NCJ Number
95076
Date Published
1983
Length
19 pages
Annotation
Use of telephone and video technology in the courts will promote efficient use of court time and reduce cost and delay to parties without adversely affecting fairness or public awareness of the judicial process.
Abstract
Several devices are widely available at relatively low cost. These include the three-way call phone, the conference call, the speaker phone, and live video via cable television. The courts should use this technology in a variety of ways. Court management functions should be handled by telephone whenever directed by the court. Nonevidentiary hearings should be conducted by telephone conference, using a speaker phone to make the record, unless good cause is shown why that technique should not be used. Where any matter requires consideration by more than one court, conference calls involving all counsel and the judges should be used with the consent of the judges involved. Upon stipulation of the parties and consent by the court, evidentiary hearings may be conducted by telephone or live video. Statutes and court rules should be clarified or changed to permit and encourage the use of telephone or video hearings where that format does not dilute either the fairness of the court process or the appearance of fairness. The recommendations were made by a committee appointed by the Chief Justice of Wisconsin. Eight footnotes are provided.