N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-29
A report signed by two of the persons appointed as viewers shall be entered by the clerk as the report of the viewers. Any landowner affected by the report, and the person, firm, or corporation digging or cutting the drainway, has the right of appeal and the right to have any issue arising upon the report tried by a jury, provided exceptions shall be filed to the report within 20 days after the filing of the report with the clerk, in which exceptions so filed may be a demand for a jury trial. If a jury trial is demanded, the clerk shall transfer the proceedings to the civil-issue docket, and it shall be heard as other civil actions. If no jury trial is demanded, the clerk shall hear the parties upon the exceptions filed, and appeal may be had as in special proceedings except as modified by this section, but no jury trial may be had unless demanded as provided in this section.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-29