A federal judge has sanctioned North Carolina's Department of Justice (NCDOJ), finding that a branch of the state agency has been "disregarding court orders" in a "deeply troubling" manner.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Numbers' 43-page order issued on Friday focuses on the NCDOJ's Public Safety Section and a recent action from one of its attorneys. This action — "fil[ing] a motion telling the Court it must dismiss" a case for an alleged lack of jurisdiction — is part of a "persistent disregard for the authority of the federal courts and the rule of law," Numbers said.

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In August 2022, a North Carolina resident named Sean Mayo sued the Rocky Mount Pol

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