Original Air Date: Dec. 7, 2005

Overcrowded courtrooms, long delays in getting cases tried, more plea bargains and more dismissals -- is justice really being served in North Carolina’s courts? The WRAL Focal Point documentary "Trials & Tribulations” examines the consequences of a judicial system that court officials say is overwhelmed. WRAL News Anchor David Crabtree hosts the program.

Watch the Documentary

Part 1: Many judicial officials liken courts today to mills in which judges handle hundreds of cases a day. Cases are either pushed through so quickly they do not get the attention they deserve or are delayed so long that defendants are denied their right to a speedy trial.

Part 2: The problem with case backlogs in the judicial system is not just about numbers. It is about people and their right to justice.

Part 3: Some of the technology you’re using right now is absent from many courthouses. Many say technology would not only make courts more efficient, it could also make the public safer.

Part 4: North Carolina's highest court officials say they need more money and they need more control over it to fulfill the judiciary’s constitutional mandate.

Focal Point Extras

Q & A with N.C. Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake What’s your reaction to Senator Basnight saying the courts should operate more efficiently before they get more money from the legislature? How much more money does the court system need?

Q & A with Former N.C. Chief Justice Rhoda Billings What’s wrong with the way the court system is funded now? Isn't that a violation of the separation of powers?

Online Resources

• State Judicial Council
• North Carolina Court System
• National Center for State Courts

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