Brandon J. Huffman

Brandon is the founder of Odin Law and Media. His law practice focuses on transactions and video games, digital media, entertainment and internet related issues. He serves as general counsel to the International Game Developers Association and is an active member of many bar associations and community organizations. He can be reached at brandon at odin law dot com.

N.C. Court of Appeals Opinions for May 10, 2016

By / May 10, 2016

The North Carolina Court of Appeals released a batch of opinions today: Bigelow v. Sassafras Grove Baptist Church  (15-557). 12(b)(6) Motion to Dismiss; First Amendment Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses. [“ministerial exception” and the “ecclesiastical abstention doctrine,” do not preclude courts from resolving contractual disputes not involving ecclesiastical issues and requiring only application of neutral principles of contract and statutory …

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An epic arbitration provision must be enforced – NC Court of Appeals

By / May 10, 2016

Epic Games v. Johnson. A guy named Johnson built a software platform for game developers while in college. In 2005, Epic Games negotiated with Johnson to purchase “Reality Engine” and recruited him to North Carolina from London. There were seven contracts that sold Johnson’s company and Reality Engine to Epic. In exchange, Epic gave Johnson …

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N.C. Supreme Court Opinion on Judicial Retention Elections

By / May 6, 2016

The North Carolina Supreme Court released a “batch” of opinions today. Unusually, there was only one: Faires v. State Bd. of Elections, (84A16). Appeal from three-judge panel decision declaring facially unconstitutional a law permitting the voters to decide on retention of an incumbent Justice of the N.C. Supreme Court. Also unusual, with Justice Edmunds sitting out, …

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N.C. Court of Appeals Opinions for May 3, 2016

By / May 3, 2016

The North Carolina Court of Appeals released a batch of opinions today: State v. Singletary  (15-1125). Facial and as applied Constitutional challenge of NCGS 14-27.4A(c). Egregious aggravation. Sixth Amendment. Blakely v. Washington. Expert witness compensation. Jury instruction on interested witness. Campbell v. Garda USA, Inc.  (15-756). Workers’ Compensation; Attorneys’ Fees; Unfounded Litigiousness In re: S.Z.H.  (15-1270). notice of …

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N.C. Court of Appeals Opinions for April 19, 2016

By / April 19, 2016

The North Carolina Court of Appeals released a batch of opinions today: State v Taylor  (14-21-2) (View Supreme Court Opinion). 5th Amendment right to counsel, invocation and waiver, premeditation and deliberation Barnette v. Lowe’s Home Ctrs., Inc.  (15-938) Injury by accident Berens v Berens  (15-230) Attorney-Client Privilege; Agent; Remand Dancy v. Dancy  (15-1049) Visitation, Child Custody …

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N.C. Supreme Court Opinions for April 15 2016

By / April 15, 2016

The North Carolina Supreme Court published a batch of opinions today: State v. Snead, (90PA15) (View COA Opinion). Conviction of defendant for felony larceny based solely on lay testimony describing contents of store surveillance video; whether the Court of Appeals erred in finding inadmissible (1) the video based on lack of a proper foundation, and (2) …

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N.C. Court of Appeals Opinions for April 5, 2016

By / April 5, 2016

The North Carolina Court of Appeals released a batch of opinions today: Piazza, v Kirkbride,   (15-48). North Carolina Securities Act; N.C.G.S.78A-56(a)(2); Director Safe Harbor; Reasonable Care Defense Barron v Eastpointe Hum. Servs., LME  (15-380). Employee dismissal; Assignments of error; Due Process; Investigator bias; Notice of the reasons for dismissal under N.C.G.S. 126-35(a) Catawba Cnty. v. Loggins  …

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N.C. Supreme Court Opinions for March 18, 2016

By / March 21, 2016

The North Carolina Supreme Court released a batch of opinions Friday: Beverage Sys. of the Carolinas, LLC v. Associated Beverage Repair, LLC, (316A14) (View COA Opinion). Following sale of a former family business, whether summary judgment should have been granted for sellers on purchaser’s claims for breach of a non-compete agreement and for tortious interference with …

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N.C. Court of Appeals Opinions for March 15, 2016

By / March 15, 2016

The North Carolina Court of Appeals released a batch of opinions today: Bennett v. Hospice & Palliative Care Ctr. Of Alamance-Caswell  (15-667). Medical malpractice; N.C. R. Civ. P. 9(j); loss of sepulcher, breach of contract are not “medical malpractice” claims Blackburn v. NC Dep’t Of Pub. Safety  (15-556). Career state employee; Just cause for termination; Sufficiency of …

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Fourth Circuit OKs “Choose Life” license plates [UPDATED]

By / March 10, 2016

The opinion has not yet posted, but I will write more on it soon. For now, this is from WRAL: The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that “Choose Life” license plates state lawmakers approved in 2011 are constitutional, reversing a decision the same court made two years ago. After the court found in …

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