In re Willis

Nov 26, 1974
No. 32
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Bobbitt
Per Curiam

The parties, both by briefs and oral arguments, debated before this Court ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‍the question whether the judgment of the superior court should be affirmed or reversed.

Chief Justice Bobbitt was not present and did not participate in the ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‍hearing. On the question presented, the members of the Court were equally divided, three members voting to affirm and three members voting to reverse the judgment ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‍of the superior court. This equal division requires that the judgment entered in the superior court be affirmed without becoming a precedent. Sharpe v. Pugh (decided this ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‍day) ; Parrish v. Piedmont Publishing Co., 271 N.C. 711, 157 S.E. 2d 334; James v. Rogers, 231 N.C. 668, 58 S.E. 2d 640; Gardner v. McDonald, 223 N.C. 854, 25 S.E. 2d 397; Smith ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‍v. McDowell Furniture Co., 221 N.C. 536, 19 S.E. 2d 17.

Affirmed.

Chief Justice Bobbitt not sitting.