Spoiler alert: yes! Local health directors are appointed public officials who must take an oath of office. But what makes a local health director a public official? And which oath of office should they take? Let’s discuss.

Does this person need to take an oath of office? This is by far the most frequent oaths of office question I receive. My colleagues Trey Allen and David Lawrence have written excellent blogs (here and here) on this very … Read more

[EDIT: On July 8th, 2022, Session Law 2022-54 was enacted and made several key changes to remote oath administration by notaries. See Sections 10B-25 and 10B-31 for these changes. This new law governs whether and how notaries may administer remote … Read more

Article VI, Section 7 of the North Carolina Constitution instructs anyone elected or appointed to public office in this state to take and subscribe – that is, swear (or affirm) and sign – the oath prescribed therein before entering upon … Read more

It is an understatement to say that this year’s session of the General Assembly produced legislation of interest to local governments.  Some of that legislation has been discussed by my colleagues elsewhere on Coates’ Canons.  (See, for example, here, here, … Read more

What’s a “Public Office”? I am often asked to explain what it means to hold a public office. The questioner is sometimes trying to decide whether a particular person must take an oath, which is required of public office-holders.  Or, the person … Read more

Article VI, section 7 of the State Constitution sets out an oath of office that is to be taken by any person elected or appointed to a public office, basically swearing to uphold the constitution and laws of the United … Read more

An attorney called recently and asked about G.S. 14-229.  That section prohibits a person from entering upon the duties of a public office without taking and subscribing the oath of office and then filing the oath “in the proper office.”  … Read more