State v. Flanders

•' Defendant’s court-appointed counsel brings forward no assignment of error, frankly stating that he is unable to find error but asks the court to carefully review the record and grant such relief as may be proper.

An appeal is itself an exception to the judgment and to any matter appearing on the face of the record proper. State v. Ruffin, 3 N.C. App. 307, 164 S.E. 2d 503, citing 1 Strong, N.C. Index 2d, Appeal and Error, § 26, p. 152.

We have carefully reviewed the record before us' and find that the defendant was charged upon a valid bill of indictment, entered a plea of guilty to a lesser…