Business Court
The North Carolina Business Court is a specialized forum of the superior court division. Cases involving complex and significant issues of corporate and commercial law in our state are designated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina as complex business cases for assignment to a Business Court judge who oversees resolution of all matters in the case through trial.
Established in 1996, the Business Court has locations in Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem.
View more Business Court reports.
News
North Carolina Business Court Changes Announced June 27, 2024
Chief Business Court Judge Louis A. Bledsoe, III, of Charlotte, N.C., announced his retirement effective January 1, 2025. Judge Bledsoe has served as a Business Court judge since 2014, and as Chief Judge since 2018.
Chief Justice Paul Newby will appoint Judge Michael L. Robinson of Winston-Salem, N.C., who has served on the North Carolina Business Court since 2016, as Chief Business Court Judge effective January 1, 2025.
The General Assembly confirmed Charlotte attorney A. Todd Brown to a Special Superior Court judgeship. Brown currently serves as the President of the North Carolina State Bar. Chief Justice Newby has announced his intent to designate Brown as a Business Court Judge once he assumes office.
Read the full announcement.
All Things Judicial features an interview with Chief Business Court Judge Louis A. Bledsoe, III.
Notice Regarding Odyssey
Odyssey is a new, web-based integrated case management system that the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts is rolling out in stages statewide. The Administrative Office of the Courts maintains a list of the counties with Odyssey at NCcourts.gov/eCourts.
The Business Court is expected to go-live on Odyssey in late 2025, after all 100 counties are live. Until further notice, parties and counsel will continue to file documents with the Business Court using its eFlex electronic-filing system. Parties and counsel will also need to continue filing documents with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county of venue, and the form of those filings will depend on whether the county is live on Odyssey. To navigate these issues, filers should reference Rules 5.0 and 5.1 of the General Rules of Practice for the Superior and District Courts Supplemental to the Rules of Civil Procedure. For questions regarding this information please contact Senior Court Coordinator Thomas W. Estes at thomas.w.estes@ncbusinesscourt.net or 704-686-0144.
The Business Court has also been advised that Odyssey has no “flag” at present that notifies the local Clerk of Superior Court’s office whether a case is a Business Court designated case. While the Administrative Office of the Courts is attempting to remedy this situation, it is possible that attorneys and self-represented parties in Business Court cases pending in counties live on Odyssey may receive scheduling or other orders and notices issued by the Clerk of Superior Court, the county Trial Court Administrator, or the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge which presumes that the case is being handled on the “regular” Superior Court civil action docket. IF YOU RECEIVE SUCH AN ORDER OR NOTICE THROUGH THE ODYSSEY SYSTEM WHICH IS NOT ISSUED BY THE BUSINESS COURT JUDGE ASSIGNED TO YOUR CASE OR BY THE JUDGE’S STAFF, PLEASE PROMPTLY ADVISE THE BUSINESS COURT BY EMAILING A COPY OF THE ORDER OR NOTICE TO SENIOR COURT COORDINATOR THOMAS W. ESTES AT thomas.w.estes@nccourts.org.
Amended North Carolina Business Court Rules, effective July 1, 2022
To All Counsel and Unrepresented Parties in Pending Business Court Actions:
By Order dated June 15, 2022, the Supreme Court of North Carolina has approved amendments to the North Carolina Business Court Rules (“Amended Rules”).
THE AMENDED RULES ARE EFFECTIVE AS OF JULY 1, 2022 AND APPLY TO ALL CASES BEFORE THE BUSINESS COURT PENDING ON OR AFTER THAT DATE.
Counsel and pro se parties in pending cases should carefully review the Supreme Court's order, which may be accessed at North Carolina Business Court Rules.
The Amended Rules do not alter or modify case management orders in pending cases in the event those orders conflict with the Amended Rules.
Louis A. Bledsoe, III
Chief Business Court Judge
North Carolina Business Court Email Alerts for Opinions and Orders of Significance
You may sign up to receive email alerts announcing the publication of the North Carolina Business Court’s Orders and Opinions and Orders of Significance on this page below.
More Information
Recent Opinions
BIOMILQ, INC. v. GUILIANO, 2023 NCBC 91A
AMENDED ORDER AND OPINION ON GOODWIN PROCTER LLP'S MOTION TO DISMISS SECOND AMENDED COUNTERCLAIMS AND THIRD-PARTY CLAIM AND BIOMILQ AND LEILA STRICKLAND'S MOTION TO DISMISS SECOND AMENDED COUNTERCLAIMS
WHEELER v. GEIST, 2024 NCBC 51
ORDER AND OPINION ON DEFENDANTS' MOTION TO DISMISS
BLUSKY RESTORATION CONTRACTORS, LLC v. SASSER COS., 2024 NCBC 50
ORDER AND OPINION ON MOTION OF DEFENDANT SASSER COMPANIES, LLC FOR PARTIAL JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS
BLUSKY RESTORATION CONTRACTORS, LLC v. BROWN, 2024 NCBC 49
ORDER AND OPINION ON CROSS-MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT [PUBLIC]
B&D SOFTWARE HOLDINGS, LLC v. INFOBELT, INC., 2024 NCBC 48
ORDER AND OPINION ON CROSS-MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT [PUBLIC]
Recent Orders of Significance
BIOMILQ, INC. v. GUILIANO, 2024 NCBC ORDER 54
GATEKEEPER ORDER
CADWALADER, WICKERSHAM & TAFT LLP v. CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS AT LLOYD'S OF LONDON, BEAZLEY SYNDICATES 623 AND 2623, SUBSCRIBING TO POLICY NO. PSLN2200651, 2024 NCBC ORDER 53
ORDER ON DEFENDANTS' MOTION TO RECONSIDER EX PARTE ORDER ON PLAINTIFF'S MOTION TO SEAL
REL. INS., INC. v. PILOT RISK MGMT. CONSULTING, LLC, 2024 NCBC ORDER 52
ORDER ON PLAINTIFFS' MOTION TO ALLOCATE COSTS AND MOTION TO STRIKE
GREEN v. EMERGEORTHO, P.A., 2024 NCBC ORDER 51
ORDER ON PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS' FEES, EXPENSES AND SERVICE AWARD
WILLIAMS v. MONARCH, 2024 NCBC ORDER 50
ORDER ON PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS' FEES, EXPENSES, AND SERVICE AWARDS
Docket Information
Attorney and Self-Represented Access - Business Court eFiling
This service allows you to electronically file to an existing case, request an e-filing account, or recover your username or password for an existing account.
Public Access - Business Court Dockets
Search and view Business Court dockets.
Filer's Quick Reference
Concise reference guide for the eFiling process, including answers to frequently-asked questions.
Court Access – Alpine CMS
Alpine Case Management System (requires employee login).
Court Access – Court Review
Court Review application (requires employee login).
Contact
For general inquiries please direct your attention to:
Thomas W. Estes, Senior Court Coordinator
(704) 686-0144
Thomas.W.Estes@ncbusinesscourt.net
The Business Court has four locations. Find contact info for each.
For case-specific inquiries, please contact the chambers of the assigned judge. Case assignments may be found on the Court’s public docket.
For eFiling technical and after-hours support, please contact the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) Help Desk at (919) 890-2407. Please request that your ticket be directed to the eFiling development team.