Archer Lodge, North Carolina is NC's newest town. On November 3, 2009, the people of Archer Lodge voted to make their community a town. The vote was made official one week later and residents are currently planning Archer Lodge's future. Though a newly incorporated town, the Archer Lodge community has been in existence for over 150 years.

The Town of Archer Lodge was named in honor of a Masonic Lodge called Archer No. 157. The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free, and Accepted Masons of North Carolina established Archer Lodge No. 157 on December 6, 1854. The original lodge building was destroyed during the Civil War by General William T. Sherman's Union army while on their way to Raleigh.

Located in northwestern Johnston County, Archer Lodge is ten miles northeast of Clayton. Archer Lodge and the surrounding communities are experiencing rapid growth, primarily due to the unbridled expansion of the Research Triangle Park area. New residents typically find that Archer Lodge is a family-friendly community with affordable housing and a less hectic pace than the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area. The busy Archer Lodge Community Center is the heart of the community, its most popular event being the Community Breakfast held every year on January 1.

Archer Lodge has had a volunteer Fire Department since 1958. The Archer Lodge Fire Department operates with funds provided by fire tax, fundraisers, donations from the community, and funding from Johnston County. Police protection is, and will continue to be, contracted with the Johnston County Sheriff's Office. In Archer Lodge, North Carolina, you'll find two trial courts that hear criminal cases: the Superior Court and District Court. Archer Lodge utilizes the Johnston County Courthouse, located at 207 East Johnston Street in Smithfield. If you’re confused about the terms you hear in court, you may find this listing of criminal law terms helpful.

The State Superior Court is divided into eight divisions and 46 districts. This trial court hears felony criminal cases, as well as misdemeanor and infraction appeals from District Court. The Superior Court hears civil cases where more than $10,000 is in controversy. North Carolina District Courts are divided into four categories: civil, criminal, juvenile, and magistrate. Like the Superior Court, the District Court sits in the county seat. Civil cases involving less than $10,000 are heard in District Court, as are divorce, custody, and child support matters. The District Court also hears criminal matters involving misdemeanors, infractions without a jury and juvenile cases. A magistrate system is used to take guilty pleas in minor misdemeanors and traffic violations.

The Court of Appeals in Raleigh is NC's only intermediate appellate court. Fifteen judges sit in rotating panels of three, deciding questions of law on every case appealed from the Superior and District courts with the exception of death penalty cases. Appeals can range from a parking ticket case to a murder case. Cases where there is a dissent in the Court of Appeals go to the Supreme Court, as do those that the Supreme Court accepts for review through petition. Court of Appeals judges serve eight-year terms.

The Supreme Court of North Carolina, located in Raleigh, is the state's highest court and there is no further appeal in the state from its decisions. This court has a chief justice and six associate justices who sit together as a panel. The Supreme Court has no jury and makes no determination of fact; rather, it considers error in legal procedures or in judicial interpretation of the law.