First of Its Kind

In The Nation

Investigating Credible Post-Conviction
Claims of Actual Innocence

Claimants and/or Convicted Persons

Defendants; Persons who are claiming actual innocence.

Submit a Claim

Crime Victims & Their Families

Victims and family members of crimes where the defendant is seeking exoneration or has been exonerated.
Seek Assistance

Exonerees & Their Families

Persons who have been exonerated and their family members.
Seek Assistance

Independent & Balanced Truth Seeking

The North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission is a state agency established in 2006 by the General Assembly to investigate and evaluate post-conviction claims of factual innocence.



The Commission is charged with providing an independent and balanced truth-seeking forum for credible post-conviction claims of innocence in North Carolina.


The Commission is separate from the appeals process. A person exonerated through the Commission process is declared innocent and cannot be retried for the same crime.

Frequently Asked Questions

All of the following criteria must be met before an innocence claim may be investigated:

  • Conviction must have been in a North Carolina state court. N.C. G.S. 15A-1460(1).
  • Conviction must be for a felony. N.C. G.S. 15A-1460(1).
  • Applicant must be a living person. N.C. G.S. 15A-1460(1).
  • Applicant must be claiming complete factual innocence for any criminal responsibility for the crime. N.C. G.S. 15A-1460(1).
  • Credible evidence of innocence must exist. N.C. G.S. 15A-1460(1).
  • Verifiable evidence of innocence must exist. N.C. G.S. 15A-1460(1).
  • Claim must not have been previously heard at trial or in a post-conviction hearing. N.C. G.S. 15A-1460(1).
  • Applicant must sign agreement pursuant to § 15A-1467.

Case Progression Flowchart

Click here to download a PDF version of the Case Progression Flowchart.

Download Case Progression Flowchart
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