Republican legislators have introduced a bill that would forbid the use of foreign law in North Carolina courts. The bill is aimed keeping Islamic law out of North Carolina courts. It may set legal scholars on a futile search to find examples where Shari'a law was ever used in a courtroom here.

But The N&O has previously written about an attempt by a wealthy, politically powerful company to use Islamic law in federal court.

The instigator? None other than by Erik Prince, stalwart Republican, conservative Christian, major GOP donor and former Navy SEAL. Read our story here.

Prince owned the military firm formerly known as Blackwater. Prince and Blackwater's aviation company were sued by the widows of three men killed in a plane crash in Afghanistan. The widows said the plane lacked basic safety equipment like radar and GPS, and the pilots had failed to take the basic step of planning a flight route.

Blackwater's argument for using the Islamic law in Afghanistan: "Afghan law is largely religion-based and evidences a strong concern for ensuring moral responsibility, and deterring violations of obligations within its borders."

More importantly, Shari'a law does not hold a company responsible for the actions of employees performed within the course of their work. Had Islamic law been applied, the lawsuit would have been dismissed.

A federal judge denied Blackwater's request to use Islamic law. Blackwater settled with the widows out of court.