Judges, attorneys feel eCourts system caused wrongful arrests, extended jail sentences

Clerks, judges and attorneys say the state's new eCourts system is doing the opposite of what it should be doing.

Some attorneys say the glitches have even caused citizens to be wrongfully arrested or kept in jail.

Friday, the North Carolina courts commission heard from those using it and how they hope it will start to improve.

Clerks across the state spent hours pleading for help stating they are desperate and drowning in the work stemming from eCourts, the new virtual courthouse document system now live in 17 counties in North Carolina, including Wake County.

One after the other, clerks and judges from across the state aired their complaints about eCourts, a $100 million system paid for by taxpayers that launched last year.

The goal of the system is to implement a virtual courthouse for the public to access hundreds of thousand of files and pay fees while attorneys can file motions, while it's helping the public, and saving paper.

"Searches that would have been done at a courthouse that you can do from fingertips right now," said Carr McLamb.

But, those behind the scenes describe it as a headache and one slowing down the justice system.

Harnett County Clerk Renee Whittenton said in the first five months of the rollout, her staff clocked 2,700 hours in overtime.

"The stress and mental fatigue of our staff," she emphasized on Friday.

The eCourts system has also led to hundreds of people being unlawfully detained, caused others to spend unnecessary time in jail and seen some be arrested multiple times on the same warrant, according to several lawsuits filed in our state. However, the office of the courts believes in time, the system will work, and the kinks will work out.

"This is a giant lift," said McLamb. "Keep that in mind, long term it will be more efficient and better jobs."

Ten more counties are expected to come online with eCourts in North Carolina in April.