Conservatives for Criminal Justice ReformSafety, Efficiency, Accountability

Safety, Efficiency, Accountability

eCourts

Justice in the sunshine

eCourts: A Modern Tool Strengthening Public Safety and Access to Justice in North Carolina

Sep 3, 2025
In an era when transparency and accountability are more important than ever, North Carolina’s eCourts system stands out as one of the most significant advancements in our state’s justice infrastructure in decades. Despite the inevitable quirks of any large-scale modernization effort, the benefits of this online court record system are already clear—and overwhelmingly popular. According […]

eCourts: A Modern Tool Strengthening Public Safety and Access to Justice in North Carolina

by Tarrah Callahan

Justice in the sunshine

In an era when transparency and accountability are more important than ever, North Carolina’s eCourts system stands out as one of the most significant advancements in our state’s justice infrastructure in decades. Despite the inevitable quirks of any large-scale modernization effort, the benefits of this online court record system are already clear—and overwhelmingly popular.

According to recent CCJR polling, support for eCourts modernization in 2024 was sky-high. North Carolinians, regardless of political affiliation, recognize that making our court records accessible online is not only convenient—it’s an essential step toward safer communities and a stronger justice system.

A Game-Changer for Transparency

As the News & Observer’s recent “Guide to Using eCourts” detailed, the platform gives citizens the ability to search police affidavits, lawsuits, arrest warrants, and court dates—all without stepping foot in a courthouse. For years, such access required in-person visits, endless phone calls to clerks’ offices, or expensive third-party databases. Now, with a few clicks, the public can see who’s been charged, when their case will be heard, and what law enforcement agencies are involved.

This isn’t just about convenience; it’s about empowering the people of North Carolina with the same tools journalists, attorneys, and law enforcement officers use. In a free society, informed citizens are the first line of defense against both crime and government overreach.

Justice in the Sunshine

North Carolina’s courts belong to the people. For too long, that principle was limited by outdated systems that made it nearly impossible for the average citizen to follow the paper trail of justice. With eCourts, those days are coming to an end.

Yes, the state must continue improving the speed, completeness, and user-friendliness of the platform. But the trajectory is the right one—and it’s one the public overwhelmingly supports. We should not allow perfection to be the enemy of progress.

By making court information easier to access, eCourts is doing more than modernizing record-keeping. It is reinforcing the foundations of public trust, enabling a better-informed citizenry, and strengthening both safety and justice in our communities.

That is a win for everyone in North Carolina—especially for those committed to the rule of law.

Modernizing Justice: 100,000 Filings and Counting with eCourts Guide & File

Jun 3, 2025
At Conservatives for Criminal Justice Reform, we continue to champion practical, conservative solutions that make government work better, not bigger. That’s why we’re proud to celebrate a major milestone from the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts: more than 100,000 court filings have now been generated using eCourts Guide & File, a free, online […]

Modernizing Justice: 100,000 Filings and Counting with eCourts Guide & File

by Tarrah Callahan

At Conservatives for Criminal Justice Reform, we continue to champion practical, conservative solutions that make government work better, not bigger. That’s why we’re proud to celebrate a major milestone from the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts: more than 100,000 court filings have now been generated using eCourts Guide & File, a free, online tool helping North Carolinians access justice quickly and efficiently.

Launched statewide in August 2020, Guide & File simplifies the legal process for the public—particularly for self-represented litigants—by walking users through guided interviews to generate ready-to-file court forms. Think of it like TurboTax for the court system. And with eFiling options introduced in 2023, many filings can now be submitted online from anywhere, at any time.

This is conservative reform in action: empowering individuals, reducing bureaucracy, increasing transparency, and embracing digital innovation to meet the needs of today’s citizens. As NCAOC Director Ryan S. Boyce puts it, “Guide & File makes our courts more accessible and helps thousands of North Carolinians navigate the legal system.”

For more than 200 years, our state’s courts relied on paper files and in-person visits. Today, eCourts is delivering 24/7 access to justice, replacing outdated systems with a modern platform now used in 73 counties—and expanding to the entire state by October 2025. With over 4 million eFilings accepted and 2.6 million digital searches each month, North Carolina is leading the way nationally in 21st-century judicial access.

This is what public service through innovation looks like. And it reflects the core conservative belief that government should be accessible, accountable, and responsive to the people it serves.

📖 Learn more at: https://www.nccourts.gov/eCourts