$100 million court software to expand into next phase in North Carolina
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — With such a small staff, it’s no wonder that all nine employees of the Currituck County Clerk of Court’s office find themselves doing a multitude of jobs. That includes training for the biggest overhaul in court history while at the same time keeping the justice system running.
“It is very challenging, but the clerks always come together and overcome. The clerks of Superior Court, we’re the backbone of the judicial branch. We are going to rise to the occasion, just like we always do and we’re going to get this thing figured out and make it work for the State of North Carolina,” said Currituck County Clerk of Court Ray Matusko.
Wake, Johnston, Lee and Harnett counties pilot launched the software known as eCourts in February of last year. Mecklenburg County launched in October after a five-month delay.
Starting on Feb. 5, another 12 North Carolina counties will be brought into the eCourts mix.
Wake DA urges independent review of $100 million software
CBS 17 has reported extensively on the problems that attorneys and court personnel shared, some of which CBS 17 witnessed first-hand. That includes personal information made public, incorrect DMV records, the inability for lawyers to access client files and slowdowns that lead to court backups.
Matusko is aware of all of these issues including alleged wrongful arrests that have led to the filing of a class action lawsuit.
“That’s paramount in my concerns. I don’t want that to happen, and I know our sheriff doesn’t want that to happen, so we’re going to try to stay on top of that as diligently as we can,” he said.
Matusko believes the upside is that the pilot counties helped weed out the problems over the last 11 months. That’s led to enough corrections for him to feel more confident about the next phase.
Both the NC Administrative Office of the Courts, which is overseeing the project, and software provider Tyler Technolgies have provided training and assistance in preparation for the changeover.
The twelve counties launching on February 5 are Currituck, Dare, Washington, Tyrell, Beaufort, Chowan, Gates, Pasquotank, Camden, Martin, Hyde and Perquimans.
“So, I know that the original launch with the four pilot counties was a bit rough, but that’s the job of pilot counties. When you launch something new, they use the product and identify deficiencies and issues and problems. But the product is much better now than it was when it first launched, and that’s what we expected,” said Matusko.
On behalf of the NC Judicial Branch, Communications Director Graham Wilson provided a statement on the upcoming expansion and the progress made with eCourts so far.
“North Carolina’s eCourts jurisdictions, which include our two largest cities and five counties, have accepted over 600,000 electronic filings and supported tens of thousands of no-cost daily searches for digital records, saving the public countless trips to the courthouse. The progress of the eCourts transition from paper to electronic records is made possible by the dedication of court officials and judicial partners working together to deliver digital access to the legal system for all North Carolinians, and we are grateful for their continued commitment as we move forward to additional counties.”
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
