Facing Discipline to Hire an Attorney,” Technician Online
As more coverage of North Carolina’s right-to-counsel law rolls in over the coming weeks, we will continue to update you here on The Torch.
Recent Articles
Get the latest free speech news and analysis from FIRE.
TICKETS ON SALE: Step up to the Soapbox in Philadelphia, Nov. 4-6, 2026
Tickets on sale for Soapbox 2026 in Philly! Nov. 4–6. Fearless debates, bold speakers, and a gala celebrating free speech at America’s 250th.
The secret war against student journalists
Across the country, colleges are using conduct hearings to punish student reporters for basic newsgathering — chilling who gets to tell campus stories.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (of protected speech)
The FBI is probing Signal chats that track ICE activity — without evidence of a crime. That’s not law enforcement. It’s a First Amendment problem.
The paper was her lifeboat — UMD called it interference
She founded a Muslim student paper for community. Now UMD calls her reporting on a protest “interference” — and is pursuing discipline.