What happens if a court report is distributed to the parties and the court in an abuse, neglect, and dependency case, but the report is never formally offered or admitted into evidence? What if, despite never being admitted into evidence, the court relies on the report in its order? Can a party appeal due to the report never having been admitted? Is there anything a party must do to preserve this issue for appeal? This post will explore the answers to these questions in light of a recent N.C. Supreme Court decision in In re S.M., 375 N.C. 673 (2020).