{"data":{"id":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-14-447","jurisdiction":"us-nc","citation":"N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-447","heading":"No prosecution for public intoxication.","body":"(a)\tNo person may be prosecuted solely for being intoxicated in a public place. A person who is intoxicated in a public place and is not disruptive may be assisted as provided in G.S. 122C-301.\n(b)\tIf, after arresting a person for being intoxicated and disruptive in a public place, the law-enforcement officer making the arrest determines that the person would benefit from the care of a shelter or health-care facility as provided by G.S. 122C-301, and that he would not likely be disruptive in such a facility, the officer may transport and release the person to the appropriate facility and issue him a citation for the offense of being intoxicated and disruptive in a public place. This authority to arrest and then issue a citation is granted as an exception to the requirements of G.S. 15A-501(2). (1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1134, s. 1; 1981, c. 519, s. 2; 1985, c. 589, s. 7.)","path":["Chapter 14. Criminal Law.","SUBCHAPTER XI. GENERAL POLICE REGULATIONS.","Article 59. Public Intoxication."],"source_url":"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_14/GS_14-447.html","current_through":"S.L. 2026-30","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T17:56:32Z","sha256":"77b21e5b1653fbf945af3b6c61038ad06f893164b6914d140c5864e190aedbf6","source_id":"us-nc","stale":false,"prev":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-14-446","next":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-14-448-through-14-452"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}