Here Come Da Judge: Succeeding in Virtual Court

You many have your day in court but it’s probably not going to be at a courthouse near you.   There’s a greater likelihood that you’ll be in virtual court and that requires a new set of skills.  The Honorable Gustavo A. Gelpí & Honorable Julie Kunce Field delivered a presentation entitled Holding Virtual Court: A Conversation with Two Judges.

During the conversation they shared insights about holding court during a pandemic, the advantages and disadvantages of virtual court, their expectations, and recommendations.

In discussing some of the challenges, they revealed that people may not be tech savvy. In order to mitigate this issue they recommended that anyone appearing in court should request a practice session with a court officer prior to their hearing. Another challenge is controlling noise and conversation and for that reason, the judges mute everybody. Acknowledging the limitations of body language on a virtual platform, they requested that participants display a waist shot for the camera when in their courtrooms.. And speaking of cameras, the judges preferred Webex over Zoom for security reasons. In open court, where anybody can sit in, each person observing was expected to identify themselves.

Their advice to lawyers was that the skills that work in a physical courtroom don’t translate to the virtual world. The flamboyant lawyers who bang on the desk, and continually interrupt, don’t fare well in this environment. Legal presentations must adapt to the virtual environment. Although remote communication was thrust upon all of us, the judges reported that in many cases virtual court was successful. Saving time was touted as one of the biggest benefits of virtual court especially for a lawyer who would have to travel for a couple of hours to attend a 15 minute meeting. The situation where virtual court was not appropriate was where a jury was required. But in non-jury court hearings, an expert can be easily brought in from any geographic region, saving travel time and costs.

Both judges predicted the future will be hybrid court for it’s convenience. Major trials will be held in person, but in other situations the virtual platform will be beneficial in settling legal cases.

Virtual court is not just for lawyers and judges. You never know when you’ll need to appear to challenge a summons or handle a landlord tenant dispute. The virtual world is not going away. Master virtual presentation skills and you’ll have a better chance of winning your case. To learn how to be a knockout virtual presenter, visit www.diresta.com

My presentations, training and coaching are available virtually. It’s easy to find me to discuss your needs. Email diane@diresta.com. DM me at twitter @speakingpro. Or call: 917 803-8663