State v. Cortez

MARTIN, Chief Judge.

Because these cases involve common issues, they have been joined for the purposes of appeal pursuant to our authority under Rule 40 of the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure. See N.C.R. App. P. 40 (“Two or more actions that involve common issues of law may be consolidated for hearing upon motion of a party to any of the actions made to the appellate court wherein all are docketed, or upon the initiative of that court.”).

As a preliminary matter, we note that this Court has considered issues arising out of the proceedings for File No. 07 CRS 56935 in two prior…