ASHEVILLE - Digital modernization is coming soon to the Buncombe County Courthouse. The courthouse will switch to eCourts, the state's cloud-hosted digital record and case management system, slated to go live for Western North Carolina this summer.
While proponents of the transition say it will expand digital access to the courts, saving time and providing greater transparency, critics allege the rollout has come at the expense of people's constitutional and legal rights — resulting in longer stays in jail, system delays and erroneous arrests.
The North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts announced Jan. 12 that Buncombe County will be among the Track 5 counties to transition to Enterprise Justice (Odyssey), or eCourts, software designed by Texas-based Tyler Technologies Inc.