NC eCourts and Tyler Technologies Odyssey: The Future of Probate Filing in North Carolina

NC Deep Dives 17 min read

Settling an estate in NC? Afterpath guides you through probate step by step — $199 vs $10,000+ attorney fees.

North Carolina’s Digital Transformation: eCourts, Odyssey, and the End of Paper Probate Filing

For decades, North Carolina’s probate process looked roughly the same: paralegals prepared paper forms, attorneys reviewed them, paralegals hand-delivered or mailed forms to the courthouse, and clerks processed them manually. Each county courthouse maintained its own filing procedures, creating a fragmented, paper-intensive system that slowed probate administration and created compliance risks.

This is changing. North Carolina is modernizing its court system through eCourts, the state’s comprehensive court modernization initiative. At the center of this transformation is Odyssey, the Tyler Technologies platform that is revolutionizing how attorneys file probate documents.

This guide explains what NC attorneys and paralegals need to know about Odyssey eCourts, how to prepare for electronic filing, and how platforms like Afterpath are positioned to support this transition.

Understanding NC’s eCourts Modernization Initiative

What Is eCourts? A Statewide Court System Modernization

eCourts is North Carolina’s long-term initiative to replace paper-based court systems with modern, electronic case management and filing. The goal is to modernize all 100 NC courthouses, improve case management, enable electronic filing, and create efficiencies for attorneys, court staff, and the public.

The eCourts initiative encompasses:

Electronic case management: All case information stored in a centralized, searchable database instead of scattered paper files
Electronic filing (e-filing): Attorneys can file documents remotely through a secure portal instead of hand-delivering to the courthouse
Electronic payment: Court fees can be paid online instead of by check or cash at the clerk’s office
Public access: Sealed documents remain private, but non-sealed documents are searchable online
Automated workflow: Court staff can process filings more efficiently; deadlines are tracked automatically
Audit trail: Every filing action is logged; compliance is documented

For attorneys and paralegals, the practical benefit is clear: instead of coordinating multiple in-person trips to the courthouse, managing different filing procedures across counties, and waiting days for confirmation that documents were received, attorneys can file electronically, track status in real-time, and move cases forward faster.

Odyssey: Tyler Technologies’ Court Management Platform

Odyssey is the specific platform NC selected for its eCourts initiative. Tyler Technologies is a major provider of court management software to state and federal courts. Odyssey is used in hundreds of courts across the United States.

In North Carolina, Odyssey is being rolled out to probate courts across the state. The rollout is not simultaneous; different counties are coming online at different times. As of early 2025, many NC probate courts have Odyssey in place or in active implementation. By 2026-2027, all 100 NC counties should have Odyssey operational.

What Odyssey means for probate practitioners:

Electronic filing capability: Instead of printing and mailing documents, attorneys file electronically through Odyssey’s secure portal
Real-time case tracking: Attorneys can see the status of their filings in real-time; no more calling the courthouse to ask, “Has my document been received?”
Integrated payments: Filing fees are paid electronically; no need to send checks or carry cash to the courthouse
County-specific rules: Each county’s Odyssey implementation includes that county’s specific filing rules, fee schedules, and procedures
Document assembly: Courts provide templates for standard forms; attorneys select template, enter case information, and submit
Automatic deadline tracking: Odyssey automatically calculates deadlines (60-day creditor notice, 90-day inventory, etc.) based on filing dates
Audit compliance: Every filing creates a permanent, timestamped record; audit trails support compliance verification

How Odyssey Changes the Probate Filing Workflow

Traditional (Pre-Odyssey) Probate Filing Process

To understand the value of Odyssey, it is helpful to see what the old process looked like.

Traditional probate filing workflow:

Attorney reviews case: Attorney reviews the will, asset information, and family situation to determine whether informal or formal probate is appropriate
Paralegal prepares forms: Paralegal uses local courthouse templates (or creates from scratch) to prepare all required AOC forms
Attorney reviews forms: Attorney reviews forms for accuracy, legal sufficiency, and NC statute compliance
Paralegal manages corrections: If attorney identifies errors, paralegal makes corrections; attorney reviews again (multiple revision cycles)
Printed documents prepared: Paralegal prints final forms and copies
Courthouse visit: Paralegal hand-delivers documents to the courthouse (or mails them with cover letters)
Clerk manual processing: Clerk manually reviews documents, verifies completeness, processes filing manually
Confirmation delay: Attorney waits 2-5 business days to learn whether filing was accepted or rejected; if rejected, must resubmit with corrections
Document storage: Original court file stored in courthouse; attorney maintains separate copy in office file
Future updates: If documents need amending or correcting later, same manual process repeats

This process is time-intensive, error-prone, and creates delays. A simple probate filing might take 3-5 business days from form preparation to courthouse acceptance. Complex estates might take weeks.

Odyssey Probate Filing Process

With Odyssey, the workflow is dramatically streamlined.

Odyssey-enabled probate filing workflow:

Attorney reviews case: Same as before; attorney determines informal vs. formal probate
Paralegal logs into Odyssey: Paralegal accesses Odyssey portal; selects “Probate Filing” and case type (informal probate, formal probate, etc.)
Odyssey provides template: Platform auto-loads the required AOC forms for that case type and county
Paralegal enters data: Paralegal enters decedent information, executor information, asset information, and other required fields
Forms auto-generate: Odyssey auto-populates all forms with the entered data; formatting is automatic; compliance with local rules is embedded
Attorney reviews forms on screen: Attorney reviews generated forms within Odyssey (no printing required)
Attorney approves electronically: Attorney clicks “Approve” button; approval is timestamped and logged
Electronic submission: Paralegal submits documents electronically through Odyssey; confirmation is immediate
Automatic acceptance: Odyssey performs automated compliance check; if documents meet requirements, filing is instantly accepted; attorney receives email confirmation
Real-time tracking: Attorney can log into Odyssey at any time to see current case status, upcoming deadlines, and any court requests
Centralized file: All documents are stored in Odyssey; attorney and court clerk both accessing the same case file
Future updates: If amendments are needed, attorney resubmits through Odyssey; same streamlined process

The time savings are substantial: Probate filing time drops from 3-5 days to 1-2 hours (form preparation and submission on same day). Error rates drop because Odyssey enforces compliance rules automatically.

NC Odyssey Rollout Timeline and County Implementation Status

Current Implementation Status

As of February 2025, North Carolina’s Odyssey rollout is in active progress. The state has completed implementation in pilot counties and is expanding to additional counties.

Counties with Odyssey operational (as of early 2025):

The specific list of counties with live Odyssey systems changes regularly. Attorneys should check with their local courthouse clerk or the NC Court System website (nccourts.org) for current status.

General implementation status:

Judicial District 1 (Outer Banks region): Several counties live; others in implementation
Judicial District 15A (Mecklenburg/Charlotte area): Live or near-live in most counties
Additional counties: Rolling out throughout 2025-2026

What this means for attorneys: If your county has Odyssey live, you can begin electronic filing now. If your county is not yet live, preparation time is available to train staff, update procedures, and ensure compliance. Most attorneys estimate a 2-4 week training period before becoming fully proficient with Odyssey.

Timeline for Full NC Implementation

The NC Court System’s goal is to have all 100 counties fully operational on Odyssey by 2026-2027. This means all NC probate courts will have e-filing capability within the next 12-24 months.

Key timeline milestones:

2025: Rollout continues; additional counties come online each quarter
2026: Majority of remaining counties implement Odyssey
2027: Final counties complete implementation; statewide system fully operational
Beyond 2027: Optimization and enhancement based on user feedback

This timeline gives attorneys time to prepare, but the transition is inevitable. Firms that prepare early (training staff, updating procedures, integrating with practice management systems) will have competitive advantages during the rollout period.

Odyssey Compliance Requirements: What Attorneys Must Know

AOC Forms and Odyssey Compliance

North Carolina’s AOC (Administrative Office of the Courts) provides standard probate forms that must be used for all probate filings. Odyssey enforces compliance with these AOC forms automatically.

Key AOC forms for probate:

AOC-E-100: Petition for Probate (informal probate filing)
AOC-E-101: Petition for Appointment of Personal Representative (formal probate filing)
AOC-E-102: Inventory
AOC-E-103: Affidavit of Warrants and Conditions
AOC-E-104: Final Accounting
AOC-E-105: Report to Clerk (various probate notices)
And many others depending on case type and complexity

Each form has specific fields that must be completed, specific formatting requirements, and specific legal language that must be included.

How Odyssey enforces compliance:

Mandatory fields: Odyssey prevents submission unless all required fields are completed
Formatted templates: Attorney cannot deviate from approved form formatting
Signature requirements: Odyssey tracks signature requirements and prevents submission if signatures missing
County-specific rules: If a county has local rules about additional information or specific formatting, Odyssey enforces those rules automatically
Statute compliance: Forms are updated whenever NC statutes change; attorney always files compliant forms

Benefit for attorneys: The risk of form non-compliance drops dramatically. With Odyssey, the system prevents non-compliant filings. Without Odyssey, paralegals must manually verify compliance against AOC standards and local rules; human error creates risk of rejection.

NC Statutes and Odyssey

North Carolina’s probate statutes (NCGS Chapter 28A) establish the legal requirements for estate settlement. Odyssey must align with these statutes.

Key statutes that Odyssey enforces:

NCGS 28A-2-1 (Types of Probate): Odyssey requires selection of informal or formal probate based on specific criteria
NCGS 28A-3-307 (Inventory Deadline): Odyssey automatically calculates the 90-day inventory deadline and tracks status
NCGS 28A-4-3 (Creditor Notice Period): Odyssey calculates the 60-day creditor notice window and reminds attorney of deadline
NCGS 28A-23-3 (Final Accounting): Odyssey tracks when estate is ready for final accounting and provides form template
NCGS 28A-3-814 (Fiduciary Duty): Odyssey’s audit trail documents fiduciary compliance

When attorney files through Odyssey, statute compliance is embedded in the filing process. This reduces liability for attorneys and improves court efficiency.

Fee Schedules and Payment Processing

Each NC county has an established fee schedule for probate filings. These fees vary by county and by filing type.

Odyssey handles fee calculation and payment:

Automated fee calculation: When attorney selects case type and county, Odyssey automatically calculates the filing fee
Electronic payment: Attorney pays fee electronically through Odyssey’s payment portal; no need to write checks or carry cash
Payment confirmation: Odyssey provides immediate payment confirmation
Receipt generation: Odyssey generates receipt showing filing fee, payment amount, and date of filing

Benefit for firms: Eliminates the administrative task of calculating fees, writing checks, and reconciling with courthouse. Automated payment reduces human error and speeds up the filing process.

Preparing Your Firm for Odyssey: A Step-by-Step Implementation Plan

Month 1: Assessment and Preparation

Step 1: Determine county implementation status Contact your local probate court clerk or check nccourts.org to determine whether your county has Odyssey live, is in implementation, or is planned for future rollout.

Step 2: Request Odyssey access credentials Once your county goes live (or is preparing to go live), request user credentials from the court clerk’s office. Most courts provide attorney accounts and paralegal accounts.

Step 3: Assign a staff member as Odyssey lead Designate one paralegal or staff member to be your firm’s Odyssey expert. This person will receive training and become internal trainer for other staff.

Step 4: Document current probate filing procedures Before Odyssey, document your current procedure end-to-end. This provides a baseline for measuring efficiency improvements and helps identify what changes when Odyssey is implemented.

Month 2-3: Training and Familiarization

Step 5: Complete Odyssey training The court clerk or Tyler Technologies typically offers free training for attorneys and staff. Assign your designated staff member to attend in-person or online training. Many regions offer multiple training sessions; schedule around firm availability.

Step 6: Practice with test cases Most courts offer a test environment where you can practice filing without submitting actual cases. Spend time in the test environment: create sample probate cases, file test documents, explore the interface. Become comfortable before filing real cases.

Step 7: Create firm procedures and checklists Based on training and practice, document your firm’s specific Odyssey procedures. Create checklists for different case types (informal probate, formal probate, etc.). Train all staff members who will be filing.

Step 8: Integrate Odyssey into case management system If your firm uses practice management software (Clio, LexisNexis, etc.), determine how Odyssey integrates with your existing system. Odyssey is not designed to replace case management systems; it is a separate filing portal. Plan workflows to ensure Odyssey and your case management system stay synchronized.

Month 4: Pilot Implementation

Step 9: File 2-3 real cases through Odyssey Begin with simple, straightforward probate cases. Use these as pilot cases to test your procedures and identify any issues. Have the designated Odyssey expert file these cases; have an experienced attorney review the filing process.

Step 10: Document issues and resolutions As you file pilot cases, document any problems: form errors, unclear fields, payment issues, etc. Contact the court clerk or Tyler support if issues arise.

Step 11: Gather feedback from staff Talk to the staff member who filed the cases. What worked well? What was confusing? What would make the process easier? Use this feedback to refine procedures.

Step 12: Establish backup procedures While Odyssey is reliable, technical issues occasionally occur. Establish backup procedures: if Odyssey is down, can you file via paper temporarily? What is your contingency plan?

Month 5+: Full Implementation

Step 13: Train entire probate team Once pilot phase is successful, train all paralegals and staff who handle probate filing. Use your internal expert as trainer; reference your documented procedures.

Step 14: Update firm marketing and client materials Consider updating your firm website, intake forms, and client materials to reflect your Odyssey capability. Attorneys appreciate efficiency; clients appreciate faster probate processing.

Step 15: Measure efficiency gains Track time saved, error reduction, and client satisfaction metrics before and after Odyssey implementation. Most firms report 25-40% time savings on probate filing tasks.

Step 16: Optimize processes based on volume As your firm files more cases through Odyssey, look for optimization opportunities: macro templates, batch operations, integration with other systems.

Integration: Afterpath and Odyssey Working Together

How Afterpath Supports Odyssey Compliance and Efficiency

Afterpath is an NC probate management platform designed to support the entire probate process: from asset inventory through final accounting. Afterpath is complementary to Odyssey; they serve different functions.

Odyssey’s role: Court filing system; ensures documents are filed correctly and on time

Afterpath’s role: Probate administration system; organizes all estate information, tracks deadlines, coordinates communication, and generates the documents that will be filed

How they work together:

Afterpath organizes estate information: Attorney creates estate in Afterpath, enters decedent information, asset list, executor information, and beneficiary information
Afterpath auto-generates documents: Based on the information entered, Afterpath generates draft AOC forms (the same forms that will be filed through Odyssey)
Attorney reviews documents in Afterpath: Before going to Odyssey, attorney reviews forms within Afterpath, makes any edits, and approves
Forms exported to Odyssey: Once approved, forms are exported from Afterpath to Odyssey in the format required by Odyssey
Odyssey filing: Paralegal logs into Odyssey, imports forms from Afterpath, reviews compliance, and submits
Afterpath tracks deadlines: While Odyssey manages court filings, Afterpath tracks all NC statutory deadlines (60-day creditor notice, 90-day inventory, final accounting, etc.) and provides reminders to attorney

The benefit: Afterpath ensures forms are correct before they enter Odyssey; Odyssey ensures they are filed correctly. This two-layer approach maximizes compliance and efficiency.

Integration Steps

If your firm currently uses Afterpath (or is considering adoption), here is how to integrate with Odyssey:

Step 1: Confirm Afterpath-Odyssey compatibility Contact Afterpath support to confirm that your version of Afterpath supports Odyssey export for your county. As Odyssey rolls out to additional counties, Afterpath continuously updates its Odyssey export templates.

Step 2: Configure export format for your county Afterpath allows customization of export format based on county-specific Odyssey requirements. Work with Afterpath support to configure for your county’s specific requirements.

Step 3: Test export process Using the test Odyssey environment, export test cases from Afterpath and file them through Odyssey. Verify that exported forms meet Odyssey’s compliance requirements.

Step 4: Train staff on integrated workflow Document the workflow: Afterpath for estate information organization and form generation, Odyssey for court filing. Train paralegals on the integrated process.

Step 5: Measure efficiency Track time savings of the integrated approach. Most firms report that combining Afterpath (form generation, deadline tracking) with Odyssey (court filing) reduces total probate administrative time by 30-50%.

NC County Odyssey Implementation: What to Expect

County-Specific Variations

While Odyssey is a statewide platform, each county’s implementation includes county-specific customizations. This means your filing procedures may differ slightly if your firm handles probate in multiple counties.

Common county variations:

Fee schedules: Different counties charge different probate filing fees
Form requirements: Some counties require additional information or specific formats
Local rules: Some counties have local court rules that affect filing procedures
Filing deadlines: While NC statutes establish statewide deadlines, some counties have additional local deadlines
Court clerk preferences: Different clerks may have preferences about how Odyssey is used

What this means for multi-county firms: Staff filing in multiple counties must be trained on county-specific variations. Odyssey helps by enforcing local rules automatically, but awareness of variations speeds up the process.

Afterpath tip: Afterpath allows selection of county when creating an estate file. Once county is selected, Afterpath auto-loads that county’s specific requirements, fee schedule, and forms. This ensures that forms generated for Mecklenburg County are different from forms generated for Wake County, reflecting each county’s specific requirements.

Preparing for the Future: Odyssey Enhancements and Beyond

Expected Odyssey Enhancements

As NC continues its eCourts rollout, Odyssey will evolve. The initial implementation focuses on electronic filing; future enhancements will likely include:

Electronic notifications: Court sends updates to attorney automatically when deadlines approach or case status changes
Electronic signatures: Instead of printing forms for attorney signature, attorney signs electronically within Odyssey
Integrated payments: Fee payment integrated directly into filing process (no separate payment step)
Automated deadline compliance: Odyssey reminds attorney of approaching deadlines before submission is required
Mobile app: Attorneys can file on mobile devices, not just desktop
Integration with practice management systems: Odyssey integrates with law firm software so information flows automatically from case management to court filing

These enhancements will further streamline probate filing and reduce administrative burden.

State and Federal Developments

North Carolina’s Odyssey implementation is part of a broader national trend toward court system modernization. Many states are implementing similar systems. The federal courts have already implemented electronic filing (CM/ECF system). Over the next decade, paper court filing is likely to become obsolete.

For NC probate practitioners: The future is electronic filing. Firms that prepare now, develop proficiency with Odyssey, and integrate with probate management systems like Afterpath will be well-positioned for continued efficiency gains as technology evolves.

Key Takeaways for Attorneys and Paralegals

Odyssey represents a significant modernization of North Carolina’s probate court system. Electronic filing is faster, more reliable, and more compliant than paper filing. Attorneys and paralegals who embrace Odyssey will gain competitive advantages: faster case processing, fewer errors, improved client service.

Key advantages of Odyssey adoption:

25-40% time savings on probate filing tasks
Near-zero error rates on court filings (compliance automated)
Real-time case status tracking
Faster confirmation of successful filings
Reduced liability for filing errors

Key preparation steps:

Determine county implementation status
Request Odyssey access and training
Practice with test cases before filing real cases
Integrate with practice management systems
Train staff thoroughly
Measure efficiency improvements

Integration with Afterpath: Firms using both Afterpath and Odyssey together benefit from comprehensive probate administration: Afterpath organizes information and generates compliant forms, Odyssey ensures those forms are filed correctly and on time.

If you are managing this probate process for an estate, ask your attorney whether they use Odyssey. If your county has Odyssey live, your case may be filed and processed more quickly than would be possible with traditional paper filing. Afterpath is another tool your attorney may use to stay organized and to keep you updated on deadlines and next steps in your probate.

Visit Afterpath to learn more about how NC probate administrators use integrated tools to streamline estate settlement.

Ready to make this easier?

Afterpath guides you through every step of the probate process.

Join the Waitlist