Where Are NC Industrial Commission Hearings Held for Eastern NC Claimants?

The NC Industrial Commission doesn’t assign workers’ comp hearings to a fixed courthouse by county — the courthouse, courtroom, date, and time are set on a case-by-case basis once a Deputy Commissioner is assigned and communicated through that Deputy Commissioner’s hearing calendar. 

A claimant’s hearing location is determined by case-specific documentation, not by a standing list tied to where the claimant lives.

Key Takeaways

• NCIC hearings are assigned through the Commission’s docketing process; a Deputy Commissioner is assigned to a case, and that Commissioner’s office issues the hearing calendar with the specific courthouse and time
• The Workers’ Compensation Master Docket is a dynamic, automatically updated list showing case and Deputy Commissioner assignments — it is a different document from the hearing calendar/notice that states the actual courthouse, courtroom, date, and time
• Listed hearing start times are subject to change, so a claimant should plan to be present and ready even if the case isn’t heard right at the stated time
• A Pre-Trial Agreement must generally be signed and filed with the Commission 10 days before the hearing under 11 NCAC 23A .0610

A hearing notice with an unfamiliar courthouse name can be confusing to navigate alone. Morrison Law Firm represents claimants at NCIC hearings across Eastern North Carolina.

How NCIC Assigns Hearing Locations

The NC Industrial Commission’s Deputy Commissioners Section maintains the Workers’ Compensation Master Docket, which the Commission describes as “a dynamic list that is updated automatically as changes are made by the Commission.” 

The Master Docket shows which cases have been identified for hearing and which Deputy Commissioner is assigned to each — it is the assignment record, not the hearing location itself.

Once a case is assigned to a Deputy Commissioner, that Commissioner’s office issues a hearing calendar specifying the courthouse, courtroom, date, and time for the case. This is a separate document from the Master Docket, and it’s the one that actually answers “where is my hearing.”

NCIC Document	What It Tells You
Master Docket	Which cases are identified for hearing and which Deputy Commissioner is assigned
Hearing calendar/notice	The actual courthouse, courtroom, date, and time
Online Services Center	Current, automatically updated master docket and hearing listings

Listed start times are subject to change — historical Commission hearing notices have explicitly advised parties and witnesses of this, so treating the printed time as approximate is reasonable.

Understanding what happens at an NC workers’ compensation hearing makes the calendar and notice easier to interpret once they arrive.

Finding the Location for a Specific Hearing

Because the courthouse and courtroom aren’t published on a standing county-by-county list, the reliable way to confirm where a hearing will be held is to check the documentation tied to that specific case:

• The hearing calendar/notice issued once a Deputy Commissioner is assigned states the courthouse, courtroom, date, and time
• The NCIC Online Services Center, which the Commission describes as providing “automatically updated master docket and hearing listings,” lets registered users check case and docket status electronically
• The Commission’s general Help Line, (800) 688-8349, can help confirm hearing details tied to a specific case number

An Eastern North Carolina workers’ compensation attorney can confirm these details directly with the Commission on a claimant’s behalf.

What to Expect at a Hearing

• A Pre-Trial Agreement must generally be signed and filed with the Commission 10 days before the hearing, under 11 NCAC 23A .0610, unless a shorter period is ordered by agreement of the parties. For a represented claimant, this filing is handled by counsel; a claimant proceeding without an attorney is responsible for meeting this requirement directly
• Check for weather-related changes. In severe weather, the Commission’s Inclement Weather Hearing Cancellation Hotline, (919) 807-2600, provides updates on cancellations
• Treat the listed start time as approximate, since Commission hearing notices have advised that start times are subject to change
• Confirm hearing details close to the date, using the hearing calendar/notice or the Commission’s Help Line, rather than relying only on earlier correspondence

Frequently Asked Questions

Where will my NC Industrial Commission workers’ comp hearing be held?

The specific courthouse, courtroom, date, and time appear on the hearing calendar issued once a Deputy Commissioner is assigned to the case — not on a fixed list assigning a courthouse to each county.

What is the Workers’ Compensation Master Docket?

The Master Docket is the NC Industrial Commission’s dynamic, automatically updated list of cases identified for hearing, along with the Deputy Commissioner assigned to each. It confirms case assignment, not the specific hearing location.

Is the Master Docket the same as my hearing notice?

No. The Master Docket shows case and Deputy Commissioner assignments. The hearing calendar or notice issued by that Deputy Commissioner’s office is the document that states the actual courthouse, courtroom, date, and time.

Can my hearing’s start time change from what’s listed?

Yes. NC Industrial Commission hearing notices have specifically advised parties and witnesses that listed start times are subject to change, so a claimant should be present and ready at the stated time regardless.

What happens if severe weather affects my hearing?

The NC Industrial Commission operates an Inclement Weather Hearing Cancellation Hotline at (919) 807-2600 for updates on hearing cancellations during severe weather.

Do I need to bring a Pre-Trial Agreement to my hearing?

The Pre-Trial Agreement must generally be signed and filed with the Commission 10 days before the hearing under 11 NCAC 23A .0610. A represented claimant’s attorney typically handles this filing; a claimant without an attorney is responsible for it directly.

How do I confirm details for my specific hearing?

A claimant or attorney can check the hearing calendar/notice tied to the case, use the NCIC Online Services Center for automatically updated master docket and hearing listings, or call the Commission’s Help Line at (800) 688-8349.

What happens after my NCIC hearing?

The Deputy Commissioner reviews the evidence and issues a written decision, a process covered in more detail in Morrison Law Firm’s overview of NC workers’ comp hearing outcomes.

Bottom Line

The Master Docket confirms which Deputy Commissioner is assigned to a case; that Commissioner’s hearing calendar confirms the actual courthouse, courtroom, date, and time. 

Checking the hearing calendar/notice, the Online Services Center, or the Commission’s Help Line is the most reliable way to confirm when and where a hearing will take place.

Morrison Law Firm can help confirm hearing details and represent claimants at NCIC hearings across Eastern North Carolina.

About the Author

B. Perry Morrison, Jr.

Attorney · NC State Bar No. 16376 · Licensed in North Carolina since 1989

Founder of Morrison Law Firm, P.L.L.C. in Wilson, NC, representing injured and disabled workers before the NC Industrial Commission and the Social Security Administration since 1989.