NC Supreme Court Strikes Down Chapel Hill's Ban on Use of Cell Phones While Driving

June 12, 2014 – The North Carolina Supreme Court has held that Chapel Hill’s ban on using mobile telephones while driving is preempted by state law.  The case was taken by the North Carolina Supreme Court on discretionary review from the North Carolina Court of Appeals.  The Supreme Court noted that the municipal ban on the use of mobile phones while driving was passed by the Chapel Hill Town Council even after the Town Council had been advised by the Attorney General’s office that such an ordinance would likely be preempted by state law.  The Supreme Court also struck down parts of an ordinance in Chapel Hill which attempted to regulate fees charged when towing vehicles from private lots.  The full opinion is available here: http://appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=1&pdf=31737