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TYSON, Judge.
The North Carolina Department of Revenue (“NCDOR”) appeals an order affirming the Final Agency Decision of the State Personnel Commission (“the Commission”). The Commission adopted the recommended decision of the Administrative Law Judge (“ALT’) that overturned the dismissal of Michael H. Vanderburg (“Vanderburg”) and reinstated him to his former position. We affirm.
I. Background
Vanderburg was employed with the NCDOR in January 1999 as a Revenue Officer Trainee under a two-year probationary period. Vanderburg was initially assigned to the Charlotte Revenue Office under the supervision of Martha Calhoun (“Calhoun”). On 27 May 1999, Calhoun met with Vanderburg and reviewed his performance from January through April 1999. He received “good” and “very good” ratings in all categories. Calhoun noted that Vanderburg was “thorough in his follow-up and investigation of taxpayers and very good in following departmental policies.” Calhoun concluded by stating Vanderburg “handles himself in a professional manner and is respectful of his co-workers and the public.”
Shortly after this review, Vanderburg accepted a position with a church as an associate pastor. He subsequently completed and submitted a NCDOR form entitled “Request for Secondary Employment.” The request was approved by the NCDOR’s Assistant Secretary, Dewey Sanders (“Sanders”), on 29 June 1999. Vanderburg continued to maintain his workload after starting his pastorship.
On 1 July 1999, Vanderburg was reassigned to work under the supervision of Dean Barnes (“Barnes”). On 22 July 1999, Vanderburg met with Barnes and Chris Pappas (“Pappas”), Office Manager for the Collections Division in Charlotte. Barnes and Pappas told Vanderburg that they had received two anonymous complaints that religious materials displayed in his work cubicle were offensive. Vanderburg was ordered to remove all religious items from his walls and the screen saver from his computer. Barnes also stated that he was concerned with Vanderburg’s associate pastor position. Although Vanderburg was ordered to remove personal religious items from his cubicle, other employees continued to display materials in their cubicles with religious themes.
On 23 July 1999, Pappas approached Vanderburg’s father, an auditor with the NCDOR. Pappas confirmed that he directed Vanderburg to remove all personal materials from his cubicle. Vanderburg’s father advised Pappas that Vanderburg had drafted a letter to be forwarded to Sanders. Pappas became agitated. He referred to Vanderburg’s cubicle as a “shrine” and indicated that since Vanderburg was still in training, he could “just fire him right now.” Pappas conceded that Vanderburg did “real good work” and worked “very hard.”
Pappas met with Vanderburg to discuss their earlier meeting. Vanderburg gave Pappas his letter to Sanders, which Pappas set aside. He told Vanderburg that there may have been a misunderstanding about the directive to remove all personal items from his cubicle. Pappas explained he only meant for a newspaper article and lighthouse to be removed. Vanderburg immediately removed the items. Pappas then advised Vanderburg that there was no need to send his letter to Sanders, as there would be no repercussions or retaliation. Vanderburg agreed, but asked Pappas to place the letter to Sanders in his personnel file.
Vanderburg’s caseload increased substantially in August 1999 after the meetings with Barnes and Pappas. The NCDOR acknowledged that it would periodically equalize caseloads among its employees. However, no such equalization was made that August. Despite the expanded caseload, Vanderburg was able to significantly reduce pending cases by the end of September 1999.
On 18 November 1999, Barnes performed an interim performance review of Vanderburg. The review asserted that Vanderburg had priority cases in his caseload “which need work or follow-up.” The interim review did not reference the unusual increase in Vanderburg’s caseload in August 1999, the non-equalization of Vanderburg’s cases, or his positive efforts in reducing his caseload that Fall.
On 19 November 1999, Vanderburg met with Pappas and Ralph Foster (“Foster”), Pappas’s superior and Director of the Western Collection Division. In the meeting, Foster commented that he had “specific concerns” about Vanderburg’s future with the NCDOR. An argument ensued and Foster called Vanderburg a “smart ass” and a “smart butt.” Vanderburg requested transfer to the Gastonia branch.
Vanderburg’s last day of work in the Charlotte office was 24 November 1999. That day, Pappas informed Vanderburg that he would not receive an annual raise. Vanderburg sent a letter to Sanders in late November 1999 detailing the events that had occurred from July 1999 forward, including Foster’s behavior on 19 November 1999.
Foster met with Vanderburg again in December 1999 after he was transferred to Gastonia. Foster stated that Vanderburg could be “fired at anytime.” He also showed Vanderburg a copy of his November letter to Sanders and stated, “what do you think you were doing; you really messed up now; do you think Dewey Sanders would listen to you.” Foster ended the meeting by telling Vanderburg that he was waiting for the opportunity to dismiss him.
In Gastonia, Vanderburg was initially assigned personal income tax cases. On 1 June 2000, Vanderburg received an annual review. His supervisors, Libby McAteer (“McAteer”) and J.B. Williams (“Williams”) stated they were pleased and that Vanderburg was doing a great job. The written review ended with the comment, “keep up the good work.”
Vanderburg was assigned to the business tax division in June 2000. His immediate supervisors described him as very helpful, frequently checking with his supervisor, and working very hard to reduce the territory’s caseload.
In September 2000, the NCDOR reorganized the Collections Division. Robie McLamb (“McLamb”) became the Director of Collections for the State. On 23 October 2000, McLamb met with McAteer and Williams to discuss Vanderburg’s employment. He explained that Vanderburg was behind on his caseload and appeared to not be performing his duties. McAteer and Williams explained to McLamb that Vanderburg’s large caseload was due to him inheriting the largest territory in Gastonia with a four-month backlog. Despite McAteer and Williams speaking favorably of Vanderburg, McLamb told them Vanderburg would be dismissed.
On 24 October 2000, McLamb met with Vanderburg and expressed several concerns. McLamb first pointed to the large number of pending cases in Vanderburg’s territory as an issue. McLamb also stated that he had heard that Vanderburg had trouble getting along with people in authority. McLamb further mentioned that Pappas had a problem with Vanderburg.
On 9 November 2000, Vanderburg filed a pro se petition with the Office of Administrative Hearings (“OAH”) alleging that he was threatened with dismissal for poor performance despite his history of positive performance reviews.
Vanderburg met with McLamb on 9 November 2000. Vanderburg explained that he filed a petition with the OAH. McLamb informed Vanderburg that he would not be retained beyond the probationary period. Vanderburg was provided two weeks severance.
Vanderburg filed a second petition on 6 December 2000 alleging violations of rights protected by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36. On 18 December 2000, the OAH consolidated the petitions. Vanderburg and the NCDOR filed prehearing statements. The NCDOR’s prehearing statement acknowledged that the governing statute in the case was N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36 and that the issue to be resolved was whether Vanderburg’s termination during his probationary period arose from either discrimination based on his religious practices and/or retaliation for his opposition to alleged discrimination.
On 31 December 2001, the ALJ found that: (1) Vanderburg proffered substantial evidence to show he was dismissed in violation of his protected rights; (2) the NCDOR’s proffered reason for dismissing Vanderburg was “not worthy of belief;” and (3) Vanderburg’s termination was retaliatory due to his “protest against what he believed to be encroachment by [the NCDOR] on his protected rights of religious expression.” The ALJ recommended Vanderburg be reinstated as a permanent employee within the NCDOR with full benefits.
Following a whole record review, the Commission adopted the ALJ’s recommendation. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-45, the NCDOR appealed to Wake County Superior Court. Both parties submitted proposed recommended decisions to the trial court for review. The trial court’s order stated it “reviewed the petition, the record filed by [Vanderburg], and the submissions by counsel for both [parties] . . . heard extensive argument of counsel,” and affirmed the Commission’s decision. The NCDOR appeals.
II. Issues
The issues are whether: (1) the Commission has jurisdiction over an appeal from a case filed by a probationary employee of the NCDOR; and (2) the trial court properly reviewed and affirmed the Commission’s order.
III. Subject Matter Jurisdiction
The NCDOR contends Vanderburg, as a probationary non-career employee, may not avail himself to the protections of the statutes and procedures before the Commission concerning alleged discriminatory practices. We disagree.
A. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-1 et sea.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-1 et seq. govern the State Personnel System. It includes the appeals process for claims involving unlawful employment practices by State agencies. Not all State government employees qualify for the entire appeals process. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-5 categorizes certain employees as “exempt” from the protections and procedures in Chapter 26. Specifically to this issue, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-5(c)(l) (2003) states, “except as to the provisions of Articles 6 and 7 of this Chapter, the provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to... [a] State employee who is not a career State employee as defined by this Chapter.” This rule is also reiterated in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-34 (2003), which limits the application of Chapter 126 to “career” State employees:
Unless otherwise provided in this Chapter, any career State employee having a grievance arising out of or due to the employee’s employment . . . who alleges unlawful harassment because of the employee’s age, sex, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, or handicapping condition as defined by G.S. 168A-3 shall submit a written complaint to the employee’s department or agency.
(Emphasis supplied).
In conjunction with the above statutes, the NCDOR argues Chapter 126 applies only to “career” State employees and cites exclusively to Woodburn v. N.C. State Univ., 156 N.C. App. 549, 577 S.E.2d 154, cert. denied, 357 N.C. 470, 584 S.E.2d 296 (2003), as authority. In Woodbum, the petitioner was a member of the Instructional and Research Staff for North Carolina State University, who was dismissed after an extended leave due to a pregnancy. 156 N.C. App. at 550-53, 577 S.E.2d at 155-57. The petitioner filed a contested case with the Commission alleging gender discrimination under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-16 (2001) and § 126-34.1 (2001). Id. at 550, 577 S.E.2d at 155.
In resolving the issue of whether the Commission had jurisdiction, this Court followed our decision in Hillis v. Winston-Salem State Univ., 144 N.C. App. 441, 549 S.E.2d 556 (2001). Id. at 555, 577 S.E.2d at 158. We noted the distinction in the statutes discussed above between certain classes of State employees in determining who was allowed or eligible to seek redress from employment discrimination through the Commission. Id. at 554-55, 577 S.E.2d at 158. This Court determined the appeals process of Chapter 126 did not apply to the petitioner, as N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-5(cl)(8) specifically exempts “Instructional and research staff, physicians, and dentists of The University of North Carolina” from “the provisions of [Chapter 126],” except “the provisions of Articles 6 and 7.” See id. at 555, 577 S.E.2d at 158. The Woodbum Court further recognized that the university system provided the petitioner with other internal review procedures in lieu of Chapter 126. Id.
B. N.C. Gen. Stat. % 126-,Wa)
Where discriminatory actions prohibited by the North Carolina and United States Constitutions are alleged, Chapter 126 does not exclude non-career employees. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36(a) (2003) provides:
Any State employee or former State employee who has reason to believe that employment, promotion, training, or transfer was denied the employee or that demotion, layoff, transfer, or termination of employment was forced upon the employee in retaliation for opposition to alleged discrimination or because of the employee’s age, sex, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, political affiliation, or handicapping condition as defined by G.S. 168A-3 except where specific age, sex or physical requirements constitute a bona fide occupational qualification necessary to proper and efficient administration, shall have the right to appeal directly to the State Personnel Commission.
(Emphasis supplied).
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-39 (2003) supports this premise by stating, “[ejxcept for positions subject to competitive service and except for appeals brought under G.S. 126-16, 126-25, and 126-36, this Article applies to all State employees who are career State employees at the time of the act, grievance, or employment practice complained of.” (Emphasis supplied).
Our Supreme Court recognized that N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36 permitted “[a]ny State employee or former State employee” an appeal alleging discrimination to the Commission in Dep’t of Correction v. Gibson, 308 N.C. 131, 135-36, 301 S.E.2d 78, 82 (1983). There, the petitioner had been with respondent for less than two years and was not a “career” State employee as defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-1.1. Id. However, the Court did not question the Commission’s jurisdiction over the case and set forth the legislative intent behind the statute, stating:
[N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36] relates only to State employees and is consistent with the legislative policy announced in G.S. 143-422.2 as follows:
It is the public policy of this State to protect and safeguard the right and opportunity of all persons to seek, obtain and hold employment without discrimination or abridgement on account of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex or handicap by employers which regularly employ 15 or more employees.
It is recognized that the practice of denying employment opportunity and discriminating in the terms of employment foments domestic strife and unrest, deprives the State of the fullest utilization of its capacities for advancement and development, and substantially and adversely affects the interests of employees, employers, and the public in general.
Gibson, 308 N.C. at 136, 301 S.E.2d at 82.
In Clay v. Employment Security Comm., our Supreme Court recognized that an applicant for employment with the State government has a “right to appeal to the Personnel Commission... under N.C.G.S. § 126-36.1” on a discrimination claim. 340 N.C. 83, 85, 457 S.E.2d 725, 727 (1995). As in Gibson, the Clay Court recognized a right to appeal to the Commission despite acknowledging the petitioners were not “career State employees” for purposes of Chapter 126. Id. at 86, 457 S.E.2d at 727; Gibson, 308 N.C. at 131, 301 S.E.2d at 78 (neither of the two petitioners had worked for the State for two years).
C. Analysis
Here, Vanderburg was a probationary employee with the NCDOR during the time at issue and was serving the last months of his probationary period when he was dismissed. Substantial evidence exists to show his termination from the NCDOR resulted from conflict over his religious practices. Vanderburg’s complaint alleged, “harassment, retaliation, and discrimination against me due to my religion.” He argues the Commission has jurisdiction over the matter under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36(a). We agree.
While N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-5(c)(l) provides that Chapter 126 does not apply to non-career State employees, we find the language of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36(a) to be directly on point to Vanderburg’s claim. See Merritt v. Edwards Ridge, 323 N.C. 330, 337, 372 S.E.2d 559, 563 (1988) (where one statute deals with a particular issue in specific detail and another speaks to the same issue in broad, general terms, the particular, specific statute will be construed as controlling, absent a clear legislative intent to the contrary); Trustees of Rowan Tech. v. Hammond Assoc., 313 N.C. 230, 238, 328 S.E.2d 274, 279 (1985) (“Where one of two statutes might apply to the same situation, the statute which deals more directly and specifically with the situation controls over the statute of more general applicability.”).
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36 specifically allows “[a]ny State employee or former State employee” to appeal claims alleging discrimination to the Commission. A statute that is clear and unambiguous must be construed using its plain meaning. Burgess v. Your House of Raleigh, 326 N.C. 205, 209, 388 S.E.2d 134, 136 (1990). The pertinent language of N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 126-36 and 126-39 remained unchanged during repeated legislative amendments to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126 et seq., which the NCDOR cites. See 1998 N.C. Sess. Laws ch. 135, § 4 (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36); see also 1991 N.C. Sess. Laws ch. 354, § 7 (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-39) (no legislative intent to the contrary shown in the most recent amendments). Further, our Supreme Court in Gibson has held that the public policy of our State allows non-career and former State employees the right to a hearing with the Commission concerning allegations of discrimination. 308 N.C. at 136, 301 S.E.2d at 82. Our Supreme Court’s decision in Clay strengthens this determination. 340 N.C. at 83, 457 S.E.2d at 725.
Woodbum is not controlling to the facts at bar due to N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 126-36 and 126-39, our Supreme Court’s interpretation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36 in Gibson and Clay, and the lack of legislative intent indicating a contrary interpretation. In Woodbum, this Court did not address N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 126-36 or 126-39 in its opinion determining the Commission’s jurisdiction. 156 N.C. App. at 549, 577 S.E.2d at 154. Any language in Woodbum limiting N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36 to “career” State employees is obiter dicta.
We hold Vanderburg’s employment is not exempted by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-5 from the appeals process through the Commission in Chapter 126. Although Vanderburg is not a “career” State employee, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36(a) allows the Commission to review his claims derived from alleged discrimination on the basis of religion.
Vanderburg’s petition for hearing was properly before the Commission under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-36(a). The NCDOR’s argument is overruled.
IV. The Trial Court’s Review of the Commission’s Order
The NCDOR contends the trial court erred by: (1) not articulating a standard of review; (2) applying an incorrect standard of review; and (3) affirming the Commission’s order because substantial evidence supported the findings of fact and the conclusions of law were not erroneous. We disagree.
A. Sufficiency of the Trial Court’s Order
In cases appealed from an administrative tribunal, a trial court’s use of an incorrect standard of review does not automatically require remand. N.C. Dep’t of Env’t & Natural Res. v. Carroll, 358 N.C. 649, 665, 599 S.E.2d 888, 898 (2004). If the record enables the appellate court to decide whether grounds exist to justify reversal or modification of that decision under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-51(b), the reviewing court may make that determination. Shackleford-Moten v. Lenoir Cty. DSS, 155 N.C. App. 568, 572, 573 S.E.2d 767, 770 (2002), cert. denied, 357 N.C. 252, 582 S.E.2d 609 (2003).
Here, the trial court’s order stated:
Based upon its review the Court determines that the Findings of Fact by the State Personnel Commission are supported by the evi-dentiary record, the Conclusions of Law are consistent with the Findings of Fact and the Conclusions of Law are not erroneous as a matter of law.
Therefore, the Commission’s Final Agency Decision is affirmed.
Based upon the foregoing determination by the Court, it is hereby ORDERED that the Petition for Judicial Review is denied and the matter is remanded to the State Personnel Commission for such further proceedings as are necessary to carry out the relief set out in Commission’s Final Agency Decision.
The order does not specify the standard of review the court applied in making its decision. It refers to the Commission’s findings of fact and conclusions of law and adopts them in toto, but does not restate them in its order. Reviewing solely the trial court’s order; we cannot determine whether it properly reviewed the Commission’s final decision.
In accordance with Carroll, and after review of the record and transcripts, we find them sufficient to consider the issue without remanding the case to the trial court to further address the standard of review, findings of fact, and conclusions of law. 358 N.C. at 665, 599 S.E.2d at 898.
B. Review of Administrative Decisions
Our Supreme Court has held that upon “judicial review of an administrative agency’s final decision, the substantive nature of each assignment of error dictates the standard of review.” Carroll, 358 N.C. at 658, 599 S.E.2d at 894 (citations omitted). N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-51(b) (2003) states:
[I]n reviewing a final decision, the court may affirm the decision of the agency or remand the case to the agency or to the administrative law judge for further proceedings. It may also reverse or modify the agency’s decision, or adopt the administrative law judge’s decision if the substantial rights of the petitioners may have been prejudiced because the agency’s findings, inferences, conclusions, or decisions are:
(1) In violation of constitutional provisions;
(2) In excess of the statutory authority or jurisdiction of the agency;
(3) Made upon unlawful procedure;
(4) Affected by other error of law;
(5) Unsupported by substantial evidence admissible under G.S. 150B-29(a), 150B-30, or 150B-31 in view of the entire record as submitted; or
(6) Arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion.
This standard of review applies to judicial review of an agency’s decision, whether at the superior or the appellate court level. See Rector v. N.C. Sheriffs’ Educ. and Training Standards Comm., 103 N.C. App. 527, 532, 406 S.E.2d 613, 616-17 (1991) (superior court review); see also Crist v. City of Jacksonville, 131 N.C. App. 404, 405, 507 S.E.2d 899, 900 (1998) (appellate court review) (citing Shoney’s v. Bd. of Adjustment for City of Asheville, 119 N.C. App. 420, 421, 458 S.E.2d 510, 511 (1995)).
1. Law-Based Inquiries
Subparts (1) through (4) of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-51(b) are characterized as “law-based” inquiries. Carroll, 358 N.C. at 659, 599 S.E.2d at 894 (citation omitted). Reviewing courts consider such questions of law under a de novo standard. Harris v. Ray Johnson Constr. Co., 139 N.C. App. 827, 829, 534 S.E.2d 653, 654 (2000). De novo review requires the court to consider “ ‘the matter anew[] and freely substitute[] its own judgment for the agency’s.’ ” Mann Media, Inc. v. Randolph Cty Planning Bd., 356 N.C. 1, 13-14, 565 S.E.2d 9, 17 (2002) (quoting Sutton v. N.C. Dep’t of Labor, 132 N.C. App. 387, 389, 511 S.E.2d 340, 341 (1999)).
Here, the only “law-based” inquiry NCDOR assigns error to is whether the Commission had jurisdiction over Vanderburg, a probationary employee, to consider his complaints. Having determined jurisdiction exists in this case, we now consider the NCDOR’s argument that the Commission’s findings of fact were not supported by substantial evidence.
2. Fact-Based Inquiries
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-51(b)(5) and (b)(6) are “fact-based” inquiries. Carroll, 358 N.C. at 659, 599 S.E.2d at 894 (citation omitted). Fact-intensive issues “ ‘such as sufficiency of the evidence to support [an agency’s] decision are reviewed under the whole-record test.’ ” Id. (quoting In re Greens of Pine Glen Ltd. Part., 356 N.C. 642, 647, 576 S.E.2d 316, 319 (2003)). This standard of review requires the reviewing court to analyze all the evidence provided in the record “to determine whether there is substantial evidence to justify the agency’s decision.” Carroll, 358 N.C. at 660, 599 S.E.2d at 895. Substantial evidence is “relevant evidence a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-2(8b) (2003). A reviewing court “may not substitute its judgment for the agency’s,” even if a different conclusion may result under a whole record review. Watkins v. N.C. State Bd. of Dental Exam’rs, 358 N.C. 190, 199, 593 S.E.2d 764, 769 (2004).
a. Religious Discrimination
In Gibson, our Supreme Court adopted the standard used by the United States Supreme Court in proving discrimination. 308 N.C. at 137, 301 S.E.2d at 82 (citing McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 36 L. Ed. 2d 668 (1973)).
(1) The claimant carries the initial burden of establishing a prima facie case of discrimination; '(2) The burden shifts to the employer to articulate some legitimate nondiscriminatory reason for the applicant’s rejection; and (3) If a legitimate nondiscriminatory reason for rejection has been articulated, the claimant has the opportunity to show that the stated reason for rejection was, in fact, a pretext for discrimination.
Gibson, 308 N.C. at 137, 301 S.E.2d at 82 (emphasis supplied). This rule has been extended to cases in which an employee has been discharged. Id. (citing McDonald v. Santa Fe Trial Transp. Co., 427 U.S. 273, 49 L. Ed. 2d 493 (1976)).
i. Prima Facie Discrimination
Our Supreme Court noted in Gibson that a prima facie case of discrimination “may be established in various ways.” 308 N.C. at 137, 301 S.E.2d at 82-83 (citing as examples of proving a prima facie case: Coleman v. Braniff Airways, Inc., 664 F.2d 1282 (5th Cir. 1982) ((1) a claimant is a member of a minority group, (2) he was qualified for the position, (3) he was discharged, and (4) the employer replaced him with a person who was not a member of a minority group); Turner v. Texas Instruments, Inc., 555 F.2d 1251 (5th Cir. 1977) (the discharge of a black employee and the retention of a white employee under apparently similar circumstances); McDonald, 427 U.S. at 273, 49 L. Ed. 2d at 493 (white employees discharged while black employees retained under similar circumstances)).
This Court addressed this issue in considering age discrimination in Area Mental Health Authority v. Speed, 69 N.C. App. 247, 317 S.E.2d 22, cert. denied, 312 N.C. 81, 321 S.E.2d 893 (1984). We determined that an individual “ ‘need only show that his performance was of sufficient quality to merit continued employment, thereby raising an inference that some other factor was involved in the decision to discharge him.’ ” Id. at 253, 317 S.E.2d at 26 (quoting Flowers v. Crouch-Walker Corp., 552 F.2d 1277, 1283 (7th Cir. 1977)).
Vanderburg offered substantial evidence showing his dismissal was not based on his alleged unacceptable job performance. He received positive evaluations in May 1999 and June 2000 from all his supervisors in Charlotte and Gastonia. Pappas admitted that Vanderburg did “real good work” and worked “very hard” during a discussion with Vanderburg’s father. Vanderburg substantially reduced the unexplained increased caseload he received that was not equalized in Fall 1999. McAteer and Williams, his superiors in Gastonia, were pleased with his “hard work” in both the personal income tax and business tax departments. When informed by McLamb that Vanderburg would be dismissed, both McAteer and Williams defended Vanderburg’s performance. McLamb did not reevaluate his decision despite admitting that he did not consider Vanderburg’s reduction of the considerable backlog of business tax cases for that territory. In fact, Williams explained to Vanderburg that after meeting McLamb, it appeared that several people in more senior positions at the NCDOR “did not want him there.” McLamb acknowledged that: (1) Foster had input into the termination decision; (2) he knew of the letters to Sanders; (3) Pappas had a problem with Vanderburg; and (4) he was aware of the 6 November 2000 petition.
This evidence was sufficient to show a prima facie case of discrimination. Texas Dep’t of Community Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 253, 67 L. Ed. 2d 207, 215 (1981) (the burden of establishing a prima facie case of discrimination is not onerous); Area Mental Health, 69 N.C. App. at 253, 317 S.E.2d at 26 (such evidence supports the idea that the employee was qualified for the job and the dismissal resulted from “discriminatory motives”). We hold Vanderburg established, through substantial evidence, a prima facie case of discrimination based on his religious practices.
ii. Shift of Burden to Employer
Vanderburg’s showing of a prima facie case of discrimination does not equate to an actual finding of discrimination. Furnco Construction Corp. v. Waters, 438 U.S. 567, 579-80, 57 L. Ed. 2d 957, 969 (1978). Rather, a court may presume a discriminatory intent existed because in the absence of an explanation, it is more likely than not that the employer’s actions were based upon discriminatory considerations. Id.; Burdine, supra. To rebut this presumption, the employer may show legitimate nondiscriminatory reasons for the dismissal. Area Mental Health, 69 N.C. App. at 254, 317 S.E.2d at 27 (citing Gibson, 308 N.C. at 138, 301 S.E.2d at 83). “ ‘The employer is not required to prove that its action was actually motivated by the proffered reasons for it is sufficient if the evidence raises a genuine issue of fact as to whether the claimant is a victim of intentional discrimination.’ ” Area Mental Health, 69 N.C. App. at 254, 317 S.E.2d at 27 (citing Gibson, 308 N.C. at 138, 301 S.E.2d at 83).
The NCDOR responded to Vanderburg’s claim by arguing Vanderburg was dismissed for “unsatisfactory job performance in the form of insufficient productivity.” It asserted: (1) Vanderburg created conflict with his supervisors; (2) he did not perform his share of the workload; (3) his caseload was disorganized and many files were missing; and (4) his overall performance was deficient.
The NCDOR’s response to Vanderburg’s prima facie case of discrimination raises a genuine issue of material fact concerning the reasons why Vanderburg was dismissed. See Area Mental Health, 69 N.C. App. at 253, 317 S.E.2d at 26 (citing Gibson, 308 N.C. at 138, 301 S.E.2d at 83). We hold the NCDOR articulated legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons for Vanderburg’s dismissal, shifting the burden of proof back to Vanderburg. See Gibson, 308 N.C. at 137, 301 S.E.2d at 82.
iii. Pretext for Discrimination
Following the employer’s rebuttal of the prima facie case of discrimination, the employee receives an opportunity to show that the employer’s stated reasons are merely a pretext for intentional discrimination. Id. at 139, 301 S.E.2d at 84. The plaintiff may rely on evidence presented to show the prima facie case to show a pretextual dismissal. Id.
The Commission made factual findings that Vanderburg’s termination resulted directly from the conflict derived from his religious practices. In addition to the evidence showing Vanderburg was adequately performing his employment duties, Vanderburg offered additional evidence to support his claims: (1) the conflicts arose after Vanderburg requested and received permission to pursue secondary employment as an associate pastor; (2) Barnes and Pappas ordered the removal of religious items from Vanderburg’s cubicle, while allowing several co-workers to continue to display similar religious objects; (3) Pappas indicated to Vanderburg’s father that a probationary employee could be fired “for any reason;” (4) Vanderburg’s caseload increased substantially without explanation and was not equalized after the meetings with Pappas and Barnes; and (5) Vanderburg was told on several occasions from various supervisors that he did not have a future with the NCDOR.
The record on appeal and transcript contain substantial evidence to support the Commission’s factual findings that Vanderburg was dismissed under discriminatory motives. Although the NCDOR presented evidence to suggest Vanderburg had a history of unsatisfactory work as the basis of his dismissal, the ALJ found NCDOR’s evidence “not worthy of belief.” A whole record review does not permit us to substitute our judgment for the Commission’s findings of fact. Savings & Loan Assoc. v. Savings & Loan Comm., 43 N.C. App. 493, 259 S.E.2d 373 (1979). Vanderburg offered and the Commission found substantial evidence to show the NCDOR’s prof fered reasons for his dismissal were a pretext for religious discrimination. Gibson, 308 N.C. at 137, 301 S.E.2d at 82. This assignment of error is overruled.
V. Conclusion
N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 126-36(a) and 126-39 provide the Commission jurisdiction over employment discrimination claims by non-career and former State employees. Vanderburg satisfied the burden of proof required in discrimination actions to show his dismissal was based on illegitimate and discriminatory motives. Although the trial court did not specify the standard of review it applied, detail its findings of fact, or delineate its conclusions of law, our review of the whole record and transcripts show no grounds exist to warrant reversal of the Commission’s final decision. The trial court’s order affirming the Commission’s Final Decision is affirmed.
Affirmed.
Judge McGEE concurs.
Judge WYNN concurs by separate opinion.
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[
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McCullough, judge.
This appeal arises out of plaintiff’s claim of negligence against the City of Durham and Durham Police Officer C.L. Cohn (collectively “defendants ”). The forecast evidence of the facts giving rise to this appeal showed the following: On the night of 25 August 2000, there was excess traffic on Garrett Road in Durham due to the conclusion of a football game at Jordan High School. Adjacent to the high school, Garrett Road has three lanes, a northbound and southbound lane, and a center turning lane. An off-duty police officer was directing the game traffic, and stopped a taxi in front of plaintiff, both heading northbound on Garrett Road with the taxi in front. Approximately ten seconds after plaintiff came to a stop behind the taxi, a minivan struck plaintiffs vehicle from behind and pushed it into the taxi, creating a three-car collision in the northbound lane. The street was not well lit in the area of the accident.
Officer Cohn was dispatched to the accident and arrived coming southbound on Garrett Road in approximately six minutes. Officer Cohn chose to park her vehicle across the street from the accident with her emergency lights in operation, facing southbound, because the heavy traffic prevented her from making a quick maneuver to pull behind the accident to face northbound. She decided not to use flares or other warnings to protect those exposed at the accident scene as well as other drivers because she believed they would interfere with the officer directing traffic out of the game. At no point did she direct plaintiff or the other vehicles at the scene to turn on their car lights. Additionally, she did not require the vehicles to move further off the road or further north on Garrett Road, based on her determination that the cars were already as far off the road as they could be without falling into the ditch on its eastern edge. Plaintiffs vehicle was the most severely damaged, and required towing from the scene.
Officer Cohn conducted a solo invéstigation of the collision by speaking with the drivers and obtaining their licenses, registrations, and insurance information. Once Officer Cohn received all necessary information from the driver of the minivan, that driver was allowed to leave the scene which left plaintiffs vehicle exposed to any oncoming northbound traffic. Officer Cohn next requested that plaintiff come to the rear of his vehicle so that she could ask him some questions. When he reached the rear of his vehicle, they discussed information of the other drivers, insurance issues, and where he wanted the vehicle towed. Plaintiff stood at the rear for a couple of minutes with his back turned to the northbound traffic.
Ms. Theisen, the third-party defendant in the case, approached the accident in a Mazda Miata coming northbound on Garrett Road. As she rounded a bend on the road just before the accident, she diverted her eyes to the opposite side of the road to the flashing lights of Officer Cohn’s southbound facing police vehicle. Nearly the same time that she was approaching the accident, a tow truck arrived coming via the southbound lane of Garrett Road with its yellow light bar on top of the truck. Ms. Theisen then noticed the accident scene directly in the path of her vehicle, and attempted to avoid hitting it by applying her brakes, and steering towards the shoulder of the road. Attempting to jump out of Ms. Theisen’s way, Officer Cohn was struck by the vehicle and landed in a wooded area on the shoulder of the road. Plaintiff was pinned between his car and the Miata, suffering a severe injury to his left leg.
Due to plaintiff’s injury he has incurred $196,018.55 of medical expenses, $33,000.00 of lost wages, and a 40% impairment of his left leg. Defendant City of Durham maintains a self-insured retention policy (“SRI”) for damage awards in excess of $350,000.00. However, this threshold is reduced by an amount equal to attorney’s fees and defense costs defendant expended on litigation of plaintiff’s claim. Thus, a theoretical award of $500,000.00 to a plaintiff, where defendant spent $100,000.00 defending the suit, would be insured to the extent of $250,000.00. Initially, plaintiff brought only a negligence action to which defendants asserted the defenses of contributory negligence and all applicable immunities bestowed upon North Carolina governmental bodies and their agents. Plaintiff then filed its first amended complaint, adding claims that the City of Durham’s policy of applying the defense of sovereign immunity violated federal due process and equal protection guarantees of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (“U.S. Constitution”), and Equal Protection guarantees of Article I, Section 32 of the North Carolina Constitution (“N.C. Constitution”). In their second amended complaint, plaintiff added claims for violations arising under Article I of the N.C. Constitution found in the following sections: Section 19, “Law of the Land”; Section 32, “Exclusive Emoluments”; Section 35, “Recurrence of Fundamental Principles”; and Section 36, “Other Rights of the People.” The second amended complaint sought declaratory and injunctive relief regarding Durham’s official practice of asserting sovereign immunity. Defendants answered both amended complaints, maintaining the defense of “all applicable immunities.”
Plaintiff filed a motion for summary judgment arguing defendants’ defense of contributory negligence should be denied as a matter of law because there was no issue of material fact suggesting plaintiff was contributorily negligent. In the same motion, plaintiff also contended the court should enjoin defendants from asserting immunity because defendants’ customary practice of waiving/asserting immunity was unconstitutional. The trial court denied summary judgment to plaintiff on the basis that issues of material fact existed concerning the contributory negligence, and in a separate order granted summary judgment in favor of defendants on the N.C. Constitutional claim under Article I, Section 32 (“Exclusive Emoluments”), but allowed the rest to go forward. Subsequently, plaintiff voluntarily dismissed N.C. Constitutional claims under Article I, Sections 35 and 36.
Defendants filed a later motion for summary judgment, asserting that the defense of the “public duty doctrine” acted as a complete bar to plaintiff’s remaining claims. Alternatively, defendants asserted immunity for any and all claims not insured by Durham’s SRI. Defendants further sought that all constitutional claims raised by defendants’ assertion of immunity be dismissed as a matter of law. The trial court denied this motion, finding there to be genuine issues of material fact as to each of plaintiff’s remaining constitutional claims. It is from this second summary judgment order that defendants have appealed and which is now before this Court.
Defendants’ appeal from the trial court’s denial of summary judgment raises two issues. First, defendants assert that the public duty doctrine acts as a complete bar to plaintiff’s negligence claims. Secondly, to the extent they are not covered by Durham’s SRI policy, defendants contend they are insulated from liability by sovereign immunity, and that their application of the defense in this case raises no constitutional implications. Lastly, on the day of oral argument, defendants submitted a motion to dismiss plaintiff’s constitutional claims alleging grounds that plaintiff lacks standing to challenge Durham’s policy for asserting immunity, or alternatively, that the constitutional issues are not ripe for appellate review. Because we herein hold that plaintiff’s claims are completely barred by the public duty doctrine, we need not consider the constitutional issues raised by plaintiff’s complaints, nor defendants’ grounds for their motion to dismiss the same. See Anderson v. Assimos, 356 N.C. 415, 416, 572 S.E.2d 101, 102 (2002) (acknowledging the long-held principle of judicial restraint that “the courts of this State will avoid constitutional questions, even if properly presented, where a case may be resolved on other grounds.”)
I. Interlocutory Nature of Appeal
Initially, we address the nature of this appeal as being interlocutory and not subject to immediate appellate review because the instant order rendered no final judgment. However, previous panels of this court have found a substantial right in a local government’s assertion of sovereign immunity and the public duty doctrine. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-277 (2003) (allowing appeals from superior court which affect a substantial right); see, e.g., Hedrick v. Rains, 121 N.C. App. 466, 468, 466 S.E.2d 281, 283 (“[0]rders denying dispositive motions grounded on the defense of governmental immunity are immediately reviewable as affecting a substantial right.”), aff’d per curiam, 344 N.C. 729, 477 S.E.2d 171 (1996); Clark v. Red Bird Cab Co., 114 N.C. App. 400, 403, 442 S.E.2d 75, 77 (a substantial right is affected where “defendants have asserted governmental immunity from suit through the public duty doctrine”), disc. review denied, 336 N.C. 603, 447 S.E.2d 387 (1994); Derwort v. Polk County, 129 N.C. App. 789, 790-91, 501 S.E.2d 379, 380 (1998) (a substantial right is affected where Polk County asserted the public duty doctrine).
II. Standard of Review
Defendants contend the trial court erred in denying their motion for summary judgment based on their assertion of the public duty doctrine and sovereign immunity. When reviewing an order of summary judgment, we discern “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that any party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 56(c) (2003); Williams v. City of Jacksonville Police Dep’t, 165 N.C. App. 587, 590, 599 S.E.2d 422, 426-27 (2004). In doing so, we view the evidence and allegations forecast in a light most favorable to the non-moving party. Stafford v. Barker, 129 N.C. App. 576, 577, 502 S.E.2d 1, 2, disc. review denied, 348 N.C. 695, 511 S.E.2d 650 (1998). For the case at bar, we must discern whether, upon review of the evidence in a light most favorable to plaintiffs claims, judgment as a matter of law should have been entered in favor of defendants upon the assertion of the defenses of the public duty doctrine and sovereign immunity.
With this standard in mind, we now address the merits.
III. The Public Duty Doctrine
Our Supreme Court first expressly adopted the public duty doctrine in Braswell v. Braswell, 330 N.C. 363, 370-71, 410 S.E.2d 897, 901 (1991) expressing its principles as follows:
[T]hat a municipality and its agents act for the benefit of the public, and therefore, there is no liability for the failure to furnish police protection to specific individuals. This rule recognizes the limited resources of law enforcement and refuses to judicially impose an overwhelming burden of liability for failure to prevent every criminal act.
Id. (citations omitted) (emphasis added). The Supreme Court in Braswell relied on a New York Court for its determination that the doctrine’s underlying policy is one of public resources and the executive decisions as to how these resources are to be deployed:
“For the courts to proclaim a new and general duty of protection in the law of tort, even to those who may be the particular seekers of protection based on specific hazards, could and would inevitably determine how the limited police resources ... should be allocated and without predictable limits.”
Id. (quoting Riss v. City of New York, 240 N.E.2d 860, 860-61, (N.Y. 1968). In Braswell, the Court upheld a directed verdict on claims brought by a plaintiff against a North Carolina sheriff, acting in his official capacity, alleging failure to protect the plaintiff’s mother against the criminal acts of plaintiff’s father. Id.
After Braswell implemented the public duty doctrine into North Carolina’s common law, the doctrine was interpreted to apply to public duties beyond those related to law enforcement protection. See Moses v. Young, 149 N.C. App. 613, 616, 561 S.E.2d 332, 334-35 (providing extensive review of the application of the doctrine since its adoption), disc. review denied, 356 N.C. 165, 568 S.E.2d 199 (2002). In response to this expansion, the Supreme Court reasserted its holding in Braswell, stating:
The holding in Braswell was specifically limited to the facts in that case and to the issue of whether the sheriff negligently failed to protect the decedent. . .
[W]e have never expanded the public duty doctrine to any local government agencies other than law enforcement departments when they are exercising their general duty to protect the public ....
Lovelace v. City of Shelby, 351 N.C. 458, 461, 526 S.E.2d 652, 654 (2000) (emphasis added) (Lovelace I). After remand and rehearing from Lovelace I, this Court found that the public duty doctrine did not immunize a police officer employed as a 911 operator alleged to be negligent in a six-minute delay of dispatching firefighter personnel to the fire where plaintiffs daughter was killed. Lovelace v. City of Shelby, 153 N.C. App. 378, 384-86, 570 S.E.2d 136, 141, disc. review denied, 356 N.C. 437, 572 S.E.2d 785 (2002) (Lovelace II).
Plaintiff contends that in light of Lovelace I and Lovelace II and their reassertion of Braswell, the public duty doctrine does not apply to the facts at bar. Specifically, plaintiff argues the doctrine applies to only those instances where the police fail to provide protection from criminal acts. Therefore, plaintiff asserts that allegations of Officer Cohn’s negligent control of the accident scene on Garrett Road was not “police protection” as contemplated in Braswell, and therefore, when that alleged negligence leads to a third party unintentionally harming a victim at the scene, defendants are subject to liability. We do not agree.
Lovelace I sought to reign in the expansion of the public duty doctrine’s application to other government agencies and ensure it would be applied in the future only to law enforcement agencies fulfilling their “general duty to protect the public,” and thus reasserted the principles of Braswell. Lovelace I, 351 N.C. at 461, 526 S.E.2d at 654. Braswell’s rationale for the rule focused on the limited resources of local government, and necessarily the discretionary decisions as to how those resources must be deployed. However, we find implicit in Braswell and the public duty doctrine that an officer fulfilling his or her duty to provide police protection must employ some level of discretion as to what each particular situation requires, criminal or otherwise. Therefore, we do not read Braswell or Lovelace I as immunizing discretionary decisions of law enforcement officers to only those occasions when responding to criminal offenders.
Since Lovelace I, a panel of this Court has considered the public duty doctrine as concerning the following: “ ‘failure to furnish police protection’ or ‘failure to prevent [a] criminal act’ or any other act of negligence proximately resulting in injury.” Moses, 149 N.C. App. at 618, 561 S.E.2d at 335 (quoting Braswell, 330 N.C. at 370-71, 410 S.E.2d at 901) (emphasis added)). In Moses, we found there was no “discretionary governmental action” when a police officer accidentally hit another vehicle and killed its driver in pursuit of a speeding motorcycle. Moses, 149 N.C. App. at 618, 561 S.E.2d at 335. We determined that the officer was not applying any discretion for his duties when accidentally hitting the victim’s vehicle. Id. Similarly, in Lovelace II, there was no forecast evidence before our Court of any discretionary determination made by the police officer to delay reporting a fire for some six minutes. Lovelace II, 153 N.C. App. at 381, 570 S.E.2d at 138.
In the case at bar, Officer Cohn promptly responded to an accident report. Using her trained judgment amidst heavy traffic and other peculiarities of the scene, and prioritizing her concern for the safety of those individuals involved in the accident, she parked her vehicle on the southbound shoulder of the roadway and employed all of her safety lights. She made a discretionary determination not to call for officer assistance as there was no personal injury at the scene, and she did not use flares or cones to redirect traffic around the scene based upon her determination that this would unnecessarily impede the flow of traffic where there were already traffic control measures in place for directing the heavy game traffic. Furthermore, she did not have the vehicles in the first collision move further north or off Garrett Road because the cars involved in the accident were already as far off the road as they could be without falling into a ditch, and plaintiffs vehicle required towing.
Though viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to plaintiff, we cannot ignore the discretionary demands of a police officer fulfilling her general duties owed when responding to the many and synergistic elements of a traffic accident. See Beaver v. Gosney, 825 S.W.2d 870 (Mo. App. 1992) (determining that measures required to be taken at an accident scene fall within the public duty doctrine). The record reflects Officer Cohn “actively weigh[ed] the safety interests of the public” when applying her discretion, and that there was nothing accidental about her conduct. Moses, 149 N.C. App. at 618-19, 561 S.E.2d at 335. While there are surely measures that Officer Cohn may have taken to decrease the threat of a potentially negligent third-party from hitting plaintiff, it is placing this unreasonable hindsight based standard of liability upon a police officer when performing public duties which is exactly that which the public duty doctrine seeks to alleviate.
Therefore, we hold that upon these limited facts, the public duty doctrine is applicable.
IV. Exceptions to the Public Duty Doctrine
In the alternative, plaintiff contends that the “special relationship” exception to the public duty doctrine subjects defendants to liability in this case. We do not agree.
In adopting the public duty doctrine in Braswell, the Court also adopted two exceptions to the doctrine:
There are two generally recognized exceptions to the public duty doctrine: (1) where there is a special relationship between the injured party and the police, for example, a state’s witness or informant who has aided law enforcement officers; and (2) “when a municipality, through its police officers, creates a special duty by promising protection to an individual, the protection is not forthcoming, and the individual’s reliance on the promise of protection is causally related to the injury suffered.”
Braswell, 330 N.C. at 371, 410 S.E.2d at 902 (citations omitted). A “special relationship” is formed where a victim detrimentally relies on a police officer’s words or conduct, and that reliance exposes plaintiff to a harm which is the result of police negligence. Vanasek v. Duke Power Co., 132 N.C. App. 335, 338, 511 S.E.2d 41, 44, cert. denied, 350 N.C. 851, 539 S.E.2d 13 (1999). “The ‘special relationship’ exception must be specifically alleged, and is not created merely by a showing that the state undertook to perform certain duties.” Frazier v. Murray, 135 N.C. App. 43, 50, 519 S.E.2d 525, 530 (1999).
A search of North Carolina case law reveals favorable consideration by our Courts for only a limited number of alleged special relationships in the public duty context. The Court in Braswell gave as an example of this special relationship “a state’s witness or informant who has aided law enforcement officers[.]” Braswell, 330 N.C. at 371, 410 S.E.2d at 902. Additionally, our Court has intimated that “a special relationship existed between [plaintiff] and defendants, as [plaintiff] alleges that he was injured while in police custody." Sellers v. Rodriguez, 149 N.C. App. 619, 624, 561 S.E.2d 336, 339 (2002) (emphasis added). However, these cases provide little rationale for their consideration.
Plaintiff asserts a special relationship was formed with Officer Cohn when she motioned to him to stand next to her for the purpose of resolving issues related to the first collision. In his complaint, plaintiff alleges:
B. [T]he Defendant Cohn negligently instructed the Plaintiff to stand behind his vehicle thereby placing him in a position of peril and in danger from oncoming traffic proceeding northward on Garrett Road.
Without assessing the sufficiency of this allegation for purposes of asserting the “special relationship” exception to the public duty doctrine, we find the evidence read in a light most favorable to plaintiff does not support the application of this exception to the case at bar.
Those instances where our Courts have intimated that a special relationship exists relate to some affirmative step taken by the police. These steps either provide a quid pro quo with a state’s witness or informant where a plaintiff would rely on an agreement with law enforcement, the basis of which most likely includes bargained for police protection in exchange for inculpatory testimony or information, Braswell, 330 N.C. at 371, 410 S.E.2d at 902, or where the plaintiff is actually taken into police custody and therefore is at the will of an officer and subject to any dangers that arise, Sellers, 149 N.C. App. at 624, 561 S.E.2d at 339. These situations are different in kind from that where a police officer, as part of her general duty to the public, requests to speak with a party to an accident or crime scene for purposes of an investigation. There is no reliance in such á situation, nor a surrendering of freedom of movement or judgment. We believe finding a special relationship in that instance would lead to second guessing and hesitation in performance of these general investigatory duties and the discretionary determinations they require, eroding the very underpinnings of the public duty doctrine of providing robust police protection despite limited public resources.
Lastly, we note a third exception to the public duty doctrine accepted by a minority of jurisdictions to which there may be an issue of fact as to its applicability in the case at bar. Without adopting the “high risk” exception to the public duty doctrine, this Court recognized it in Vanasek, 132 N.C. App. at 339, 511 S.E.2d at 45:
“[L]ocal government officials knew or should have known the plaintiff or members of his class would be exposed to an unusually high risk if care was not taken by local government personnel, even without proof of reliance by the plaintiff.”
(Citations omitted.) In Vanasek, a downed power line was reported to the local police. After being called to the scene, police officers had their dispatcher notify Duke Power and then left without providing any visible warning or barrier to the high risk condition. Id. at 336, 511 S.E.2d at 43. A cable worker coming near the line for unrelated work was later killed when brushing against it. Id. We note this exception to the public duty doctrine to acknowledge that situations akin to those of plaintiff have been provided for in the common law of some jurisdictions. However, as we determined in Vanasek, adoption of the exception is best left to the Supreme Court or the General Assembly. Id.
Therefore, upon these facts, we find no exceptions to the public duty doctrine apply.
V. Conclusion
When viewed in a light most favorable to plaintiff, we find the evidence as forecast fell completely within Durham’s immunization of performing a public duty, without exception, and summary judgment in favor of defendants on this ground should have been rendered as a matter of law. Further, in light of this determination, we need not reach those constitutional questions raised by plaintiff concerning defendants’ policy for asserting sovereign immunity as a defense. See Sellers, 149 N.C. App. at 623, 561 S.E.2d at 339 (the public duty doctrine is its own bar immunizing police in performance of the general duties, and thus even “a waiver of governmental liability will not create a cause of action where none previously existed”).
Therefore, after thorough review of the record, briefs, and transcripts in this matter, we hereby
Reverse.
Judges ELMORE and LEVINSON concur.
. Defendants implead Ms. Patricia Theisen (“Ms. Theisen”), the driver who hit Mr. Lassiter. Plaintiff and Ms. Theisen’s insurer have concluded a good faith settlement of their claims.
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ELMORE, Judge.
Defendant Andrew Debnam (defendant) pled guilty to eleven counts of obtaining property by false pretenses. The trial court sentenced defendant to four consecutive sentences of eleven to fourteen months imprisonment, each of which were suspended, and placed him on supervised probation for thirty-six months. On 14 November 2003, defendant’s probation officer filed probation violation reports. Three days later, defendant executed a written waiver of counsel form, waving his right to assigned counsel, but not his right to assistance of counsel, at a preliminary hearing held in district court. On 15 December 2003, the trial court held a hearing on defendant’s probation violation. After hearing testimony from defendant and defendant’s probation officer, the trial court concluded that defendant had willfully and unlawfully violated the terms and conditions of his probation and activated defendant’s suspended sentences. Defendant appeals.
Defendant first contends the trial court erred by allowing him to proceed pro se without conducting an inquiry as required by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1242, which provides:
A defendant may be permitted at his election to proceed in the trial of his case without the assistance of counsel only after the trial judge makes thorough inquiry and is satisfied that the defendant:
(1) Has been clearly advised of his right to the assistance of counsel, including his right to the assignment of counsel when he is so entitled;
(2) Understands and appreciates the consequences of this decision; and
(3) Comprehends the nature of the charges and proceedings and the range of permissible punishments.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1242 (2003).
“The provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1242 are mandatory where the defendant requests to proceed pro se. The execution of a written waiver is no substitute for compliance by the trial court with the statute.” State v. Evans, 153 N.C. App. 313, 315, 569 S.E.2d 673, 675 (2002) (citations omitted). In Evans, this Court held that during probation revocation hearings, the trial court must conduct a full inquiry pursuant to section 15A-1242 to ensure that a defendant’s waiver of counsel is knowing, intelligent, and voluntary. Id.
The following exchange occurred when defendant’s probation revocation hearing was called on 15 December 2003:
[Prosecutor]: Mr. Debnam, have you signed a waiver already?
The Defendant: Yes, ma’am.
[Prosecutor]: You’re going to represent yourself?
The Defendant: Yes, ma’am.
[Prosecutor]: Judge, he says he’s signed a waiver.
The Court: All right. I believe him. Let’s go forward.
Although the record shows that defendant executed a written waiver of counsel form waving his right to assigned counsel and informed the trial court that he wanted to represent himself, the trial court failed to advise defendant of the consequences of his decision to represent himself or the “nature of the charges and proceedings and the range of permissible punishments.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1242(3) (2003). Accordingly, the judgment of the trial court is reversed, and this matter is remanded for another probation revocation hearing. As the other assignments of error are not likely to reoccur, we do not deem it necessary to discuss them.
Reversed and remanded.
Judge HUNTER concurs.
Judge STEELMAN dissents by separate opinion.
|
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TIMMONS-GOODSON, Judge.
Danny Lynn Snider (“defendant”) appeals his conviction of first-degree murder. For the reasons stated herein, we find no error in the trial.
The facts of this case are summarized as follows: On 7 July 2001, defendant attended a cook-out with his girlfriend, Lisa Cersosimo (“Cersosimo”), and their son, William. At the cook-out, defendant socialized with his neighbor, Steve Seagle (“Seagle”). As defendant, Cersosimo and William left the event, Seagle requested a ride home. Defendant and Cersosimo agreed to take Seagle home. Seagle rode in the back seat of the car with William and Seagle’s twin nephews, Roger and Dale, who were invited to spend the night with William.
During the drive home, Seagle pressed his fingernails into William’s knee and called William a “p*ssy.” When the group arrived at the house shared by defendant and Cersosimo, Seagle pulled one of the twins from the car by his arm and threw him to the ground. As a result of Seagle’s actions, defendant argued with Seagle and a physical fight ensued whereby both men sustained knife wounds. Cersosimo and the children went into the house, and Cersosimo called the police. A short while later, defendant came into the house, retrieved a rifle from the bedroom closet, returned outside and shot Seagle in the chest. Seagle died as a result of a single gunshot wound.
Defendant was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He was tried before a jury, which convicted him of the charge. The trial court sentenced defendant to life imprisonment without parole. It is from this conviction that defendant appeals.
As an initial matter, we note that defendant’s brief contains arguments supporting only four of the original seventeen assignments of error on appeal. The omitted assignments of error are deemed abandoned pursuant to N.C.R. App. P. 28(b)(6) (2004). We therefore limit our review to the assignments of error addressed in defendant’s brief.
The issues presented on appeal are whether (I) the trial court erred by denying defendant’s requested jury instruction; (II) the trial court erred by overruling defendant’s objection to the State’s closing argument; (III) the trial court erred by admitting Seagle’s autopsy photographs into evidence; and (IV) the short-form first-degree murder indictment was constitutionally defective.
Defendant first argues that the trial court erred by denying defendant’s request to instruct the jury on the felled victim theory of premeditation and deliberation. We disagree.
During the charge conference, defendant requested that the trial court include the phrase “infliction of lethal blows after Steve Seagle was felled” in its jury instruction on the circumstances from which premeditation and deliberation could be inferred. The trial court refused to provide the requested instruction and instructed the jury in pertinent part as follows:
Neither premeditation nor deliberation is usually susceptible to direct proof. They may be proved by circumstances from which they may be inferred, such as the lack of provocation by Steve Seagle, conduct of the defendant before, during, and after the killing, threats and declarations of the defendant, use of grossly excessive force, brutal or vicious nature — brutal or vicious circumstances of the killing, manner in which or means by which the killing was done, and ill will between the parties.
“The trial court is required to instruct the jury on all substantial features of a case.” State v. Elliott, 344 N.C. 242, 273, 475 S.E.2d 202, 215 (1996) (citing State v. Rose, 323 N.C. 455, 458, 373 S.E.2d 426, 428 (1988)). The trial court should honor a defendant’s request for a jury instruction only if the instruction is supported by the evidence and is a correct statement of the law. See State v. Sams, 148 N.C. App. 141, 146, 557 S.E.2d 638, 642 (2001) (citing State v. Rogers, 121 N.C. App. 273, 281, 465 S.E.2d 77, 82 (1996)).
To prove first-degree murder, the State must provide evidence of a “willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-17 (2003).
[Premeditation means that the act was thought out beforehand for some length of time, however short, but no particular amount of time is necessary for the mental process of premeditation. Deliberation means an intent to kill, carried out in a cool state of blood, in furtherance of a fixed design for revenge or to accomplish an unlawful purpose and not under the influence of a violent passion, suddenly aroused by lawful or just cause or legal provocation.
State v. Davis, 349 N.C. 1, 33, 506 S.E.2d 455, 472 (1998) (citations omitted).
“[T]he premise of the ‘felled victim’ theory of premeditation and deliberation is that when numerous wounds are inflicted, the defendant has the opportunity to premeditate and deliberate from one shot to the next.” State v. Austin, 320 N.C. 276, 295, 357 S.E.2d 641, 653 (1987). The felled victim theory is typically advanced by the State in first-degree murder cases where the defendant is accused of inflicting multiple lethal wounds on the victim. See State v. Leazer, 353 N.C. 234, 539 S.E.2d 922 (2000); State v. Truesdale, 340 N.C. 229, 456 S.E.2d 299 (1995); State v. Watson, 338 N.C. 168, 449 S.E.2d 694 (1994); State v. Brogden, 329 N.C. 534, 407 S.E.2d 158 (1991); State v. Austin, 320 N.C. 276, 357 S.E.2d 641 (1987); State v. Sims, 161 N.C. App. 183, 588 S.E.2d 55 (2003). In such cases, the State argues that premeditation and deliberation may be inferred by “ ‘the dealing of lethal’blows after the deceased has been felled and rendered helpless,’ ” and “ ‘the nature and number of the victim’s wounds.’ ” State v. Keel, 337 N.C. 469, 489, 447 S.E.2d 748, 759 (1994) (quoting State v. Gladden, 315 N.C. 398, 431, 340 S.E.2d 673, 693 (1986)).
In the present case, defendant argues that “if the presence of [multiple lethal wounds] evidences premeditation and deliberation, then the absence of such [wounds] negates premeditation and deliberation.” We conclude that the absence of multiple lethal wounds does not negate the elements of premeditation and deliberation in this case because the State established the elements of premeditation and deliberation by evidence other than the number of shots fired. 'The State presented evidence that defendant walked away from the argument with Seagle, entered the house, retrieved the firearm from a bedroom closet, exited the house, and shot Seagle. This evidence tends to show that defendant formed the intent to shoot Seagle at some point between the time he left the argument and the time of the actual shooting. Because the evidence tends to show that defendant’s actions were deliberate and premeditated, we conclude that the trial court did not err by denying defendant’s request to have the jury consider the lack of lethal blows after the killing as a factor in assessing premeditation and deliberation.
Defendant also argues that the trial court erred by overruling defendant’s objection to the State’s closing argument. We disagree.
Where a defendant timely objects to a prosecutor’s closing argument, this Court must determine “whether the trial court abused its discretion by failing to sustain the objection.” State v. Jones, 355 N.C. 117, 131, 558 S.E.2d 97, 106 (2002) (citing State v. Huffstetler, 312 N.C. 92, 111, 322 S.E.2d 110, 122 (1984)). A prosecutor’s argument is proper where it is consistent with the record and does'not espouse conjecture or personal opinion. Counsel may argue to the jury the law, the facts in evidence, and all reasonable inferences drawn therefrom. State v. Alston, 341 N.C. 198, 239, 461 S.E.2d 687, 709 (1995). “When determining whether the prosecutor’s remarks are grossly improper, the remarks must be viewed in context and in light of the overall factual circumstances to which they refer.” State v. Womble, 343 N.C. 667, 692-93, 473 S.E.2d 291, 306 (1996) (citing Alston, 341 N.C. at 239, 461 S.E.2d at 709).
In the present case, defense counsel made the following pertinent remarks in his closing argument:
Sometimes silence speaks volumes. And I would contend to you in this case that’s very true.... The State never called these twins [Roger and Dale] to the witness stand to say that what these folks claimed didn’t happen.
I contend to you that the absence of evidence is very important here. And the absence of the twins is important.
The State, in its closing argument, rebutted defense counsel’s remarks as follows:
And then, finally, Mr. Shuford said, Now, silence is important. And the fact that they didn’t bring the two twins in here, you should take account of that, and you can if you want to, but don’t forget . . . there was nothing to prevent him from subpoenaing the parents to bring those kids in here and have a chance to see a four-year-old kid testify in front of a jury.
It is to the aforementioned statements that defendant objected.
We conclude that the State’s closing argument is consistent with the record and does not espouse conjecture or personal opinion. The State’s remarks are appropriate to rebut defense counsel’s remarks about the fact that the State did not call Roger and Dale as witnesses. Furthermore, the State’s argument addresses a reasonable inference from defendant’s strategy, i.e., defendant’s failure to present additional witnesses to testify about the events leading up to the shooting. Thus, we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in overruling defendant’s objection.
Defendant also argues that the trial court erred by admitting autopsy photographs of Seagle into evidence. Defendant asserts that the inflammatory nature of the photographs outweighs their probative value. We disagree.
Relevant evidence “may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8C-1, Rule 403 (2003). The decision to admit photographic evidence “lies within the sound discretion of the trial court, and the trial court’s ruling should not be overturned on appeal unless the ruling [is] manifestly unsupported by reason or [] so arbitrary that it could not have been the result of a reasoned decision.” State v. Goode, 350 N.C. 247, 258, 512 S.E.2d 414, 421 (1999) (citing State v. Hennis, 323 N.C. 279, 285, 372 S.E.2d 523, 527 (1988)). Our appellate courts continue to recognize “the long-standing rule that photographs of a murder victim, though gory or gruesome, may be introduced for illustrative purposes so long as they are not used in an excessive or repetitious manner aimed exclusively at arousing the passions of the jury.” State v. Call, 349 N.C. 382, 414, 508 S.E.2d 496, 516 (1998) (citing Hennis, 323 N.C. at 283, 372 S.E.2d at 526).
In the instant case, the trial court admitted three autopsy photographs into evidence to illustrate the testimony of Dr. Patrick Lantz, Forsyth County Medical Examiner. In the first photograph, Seagle’s left arm is raised to reveal two lacerations on the left side of Seagle’s torso and a laceration on his chest. The second photograph shows a surgical incision on the right side of Seagle’s torso. The third photograph shows the same surgical incision on the right side of Seagle’s torso and a second surgical incision on Seagle’s right shoulder. Dr. Lantz testified that Seagle suffered a knife wound on his right shoulder, a knife wound on the left side of his torso, and a gunshot wound to his chest, the latter of which was the cause of Seagle’s death. The trial court allowed the State to publish two autopsy photographs to the jury by projecting them onto a screen in the courtroom, noting “with these small photographs, it certainly would be helpful to enlarge [them].”
We hold that the trial court’s ruling admitting the enlarged photographs that were projected onto a screen was proper for the purpose of illustrating the extent of Seagle’s wounds. Thus, the probative value of the photographs outweighs any potential unfair prejudice due to the nature of the photographs. The photographs were not used in a repetitive manner and it was not excessive to project them onto a screen for the purpose of making them more easily viewed. We con- elude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by admitting the enlarged photographs that were projected onto a screen.
Defendant also argues that the short-form first-degree murder indictment was constitutionally defective. We disagree.
Our Supreme Court has consistently held that short-form murder indictments are constitutionally sound. State v. Hunt, 357 N.C. 257, 278, 582 S.E.2d 593, 607, cert. denied, 539 U.S. 985, 156 L. Ed. 2d 702, petition denied, 539 U.S. 985, 156 L. Ed. 2d 702 (2003); see also State v. Wallace, 351 N.C. 481, 504-05, 528 S.E.2d 326, 341 (2000) (upholding short-form indictment for murder). Accordingly, we overrule this assignment of error as it is without merit.
NO ERROR.
Judges TYSON and GEER concur.
|
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] |
CALABRIA, Judge.
The State of North Carolina by and through the Albemarle Child Support Enforcement Agency ex rel. Zita Y. Cross (“plaintiff’) appeals an order of the Gates County District Court modifying a previous child support order upon finding a substantial and material change in circumstances. We reverse.
On 25 May 1995, Maurice L. Saunders (“defendant”) signed a voluntary support agreement certifying paternity and responsibility for D.A.S., a minor child in Cross’ custody. The agreement was subsequently approved by and became an order of the court. Defendant was ordered to repay, in monthly installments of $20.00, the sum of $924.00 owed as reimbursement for past public assistance for his dependent child; however, no ongoing child support was imposed. Defendant fulfilled this obligation in June 1997, and defendant’s file was closed the following month with a notation that all arrearages were paid in full.
On 24 September 2002, plaintiff moved to modify the existing child support order to seek ongoing child support. The matter was heard on 11 December 2002. The trial court ordered, inter alia, monthly child support in the amount of $391.00 as determined by completion of the worksheet contained in the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) after concluding there was a substantial and material change in circumstances (“changed circumstances”) in that the needs of the minor child had increased since entry of the prior child support order. The order was signed on 3 April 2003.
On 10 April 2003, defendant moved to modify the existing child support order, seeking a reduction in his child support obligation. Defendant cited changed circumstances because of the birth of a new child on 9 April 2003. The trial court granted defendant’s motion on that basis. Plaintiff appeals.
On appeal, plaintiff asserts the trial court “erred when it concluded, based on the single fact that [defendant] had a newborn child in his home, that a significant and material change of circumstances had occurred.” We agree. North Carolina General Statutes § 50-13.7 (2003) provides that a child support order “may be modified or vacated at any time, upon motion in the cause and a showing of changed circumstances[.]” The Guidelines expressly provide as follows:
A parent’s financial responsibility (as determined below) for his or her natural or adopted children who currently reside with the parent (other than children for whom child support is being determined in the pending action) is deducted from the parent’s gross income. Use of this deduction is appropriate when a child support order is entered or modified, but may not be the sole basis for modifying an existing order.
2004 Ann. R. N.C. 50 (emphasis added). In the instant case, the trial court found as fact, relevant to the conclusions of law, that defendant filed a motion to modify the existing child support order on the grounds that he had a newborn child. The trial court concluded, in relevant part, as follows:
3. There was a substantial and material change in circumstances since entry of the April 3, 2003 Order in that the defendant now has a newborn child in his home for whom he has financial responsibility.
4. As a result of the change in circumstances, defendant is entitled to modify the April 3, 2003 Order.
The trial court’s findings and conclusions contravened the Guidelines by equating defendant’s financial responsibility to his newborn child, standing alone, with changed circumstances. Accord Lee’s North Carolina Family Law § 10.55(a) (5th rev. ed. 2002). Accordingly, we reverse the trial court’s modification of the existing child support order. We need not reach plaintiff’s remaining assignments of error.
Reversed.
Chief Judge MARTIN and Judge GEER concur.
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McCullough, Judge.
Defendant appeals from revocation of probation and activation of sentences for food stamp fraud, solicitation to obtain property by false pretenses, uttering a forged instrument (two counts), and obtaining property by false pretenses (two counts).
Defendant’s sole contention is that the court erred by allowing defendant to represent herself without asking her if she understood the nature of the charges and the consequences of her decision to proceed without a lawyer.
At the call of the matter for hearing, the following transpired:
Ms. Rhodes [D.A.]: Her attorney situation needs to be addressed as well. May I approach with the file, Your Honor?
The Court: You may.
Ms. Proby, you do have the right to remain silent; anything you say can be used against you. Do you understand that?
The Probationer: Yes, sir.
The Court: If you’re found to have willfully violated probation, you could be ordered to serve a sentence of not less than six nor more than eight months, followed by a consecutive sentence of not less than eight nor more than ten months, and another sentence of not less than six nor more than eight that would run at the same time as those other two. Do you understand that?
The Probationer: Yes.
The Court: You have a right to have a lawyer help you with your cases. If you can [sic] afford one, we’ll appoint one. Do you understand?
The Probationer: Yes.
The Court: Do you wish to proceed with a lawyer or without?
The Probationer: Without.
The Court: Please step over here and sign a waiver of your right to all assistance of counsel and be sworn to it.
THE PROBATIONER SIGNS A WAIVER OF COUNSEL FORM AND IS SWORN TO THE SAME.
Defendant then admitted to the violations of probation.
After defendant was sentenced, she returned to the courtroom later that day and informed the court that she “didn’t understand the question about the lawyer situation. The reason why I signed the waiver saying I didn’t want an attorney was because my probation officer had told me before we came to Court that you [sic] she wasn’t requesting that I go to prison.” The court denied her request for relief.
Before a defendant in a probation revocation is allowed to represent himself, the court must comply with the requirements of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1242 (2003); State v. Evans, 153 N.C. App. 313, 314-15, 569 S.E.2d 673, 674 (2002). This statute provides:
A defendant may be permitted at his election to proceed in the trial of his case without the assistance of counsel only after the trial judge makes thorough inquiry and is satisfied that the defendant:
(1) Has been clearly advised of his right to the assistance of counsel, including his right to the assignment of counsel when he is so entitled;
(2) Understands and appreciates the consequences of this decision; and
(3) Comprehends the nature of the charges and proceedings and the range of permissible punishments.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1242. When a claim is made relating to the adequacy of the foregoing statutory inquiry, “the critical issue is whether the statutorily required information has been communicated in such a manner that defendant’s decision to represent himself is knowing and voluntary.” State v. Carter, 338 N.C. 569, 583, 451 S.E.2d 157, 164 (1994).
The trial judge’s inquiry in the case at bar clearly informed defendant that if she is found to have violated probation, then she faced the possible consequence of active service of the sentences. The court also clearly informed defendant that she had the right to the assistance of an attorney. Defendant’s responses clearly indicated that she understood.
Because the court’s inquiry elicited the information necessary for it to make a determination that defendant’s decision to represent her self was knowing and voluntary, we conclude the court complied with the requirements of the statute.
The judgments are
Affirmed.
Chief Judge MARTIN and Judge CALABRIA concur.
|
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] |
"HUDSON, Judge.\nRespondent Mungo appeals the trial court’s order terminating parental rights of m(...TRUNCATED)
| [-0.031448207795619965,-0.03758517652750015,-0.024278856813907623,0.05204716697335243,0.046612948179(...TRUNCATED)
|
"CALABRIA, Judge.\nA.B. (“respondent-mother”) and K.B. (“respondent-father”) (collectively (...TRUNCATED)
| [-0.05026455968618393,-0.0047120084054768085,-0.017468750476837158,0.022354422137141228,0.0349361002(...TRUNCATED)
|
"STEELMAN, Judge.\nDefendants-appellants, Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Co., American Protection Insura(...TRUNCATED)
| [-0.008846158161759377,-0.048162102699279785,-0.021175559610128403,0.025684036314487457,0.0482527315(...TRUNCATED)
|
"HUNTER, Judge.\nSigns Now Corporation (“defendant”) appeals from a preliminary injunction enjoi(...TRUNCATED)
| [-0.004982325714081526,-0.03020302578806877,0.0022129954304546118,-0.03208396956324577,0.06176904216(...TRUNCATED)
|
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