{"data":{"id":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-7b-3503","jurisdiction":"us-nc","citation":"N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-3503","heading":"Hearing.","body":"The court, sitting without a jury, shall permit all parties to present evidence and to cross-examine witnesses. The petitioner has the burden of showing by a preponderance of the evidence that emancipation is in the petitioner's best interests. Upon finding that reasonable cause exists, the court may order the juvenile to be examined by a psychiatrist, a licensed clinical psychologist, a physician, or any other expert to evaluate the juvenile's mental or physical condition. The court may continue the hearing and order investigation by a juvenile court counselor or by the county department of social services to substantiate allegations of the petitioner or respondents.\nNo husband-wife or physician-patient privilege shall be grounds for excluding any evidence in the hearing. (1979, c. 815, s. 1; 1998-202, s. 6; 2001-490, s. 2.34.)","path":["Chapter 7B. Juvenile Code.","SUBCHAPTER IV. PARENTAL AUTHORITY; EMANCIPATION.","Article 35. Emancipation."],"source_url":"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_7B/GS_7B-3503.html","current_through":"S.L. 2026-30","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T17:55:32Z","sha256":"62c53fdba4107a52c7cd27c5c91b8090d025964e28eb0771ee4ba5a447566576","source_id":"us-nc","stale":false,"prev":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-7b-3502","next":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-7b-3504"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}