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NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644 (2026)

Form and content of indictment, information or presentment

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) An indictment must contain:

(1) The name of the superior court in which it is filed;

(2) The title of the action;

(3) Criminal charges pleaded as provided in Article 49 of this Chapter, Pleadings and Joinder;

(4) The signature of the prosecutor, but its omission is not a fatal defect; and

(5) The signature of the foreman or acting foreman of the grand jury attesting the concurrence of 12 or more grand jurors in  the finding of a true bill of indictment.

(b) An information must contain everything required of an indictment in subsection (a) except that the accusation is that of the prosecutor and the provisions of subdivision (a)(5) do not apply. The  information must also contain or have attached the waiver of indictment pursuant to G.S. 15A-642(c).

(c) A presentment must contain everything required of an indictment in subsection (a) except that the provisions of subdivisions (a)(4) and (5) do not apply and the foreman must by his signature attest the concurrence of 12 or more grand jurors in the presentment. (1973, c. 1286, s. 1; 1975, c. 166, s. 27.)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 20 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1977–2025 · leading case: State v. Rankin, 821 S.E.2d 787 (N.C. 2018).
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State v. Rankin, 821 S.E.2d 787 (N.C. 2018). · cites it 6× “I A valid indictment must comply with requirements of form and substance, see N.C.G.S. §§ 15A-644(a), -924(a) (2017), including the statutory requirement that an indictment contain facts supporting every element of the charged offense, id.”
State v. Boston, 598 S.E.2d 163 (N.C. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 5× “2d at 660 , citing N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644 (emphasis added).”
State v. Brice, 806 S.E.2d 32 (N.C. 2017). · cites it 3× “§ 15A-644(a)(5) directs that an indictment "must contain" the grand jury foreman's signature "attesting the concurrence of 12 or more grand jurors in the finding of a true bill of indictment," an indictment lacking the express statement that "12 or more grand jurors concurred in…”
State v. Hall, 508 S.E.2d 8 (N.C. Ct. App. 1998). · cites it 8× “This does not end our inquiry, however, because N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(a) contains certain requirements for a valid indictment.”
State v. House, 244 S.E.2d 654 (N.C. 1978). · cites it 3× “G.S. 15A-644 provides: “Form and content of indictment, information or presentment.”
State v. Floyd, 558 S.E.2d 237 (N.C. Ct. App. 2002). · cites it 2× “The indictments are sufficient: each one lists two prior convictions for felonies in Florida that meet the requirements under North Carolina law for violent habitual felon status, and each specifies a different one of the current offenses as an *296 underlying substantive charge.”
State v. Richardson, 245 S.E.2d 754 (N.C. 1978). · cites it 2× “Defendant relies on G.S. 15A-644(a)(5) which provides that an indictment must contain the signature of the foreman or acting foreman of the grand jury attesting the concurrence of twelve or more grand jurors in the finding of a true bill of indictment.”
State v. Jones, 805 S.E.2d 701 (N.C. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “§ 15A-644(a)(3) ("An indictment must contain: .”
State v. Moore, 319 S.E.2d 150 (N.C. 1984). · cites it 4× “G.S. § 15A-644, under which indictments for kidnapping are now brought, unlike the short-form indictments authorized for homicide, rape and sex offense, requires that the indictment charge all the essential elements of the offenses, or with respect to statutory offense, the…”
State v. Williams, 684 S.E.2d 898 (N.C. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 4× “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(a) and (b); N.C.”
State v. Midyette, 262 S.E.2d 353 (N.C. Ct. App. 1980). · cites it 2× “G.S. 15A-644(a). The Supreme Court has held that G.”
State v. Simpson, 276 S.E.2d 361 (N.C. 1981). “” To like effect is G.S. 15A-644 which provides that an indictment must contain, among other things, criminal charges pleaded in accordance with the above quoted statute.”
Show all 20 citing cases →
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(a) — 7 cases
State v. Rankin, 821 S.E.2d 787 (N.C. 2018). “I A valid indictment must comply with requirements of form and substance, see N.C.G.S. §§ 15A-644(a), -924(a) (2017), including the statutory requirement that an indictment contain facts supporting every element of the charged offense, id.”
State v. Hall, 508 S.E.2d 8 (N.C. Ct. App. 1998). “This does not end our inquiry, however, because N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(a) contains certain requirements for a valid indictment.”
State v. Boston, 598 S.E.2d 163 (N.C. Ct. App. 2004). “2d at 660 , citing N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644 (emphasis added).”
State v. Williams, 684 S.E.2d 898 (N.C. Ct. App. 2009). “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(a) and (b); N.C.”
State v. Midyette, 262 S.E.2d 353 (N.C. Ct. App. 1980). “G.S. 15A-644(a). The Supreme Court has held that G.”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(a)(3) — 2 cases
State v. Jones, 805 S.E.2d 701 (N.C. Ct. App. 2017). “§ 15A-644(a)(3) ("An indictment must contain: .”
State v. Allen, 783 S.E.2d 799 (N.C. Ct. App. 2016).
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(a)(4) — 1 case
State v. Williams, 684 S.E.2d 898 (N.C. Ct. App. 2009). “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(a) and (b); N.C.”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(a)(5) — 5 cases
State v. Brice, 806 S.E.2d 32 (N.C. 2017). “§ 15A-644(a)(5) directs that an indictment "must contain" the grand jury foreman's signature "attesting the concurrence of 12 or more grand jurors in the finding of a true bill of indictment," an indictment lacking the express statement that "12 or more grand jurors concurred in…”
State v. Richardson, 245 S.E.2d 754 (N.C. 1978). “Defendant relies on G.S. 15A-644(a)(5) which provides that an indictment must contain the signature of the foreman or acting foreman of the grand jury attesting the concurrence of twelve or more grand jurors in the finding of a true bill of indictment.”
State v. Gary, 337 S.E.2d 70 (N.C. Ct. App. 1985).
State v. Midyette, 262 S.E.2d 353 (N.C. Ct. App. 1980). “G.S. 15A-644(a). The Supreme Court has held that G.”
State v. Faison, 775 S.E.2d 695 (N.C. Ct. App. 2015).
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(b)(2025) — 1 case
State v. Hines (N.C. Ct. App. 2025).
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-644(c) — 1 case
State v. Baker (N.C. Ct. App. 2018).
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