eCourts

North Carolina courts are transitioning from paper to digital. Find important news, FAQs, training opportunities, and more to assist you.

Continue reading below or use the links in the contents column to help you navigate to the information that interests you.

What Do I Need to Know for eCourts?

 

What is eCourts?

eCourts is a package of new software applications and technology infrastructure improvements that will transition our court system from paper to digital. The major components include the following:

  • eFiling: web-based platform for electronic filing of documents
  • Odyssey: digital integrated case management system (ICMS)
  • Portal: public website access for viewing records and making payments
  • Guide & File: assists users in creating basic legal documents
  • File & Serve: assists users in filing and serving legal documents
  • Attorney Manager (DA): case management platform for District Attorneys
  • Attorney Manager (PD): case management platform for Public Defenders
  • eDiscovery: platform enabling District Attorneys to share digital evidence
  • eWarrants: electronic warrant repository
  • Brazos: electronic citation platform
  • CRAVE: courtroom audio visual enhancements
  • Financial Manager: financial management system for Clerks of Court
  • eCourtNet: infrastructure overhauls and security upgrades

Although many of these components have already been successfully implemented statewide, most users will primarily engage with eFiling, Portal, and Odyssey, which will be phased in over a two-year period after go-live which is set for first quarter 2023.

  
Benefits
  • Provides 24/7 statewide service to all Judicial Branch employees, attorneys, and public users
  • Provides web-based access to court records and documents
  • Streamlines court administration
  • Provides greater case management ability
  • Enhances disaster recovery (fire and flooding)
  • Reduces paper forms
  • Increases access to justice and the courts
  • Facilitates remote testimony through increased audio/video capabilities
    • Out of town witnesses, experts, and other witnesses can testify virtually
    • Law enforcement can appear virtually for testimony or warrant applications
    • Victims of violence or abuse can testify virtually, reducing the trauma of being in the same room as their abuser
    • Inmates can appear virtually reducing travel and costs and safety concerns for sheriffs and corrections officials

eCourts Fact Sheet

eCourts Advisory Committee Meetings

eFiling

eFiling, also known as File & Serve, enables you to file documents electronically through a single, secure, centralized online location. It also allows you to:

  • Submit court documents online to the clerk's office in eCourts counties.
  • Pay filing fees that are automatically calculated for you when you submit filings.
  • Get a file-stamped copy upon the clerk’s acceptance.
  • Receive filing status updates via email.

Go to eFiling (File & Serve).

Who will be required to use eFiling / File & Serve?

Attorneys and individuals in the four pilot counties (Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Wake) as well as those in other counties wishing to file cases in the four pilot counties are required to do so via File & Serve. As additional counties launch Odyssey ICMS, attorneys and individuals wishing to file cases in those counties will be required to do so via File & Serve as well. View the Odyssey ICMS rollout schedule.

How do I register for eFiling / File & Serve?

Attorneys and individuals must register for an account to access File & Serve.

  • Firm Account: Firm Administrator
    The firm administrator will set up the firm account and invite the individual users (attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, etc.) to set up their own accounts. From the landing page, the firm administrator can register for their firm account by creating their individual user account credentials and then adding the firm information. After registering, the firm administrator will receive an email to activate their account.
  • Firm Account: Individual Users
    Firm Account Users include:
    • All legal professionals including:
      • Solo practitioners
      • Attorneys, paralegals, and staff at firms with multiple filers

    Individual users in a firm will be invited to create an account within a firm by the firm administrator. Once the firm administrator has added them to the firm account, the user will receive an email to set up their credentials.

    Note: Attorneys may be required to enter an attorney number. If you do not have an attorney number from this state, register as an individual.

  • Individual Account Users
    Individual Users of File & Serve include:
    • Filers without lawyers (pro-se filers or self-represented litigants)
    • Process servers
    • Landlords and tenants (renters)
    • Pro hac vice or out-of-state attorneys
    • Other non-parties (for example, employers filing garnishment information)

    These users can register individually for their account here and scrolling down to ‘Register for an Individual Account.’ From there they will set up their account credentials and information. They must fill out all required fields. After submitting, they will receive an email with a link to activate their account.

   File & Serve logo
eFiling Training Materials and Reference Guides

 
What hardware and software are required for eFiling / File & Serve?

  • Browser Requirements - Chrome™, Mozilla® Firefox®, Microsoft® Edge®, or Safari®
    • It is recommended to NOT use Safari to set up a payment account. Users can file in Safari only after they have a payment account set up from another browser.
  • Operating Systems - Microsoft® Windows®, Linux®, Chrome OS™ Android™, iOS, and OS X®
  • Recommended Hardware:
    • Intel® Core™ i3 or AMD A6 processors with at least a 2.0 GHz clock speed
    • 4 GB of RAM
    • 1920 x 1080 resolution of both desktop computers and mobile devices
  • High-speed Internet connection
  • Document Format - Adobe® PDF

Portal

Portal allows the general public and registered users to access court information including:

  • Perform smart searches by party name, record number, citation number, attorney bar number, attorney name, business name, case cross-reference number, or nickname
  • Search for court dates and hearings by case number, party name, business name, attorney name, attorney bar number, judicial officer, or courtroom
  • View case information, records, and documents
  • Make instant online credit card transactions to pay fines and fees

Go to Portal.

When will Portal become available for use?

Portal access will mirror Odyssey ICMS go-live dates. Find more information regarding the Odyssey ICMS statewide rollout schedule.

Who can use Portal?

Anyone wishing to access court information online can use Portal, including the public.

Portal Basic Search Tips

  • Case Numbers: In Odyssey there are four parts: year (2 digits), case type (letters), case sequence number (6 digits), and county identifier (3 digits). Example: 21CR000003-910
    Case numbers in Odyssey example
  • Use "Sounds Like" for a Soundex search if unsure of spelling.
  • Partial Name or Number Search: Use an asterisk (*) at the end of your partial info (enter at least 1 letter for name or 4 characters for case number). Note: The * and % symbols work in Odyssey and Portal but not File & Serve. View the Name Indexing Standards.
  • Portal Smart Search: Select Advanced Filtering Options for options to filter your search by location (General Options), party name, DOB, etc. (Party Search Criteria), and/or case type, case status, case filing date range (Case Search Criteria).

How do I register for Portal?

Please see more information about Portal and how to register. Registration for Portal is not required for anonymous users to search and view publicly available court information. The public may register if they plan to visit often and would like the ability to save cases to the ‘My Cases’ tab. See more details below for registration and Elevated Access. Only those users who have a verified business need and authority granted by statute will be approved for elevated access to access restricted case types or non-public information.

  • Registration is completed through the “Register/Sign In” link located in the top right corner of the Portal screen.
  • Attorneys who are not assigned to restricted case types may register in Portal.
  • Registration provides access to the “My Cases” Portlet and allows the user to save cases of interest for quick access.
  • Registration does NOT provide additional access to information or restricted case types; registered users have the same access to information as an anonymous/public user.

Reference the Portal Elevated Access FAQs for links to access File & Serve or the AOC-A-264 Portal Elevated Access Request/Agreement (Counsel).

Elevated Access

  • Requests must be submitted through File & Serve, using the AOC-A-264 form.
  • Allows access to view Juvenile, Protective Order, and/or Special Proceedings Confidential (SPCC) restricted case types in Portal.
  • Granted only for attorneys who are listed as an ACTIVE attorney on at least one of the restricted case types in Odyssey.
    • Non-attorney staff are not eligible for elevated access; the requestor must be assigned a bar number.
  • Registration is NOT required and should NOT be completed. The ‘My Cases’ feature in Portal is available once elevated access is approved.
    • A Portal Password email link is sent if an Attorney registered in Portal prior to requesting and being approved for Elevated Access. No additional notification is sent.
  • Portal uses the email address as the User ID. Portal permits one user to be associated with an email address.
  • Only ONE request is necessary; once AOC verifies the attorney is ACTIVE on at least one case of the restricted case types in Odyssey, Elevated Access is granted with the Attorney’s Party ID and they will be able to view ALL cases for which they are listed as an ACTIVE attorney in Odyssey.
    • Attorneys do NOT need to submit a request for each case or restricted case type.
    • Attorneys will NOT be able to view a restricted case until they are listed as an Odyssey ACTIVE attorney on the case.
    • Contact the applicable county Clerk of Court to be properly added as an Odyssey ACTIVE attorney to an applicable case(s).
   Portal logo
Portal Training Materials and Reference Guides

 
What hardware and software are required for Portal?

  • Portal uses similar system requirements as eFiling / File & Serve
  • Browser Requirements - Chrome™, Mozilla® Firefox®, Microsoft® Edge®, or Safari®
  • Operating Systems - Microsoft® Windows®, Linux®, Chrome OS™ Android™, iOS, and OS X®
  • Recommended Hardware:
    • Intel® Core™ i3 or AMD A6 processors with at least a 2.0 GHz clock speed
    • 4 GB of RAM
    • 1920 x 1080 resolution of both desktop computers and mobile devices
  • High-speed Internet connection
  • Document Format - Adobe® PDF

Odyssey

Upgrading from 40+ Applications to an Integrated Case Management System

FROM in-house, NCAOC-built, multiple case management / index systems housed on mainframes.

TO vendor-provided and hosted integrated case management system hosted in the cloud with eFiling for all case types.

  

Upgrading from 40+ applications into an ICMS wheel graphic

Odyssey Counties

There are currently 4 counties live with Odyssey -- Harnett, Johnston, Lee, and Wake.

Track Counties Target Go-Live Date
Track 1 - Pilot Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Wake February 13, 2023
Track 2 Mecklenburg Up Next in 2023

 

Pilot Counties -- Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Wake

Find recent eCourts materials for pilot counties below or view the county's pages linked above:

 

Quick Links

Timeline

Odyssey Rollout Plan Map

Odyssey is scheduled to roll out in tracks over a two to three year period. Track 1 consists of the pilot counties: Harnett, Johnston, Lee, and Wake. Pilot go-live was February 13, 2023. Track 2, Mecklenburg, is up next in 2023. Additional tracks are expected to come online thereafter until all 100 counties are live.

Odyssey Rollout Plan Map

Projected Rollout Schedule

Product Rollout Location Projected Go-Live Date

Odyssey Integrated Case
Management System (ICMS)

(In each track, all components
of the ICMS will be released
simultaneously and include
efilings for all case types.)

 Track 1 - Pilot Counties
Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Wake		 February 13, 2023
Track 2
Mecklenburg County		 Up Next in 2023
Subsequent Tracks
Additional tracks are expected to come online
thereafter until all 100 counties are live.		 2023 - 2024

 

There are several features of the rollout plan:

  • Counties will have appropriate technology equipment installed before their go-live date.
  • All counties in a district rollout at the same time.
  • Avoiding coastal areas during peak hurricane season. Avoiding mountains during winter.
  • Providing ranges for go-live dates while retaining some scheduling flexibility.
  • Counties will receive their target go-live date and will begin preparations before their track rollout.
     
eCourts Initiative Primary Audience Target Go-Live Date
Guide & File Self-represented litigants, public, and attorneys Launched August 31, 2020
eCourtNet Courtrooms, employees, public, attorneys Launched Q4 2020 - 2021
Brazos (Tyler eCitation Solution) Pilot Law Enforcement Agencies (5) Launched December 7 – 9, 2020
Statewide – remaining eCitation law enforcement agencies Launched January 18 – April 30, 2021
(Agencies were sequenced and scheduled for rollout)
eWarrants / NCAWARE Replacement
(Tyler eWarrants / Odyssey for Magistrates)		 Statewide (Magistrates, Clerks, Law Enforcement) Launched July 22, 2022
Odyssey (ICMS) Pilot Harnett, Johnston, Lee, and Wake Counties Launched February 13, 2023

Training Materials

eFiling
  
Portal

Additional eCourts Projects (Launched)