Many criminal courts took their proceedings into the digital realm when the COVID-19 pandemic made in-person gatherings unsafe, and even though we’re not in the clear yet, lawmakers are already talking about what future proceedings will look like when all COVID restrictions have been removed. Even though we should once again be able to safely meet in a courtroom in the not-so-distant future, that doesn’t mean that virtual hearings will be going away.
According to the Minnesota Judicial Council Committee, which is a 25-member group that includes numerous judges, there will be a tiered system that will allow for some court proceedings to be conducted virtually even after the pandemic is in the rear-view mirror. After listening to feedback from all areas of the court during a six-month trial period, the council felt that there was still some merit to meeting virtually for some court aspects. They decided that for non-criminal cases, hearings where evidence is being presented or testimony is being taken must occur in person, but non-evidentiary hearings could be held remotely.
What Worked, What Didn’t
During their review, the council found that remote hearings were a valuable tool in many instances. In other situations, they were a nightmare. Here’s a closer look at what worked and what didn’t in terms of remote hearings in Minnesota during COVID-19.
What Worked
- Remote hearings were great in family court because it allowed for more reliable attendance, as parents didn’t need to get a sitter or rearrange their lives to be at the courthouse.
- Zoom hearings also proved successful for some order-for-protection hearings, keeping the victim out of the same room as the perpetrator.
- Some families would prefer not to be in the same room as a murdered or abuser of a loved one during criminal court. Others felt that the perpetrator got off easier when they could “hide” behind a computer screen.
- Zooms saved judges a lot of time driving from courthouse to courthouse, allowing more people to have their cases heard in a day.
What Didn’t Work
- It is oftentimes harder to maintain order online, especially when the participants are not in the same room as the bailiff and judge.
- People sometimes showed up to court shirtless, smoking, driving or with children in the background.
- Some parties have expressed anxieties about sharing personal details about a case on a Zoom, where others not related to the case could be listening.
- Zoom meetings simply didn’t work for certain sensitive or high-profile cases.
It will be interesting to see how these virtual court proceedings continue as we hopefully transition out of the COVID-19 pandemic in the near future. And while we may not know whether we’re showing up in person or on a Zoom, if you reach out to Appelman Law Firm for legal help, know that you’ll get our best effort. For more information or to talk to a lawyer about your case, reach out to our firm at (952) 224-2277 today.
