North Carolina Statutes

Chapter 23 Debtor and Creditor

Article 1 - Assignments for Benefit of Creditors.

Article 2 - Petition of Insolvent for Assignment for Creditors.

  • § 23-13   Petition; schedule; inventory; affidavit
    Every insolvent debtor may present a petition in the superior court, praying that his estate may be assigned for the benefit of all his creditors,...
  • § 23-14   Clerk to give notice of petition
    On receiving the petition, schedule and affidavit, the clerk of the superior court shall make an order requiring all the creditors of such insolvent to...
  • § 23-15   Order of discharge and appointment of trustee
    If no creditor oppose the discharge of the insolvent, the clerk of the superior court before whom the hearing of the petition is had shall...
  • § 23-16   Terms and effect of order of discharge
    The order of discharge shall declare that the person of such insolvent shall forever thereafter be exempted from arrest or imprisonment on account of any...
  • § 23-17   Suggestion of fraud by opposing creditor
    Every creditor opposing the discharge of the insolvent may suggest fraud and set forth the particulars thereof in writing, verified by his oath; but the...

Article 3 - Trustee for Estate of Debtor Imprisoned for Crime.

Article 4 - Discharge of Insolvent Debtors.

  • § 23-23   Insolvent debtor's oath
    Prisoners in order to be entitled to discharge from imprisonment under the provisions of this article shall take the following oath: I, ______________, do solemnly...
  • § 23-24   Persons imprisoned for nonpayment of costs in criminal cases
    The following persons may be discharged from imprisonment upon complying with this article and G.S. 153‑194: Every person committed for the fine and costs of...
  • § 23-25   Petition; before whom; notice; service
    Every such person, having remained in prison for 20 days, may apply by petition to the court where the judgment against him was entered, praying...
  • § 23-26   Warrant issued for prisoner
    The clerk of the superior court before whom such petition is presented shall forthwith issue a warrant to the sheriff, or keeper of the prison,...
  • § 23-27   Proceeding on application
    At the hearing of the petition, if the prisoner has no visible estate, and takes and subscribes the oath or affirmation prescribed in this Article,...
  • § 23-28   Suggestion of fraud
    The chairman of the board of commissioners, and every officer interested in the fee bill taxed against such prisoner, may oppose his taking the insolvent...
  • § 23-29   Persons taken in arrest and bail proceedings, or in execution
    The following persons also are entitled to the benefit of this article as hereinafter provided: (1) Every person taken or charged on any order of...
  • § 23-30   When petition may be filed
    Every person taken or charged as in the preceding section [ 23‑29] specified may, at any time after his arrest or imprisonment, petition the court...
  • § 23-30.1   Provisional release
    Every person who has filed a petition under the provisions of G.S. 23‑30 shall be brought before a judge within 72 hours after filing the...
  • § 23-31   Petition; contents; verification
    The petition shall set forth cause of the imprisonment, with the writ or process and complaint on which the same is founded, and shall have...
  • § 23-32   Notice; length of notice and to whom given
    Twenty days notice of the time and place at which the petition will be filed, together with a copy of such petition and the account...
  • § 23-33   Who may suggest fraud
    Every creditor upon whom the notice directed in G.S. 23‑32 is served may suggest fraud upon the hearing of the petition, and the issues made...
  • § 23-34   Where no suggestion of fraud, discharge granted
    If no creditor suggests fraud or opposes the discharge of the debtor, the clerk of the superior court before whom the petition is heard shall...
  • § 23-35   Continuance granted for cause
    When it appears to the court that any debtor, who may have given bond for his appearance under this chapter, is prevented from attending court...
  • § 23-36   Where fraud in issue, discharge only after trial
    After an issue of fraud or concealment is made up, the debtor shall not discharge himself as to the creditors in that issue, except by...
  • § 23-37   If fraud found, debtor imprisoned
    If, on the trial, the jury finds that there is any fraud or concealment, the judgment shall be that the debtor be imprisoned until a...
  • § 23-38   Effect of order of discharge
    The order of discharge under the last four articles of this chapter, whether granted upon a nonsuggestion of fraud, upon the finding of a jury...

Article 5 - General Provisions under Articles 2, 3, and 4.

  • § 23-39   Superior or district court tries issue of fraud
    In every case where an issue of fraud is made up as provided in this Chapter, the case shall be entered in the trial docket...
  • § 23-40   Insolvent released on giving bond
    Every debtor entitled under the provisions of this chapter to discharge as an insolvent may, at the time of filing his application for a discharge...
  • § 23-41   Surety in bond may surrender principal
    The surety in any bond conditioned for the appearance of any person under this chapter may surrender the principal, or such principal may surrender himself,...
  • § 23-42   Creditor liable for jail fees
    When any debtor is actually confined within the walls of a prison, on an order of arrest in default of bail or otherwise, the jailer...
  • § 23-43   False swearing; penalty
    If any insolvent or imprisoned debtor takes any oath prescribed in this chapter falsely and corruptly, that person is guilty of a Class I felony,...
  • § 23-44   Powers of trustees hereunder
    Any trustee appointed under the last four articles of this chapter, as therein contemplated, is hereby declared a trustee of the estate of the debtor,...
  • § 23-45   Jail bounds
    Any imprisoned debtor may take the benefit of the prison bounds by giving security, as required by law, except as follows: (1) A debtor against...

Article 6 - Practice in Insolvency and Certain Other Proceedings.

Article 7 - Bankruptcy of Taxing, etc., Districts, Counties, Cities, Towns and Villages.