The DWI Backlog Problem Of Mecklenburg County

We need to go ahead and add another crisis to the list of post-pandemic problems: the current backlog of more than 3,200 DWI cases in the Mecklenburg County Courthouse, with about half of those due to the pandemic’s shutdown of courts in March 2020. As of June 7, 2021, the court is making a major effort over the next 10 weeks to change that.

While this has affected our Charlotte drunk driving attorneys at Brown Moore & Associates, we are looking forward to a full return to the Mecklenburg County courtroom to fight for our clients. Here’s what you need to know about the status of the current case backlog and the plan for how to work through these cases:

The Stats

Because of the spike of pending DWI cases in Mecklenburg County from 2,797 to 3,221 between Dec. 31 and May 31, according to the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts, it’s obvious how the system could not catch up. Here are more statistics to consider:

• Drunk driving is one of the main causes of deadly crashes – especially between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
• In June 2019, there were 1,969 pending DWI cases.
• The average time for an unresolved DWI case is 15 months old, more than doubled the pre-pandemic time.

The Rescue Plan

The 10-week master plan to solve this DWI case backlog involves a few new measures:

• For the first time, there is now an entire courtroom devoted to only DUIs, instead of clumping these cases with other misdemeanors.
• Each defendant is now assigned a specific time to arrive in court and, for trials, one defendant is in the courtroom at a time, which minimizes crowds and wait times in between.

The Future Of The Court System

The new DWI system is still in experimental mode, so the jury is still out (pun intended) on what kinks need to be adjusted for this system to succeed. With the courthouse gradually opening, the pace needs to be approximately 125 cases moved through each week over the course of 10 weeks, but it is now between 50 and 75 cases. There may be a possibility of incorporating virtual pleas in the future. We know the Mecklenburg County Courthouse is doing everything in its power to speed up the process, without it purely being about the numbers.

How We Can Help

Regardless of the timeline for your case in today’s post-pandemic court system, our Charlotte drunk driving attorneys at Brown Moore & Associates will do everything we can to have your DWI case be heard as soon as possible. Because we know how much you have suffered and endured from your DWI accident already.

In the meantime, our experienced motor vehicle accident lawyers will conduct a thorough investigation for your cause, from where the defendant was served alcohol and how much, background checks and past history, insurance records, and more. Because of the money, peace of mind, and well-being you lost from this accident, our goal is to find any possible sources of compensation for your future. You can contact us by clicking here or calling us at 800-948-0577.