eCourts
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What Do I Need to Do to Prepare for eCourts?
Counties Live with Odyssey
There are currently no counties live with Odyssey. See the following schedule for counties going live soon.
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 late 2022 or early 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
eFiling
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eFiling, also known as File & Serve, enables you to file documents electronically through a single, secure, centralized online location. It also allows you to:
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 will be 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.
Are eFiling / File & Serve training materials available?
What hardware and software are required for eFiling / File & Serve?
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Portal
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Portal allows the general public and registered users to access court information including:
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. How do I register for Portal? Please see more information about Portal and how to register once it’s available. 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. Registration is required for 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. Are Portal training materials available?
What hardware and software are required for Portal?
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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.
24/7 Electronic Access Benefits All North Carolinians
- Provides 24/7 statewide service to judges, magistrates, district attorneys, clerks, law enforcement, attorneys, and the public — across rural and urban areas
- Small business owners (after-hours access)
- Law enforcement officers (remote appearances)
- Rural North Carolinians (reduced travel to courthouses)
- Victims of domestic violence (reduces the emotional trauma of in-person appearance)
- Sheriffs and corrections officers (inmates appearing virtually reduces security risks and transportation costs)
- Families (remote appearances for children and guardians ad litem in custody disputes)
- Doctors and expert witnesses (remote appearances means less time waiting in court and cost reduction)
- Attorneys (increased availability of records and ease of case management)
- Judicial officials (swifter administration of justice)
Tyler Technologies’ Odyssey suite will replace older legacy systems and integrate all of these products into one total case management solution including eFiling, financial management, and document management for all case types. This new system will bring higher efficiencies to the justice system, electronic access to information, reduce manual processes and reliance on paper, and increase collaboration among court officials, lawyers, and law enforcement officers. Odyssey’s specific products include the following:
Odyssey NavigatorOdyssey Case Manager™
- Track all aspects of court administration, from eFiling through disposition, and manage highly sensitive data about court cases.
- Use streamlined electronic processes and eliminate paper handling.
Odyssey Attorney Manager™
- Manage caseloads and track critical data.
- Aids both prosecuting attorney and public defender offices by organizing and maintaining case data for hearing and trial preparation.
- Review, gather, and track essential information for both criminal and non-criminal case types by using case statuses, witnesses, victims, evidence, statistics, and related case information.
Odyssey Financial Manager
- Manages the entire transaction audit trail — from account management to financial transactions and check processing — without having to rely on a third-party financial application.
- Users can verify payment forms, produce a summary of financial activity, and much more.
Odyssey eSolutionsOdyssey File & Serve™ (eFiling)
- Enables you to file documents electronically through a single, secure, centralized online location.
- Launched statewide August 2020, the free online service available to help self-represented litigants and attorneys to prepare court documents online to file for certain case types.
Portal
- Allows the general public and registered users to access court information including: view case information, records, and documents; and make instant online credit card transactions to pay fines and fees.
Odyssey In-Courtroom ProcessingOdyssey Judge Edition and Odyssey Clerk Edition
- Provide in-courtroom processing to support electronic court record management workflow and high-speed data entry.
- Include judicial workbench for access to electronic court records by justices and judges.
Older Computer Applications Will Not be Updated
The new case management system will replace older systems such as ACIS, VCAP, CCIS-CC, CCIS-DA, and CCIS-PD. To support this new work, NCAOC is realigning its resources so that older systems can be maintained until they are retired, the infrastructure can be redesigned and updated to support the new technology, and the new system can be configured and launched statewide. Because older legacy systems are being replaced, NCAOC has suspended all enhancements to these old systems.
Note: It is important to be aware that users will no longer be able to use legacy systems (for example, ACIS, VCAP, CCIS-CC, CCIS-DA, CCIS-PD, JWISE, CASEWISE) for inquiry into the pilot counties (Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Wake) once they go live on Odyssey. You will instead use Odyssey for inquiry (i.e., lookup) of cases in counties who have switched to Odyssey.
Odyssey Counties
There are currently no counties live with Odyssey.
| Track | Counties | Target Go-Live Date |
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| Track 1 - Pilot | Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Wake | TBD - MEMORANDUM :: eCourts Launch Delay |
| Track 2 | Mecklenburg | 60-90 days after Track 1 |
- N.C. Courts County Codes - Find county codes / numbers for court applications and Odyssey.
- Supreme Court Adopts Electronic-Filing Rules for the Implementation of eCourts
Pilot Counties
Find materials from recent eCourts pilot county town hall meetings.
- MEMORANDUM :: eCourts Launch Delay - September 26, 2022
- FAQs for Attorneys
- Portal User Guide
- Additional eFiling Training Dates and Registration Now Available - November 1, 2022
- eFiling Coming to North Carolina Courts - August 19, 2022
- Attorneys in the four pilot counties will be required to use File & Serve (eFiling) as of the go-live date. Attorneys in other counties wishing to file cases in the four pilot counties will also be required to do so via File & Serve.
- eCourts Update - July 29, 2021
- eCourts ICMS Pilot Town Hall Meeting (PDF) - April 2021
- Town Hall Meeting Recording (video) - June 2021
- Town Hall Meeting FAQs - June 2021
- Recommended System Requirements eFiling User Guide
Timeline
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 is expected in early 2023. Track 2, Mecklenburg, is expected to go live 60-90 days after Track 1. Additional tracks are expected to come online every 60-90 days thereafter until all 100 counties are live.
Projected Rollout Schedule
| Product | Rollout Location | Projected Go-Live Date |
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Odyssey Integrated Case (In each track, all components |
Track 1 - Pilot Counties
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TBD - MEMORANDUM :: eCourts Launch Delay |
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Track 2
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60-90 days after Track 1 | |
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Subsequent Tracks
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2023 - mid 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
It is important to be aware that user will no longer be able to use legacy systems (for example, ACIS, VCAP, CCIS-CC, CCIS-DA, CCIS-PD, JWISE, CASEWISE) for inquiry into the pilot counties (Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Wake) once they go live on Odyssey. You will instead use Odyssey for inquiry (i.e., lookup) of cases in counties who have switched to Odyssey. Note that the plan for Odyssey does not change the ongoing rollout activities for Brazos (eCitation replacement) or eWarrants (NCAWARE replacement).
| eCourts Initiative | Primary Audience | Target Go-Live Date |
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| Guide & File | Self-represented litigants, public, and attorneys | Launched August 31, 2020 |
| 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) |
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| NCAWARE Replacement (Tyler eWarrants / Odyssey for Magistrates) |
Statewide (Magistrates, Clerks, Law Enforcement) | Launched July 17, 2022 - conversion started July 22, 2022 - went live |
| Odyssey (ICMS) Pilot | Harnett, Johnston, Lee, and Wake Counties | TBD - MEMORANDUM :: eCourts Launch Delay |
Training Materials
eFiling
Portal
Brazos (eCitation Replacement)
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CRAVE (Courtroom Audio Visual Experience) Project
The Judicial Branch has launched the CRAVE (Courtroom Audio Visual Experience) Project to further enhance the capability to safely and securely hold remote court proceedings. The immersive courtroom audio video infrastructure inside the courtroom includes numerous cameras, microphones, and monitors.
eCourtNet - Infrastructure Improvement Project
eCourtNet, the infrastructure improvement project piloted in counties during fourth quarter of 2020, will continue throughout the state in 2021. These upgrades serve as the foundation for the new Integrated Case Management System (ICMS) implementation and support other applications and tools that will be offered to all Judicial Branch staff.
Embracing the eCourts vision to expand access to justice, additional technology initiatives underway within the Judicial Branch are providing the building blocks for future technologies necessary to modernize the courts. This includes:
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eWarrants & Odyssey for Magistrates (NCAWARE Replacement)
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Guide & File
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