Livin' in the Future: Using Teleconferencing Technology to Improve Court Proceedings

• In Event: Qualitative and Legal Analysis of Prosecutorial Discretion

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many government agencies including the courts are forced to transit from in-person to remote operations. Courts across the United States conducted hearings and oral arguments remotely using teleconferencing technologies. Although recently courthouses have started to open back to the public, some court matters are still being conducted virtually. In this paper we will review and analyze the states’ statutory regulations on remote criminal court hearings and procedures. In a new era where teleconferencing has become a normal part of many organizational practices, we will examine the extent to which criminal courts are permitted by state laws to incorporate teleconferencing in their routine operations and how these laws affect prosecutors.

Authors

• Ruibin Lu, Stockton University

• Michael Klein, Winona State University

• April Kraft-Duley, Washington State University

• Craig Hemmens, Washington State University