Planning for the proceeding

1. Practice with the software (Zoom or Microsoft Teams). Become competent. You must know how to perform basic functions such as muting or assigning parties to breakout rooms for private conversations.  
2. Review the training materials provided by the judicial branch and by the software vendor.
3. When scheduling hearings, allow enough time for self-represented litigants to work through technical issues before presenting their cases.
4. When applicable, explain that the proceeding is being broadcast for public viewing through live streaming or other access methods.
5. Obtain reliable email addresses for the parties and verify their ability to access a stable internet connection.
6. Determine if any participant will need language interpretation and how that impacts participation. Schedule and group hearings to optimize the use of interpreter resources.

Noticing for the proceeding

1. Provide notice to the litigant of the intent to use videoconferencing software along with connection instructions.
2. Include the phone number and link to the hearing for the specified date and time in the notice of hearing.

More Zoom information

• Managing breakout rooms
• Waiting Room 
• In-meeting security options
• Host and co-host controls in a meeting
• Managing participants in a meeting: muting and unmuting, controlling screen sharing, renaming a participant, stopping a participant’s video.
• Controlling and disabling in-meeting chat
• Saving in-meeting chat
• In-meeting file transfer
• Enabling and adding a co-host
• Meeting and webinar passwords
• Hiding or showing my video on my display

Revision History