3 former inmates join lawsuit over Meck County’s online court system

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Three former inmates at the Mecklenburg County jail are joining a class-action lawsuit filed against Sheriff Garry McFadden and Clerk of Superior Court Elisa Chinn-Gary.

The three plaintiffs claim they spent extra time behind bars because of the county’s new eCourts system.

The suit claims during the first four days of the eCourts rollout, more than 60 people were unconstitutionally held in jail because of a software integration issue. Two former inmates said they spent an extra day behind bars and a third said they spent an extra 14 hours.