Cherokee County court records will soon be available online
By TIM GULLA Ledger Staff Writer tim@gaffneyledger.com

While the Cherokee County court system has been computerized for years, it will really join the 21st Century on April 14.

Beginning next month, a large number of upgrades to computer systems in the Cherokee County Courthouse will allow people to search local court records on the Internet from any location.

The accessible data won't necessarily be voluminous, as the information accessible over the Internet won't include personal information or all of the records contained in court files. But people will be able to search dispositions in criminal cases as well as judgements in civil cases at the Common Pleas, General Sessions and Magistrate levels.

The Internet access to records comes as part of a major overhaul of the computer systems and technology at the Cherokee County Court House, said Brandy McBee, Cherokee County Clerk of Courts.

The Magistrate's Office, for instance, has been set up for video conferencing, which allows the county's magistrates to conduct hearings without having to bring prisoners to court from jail.

McBee said the Cherokee County Courthouse has been wired as well for video conferencing in both the main courtroom and Family Court, though the necessary equipment has not yet been purchased.

The records made available online beginning April 14 will come with a disclaimer that people should double-check information against physical court files, McBee said.

McBee believes Cherokee County will be the 12th or 13th county to offer Internet access to court records as part of a statewide initiative to both modernize the court system and achieve uniformity.

"Eventually, everyone in the whole state will be on the case management system," McBee said.

Other high-tech additions to the courthouse that will begin appearing within the next few weeks include new ways to draw juror names for jury selection and ways to keep track of jurors who report for duty.

Currently, when randomly selected jurors show up for duty, their juror numbers are drawn from numbered capsules when it comes time to select 12-member juries. This additional step at randomization will now be handled by computer.

Additionally, jurors badges are being replaced with a barcoded tag that will allow court officials to simply scan the jurors into the computer system each day of court, letting officials know who has shown up for duty and who is missing.

The online court records will be found at the Web site www.sccourts.org.