COVID-19 has had an impact on nearly every industry in the world, including our American state and federal courts. Thanks to the virus’s highly transmissible nature, residents are being urged to stay at home to avoid spreading the disease. This means that, by virtue of their being extremely public spaces, most state and federal courts are shut down across the nation.
At Bartelt | Nix Reporting, LLC, we have been monitoring local and national court closures. In most cases, holding normal courtroom procedures is impossible at this time—however, we offer a full array of legal video conferencing services in Arizona and beyond. Read on to learn more about Arizona closures and call us for more information.
Arizona court closures
In Arizona, the courts are not yet fully shut down, as of a March 16, 2020 press release, but the staff is working to reduce extra physical traffic. For the time being, the courts have suspended clinics, school tours, classes, and in-person public programs.
The press release also reassures the public that while jury service continues and law libraries remain open, the staff are making every effort to disinfect objects and observe social distancing guidelines.
The state also urges attorneys and judges to hold teleconferences whenever possible, including phone and video conferences. Attorneys should speak with the presiding judges, clerks, and opposing counsel to verify that a teleconference is feasible for all parties and proceed as necessary.
For federal court closure information, visiting the United States judiciary website will provide more details, including individual court closure lists.
Tips for remote litigation
If your firm has pivoted to working from home, you’re not alone. Here are a few quick tips to make the transition easier:
- Be flexible: Everyone—including your opposing counsel—is affected by COVID-19. Be as patient as possible when learning to deal with the new normal.
- Hire skilled court reporters: Many court reporting firms, including Bartelt | Nix Reporting, LLC, have long histories of working with remote litigation tools. Using the right experienced firm can make things significantly easier.
- Communicate frequently: Working from home can be isolating when you’re first starting out. Communicate with your staff, judges, clerks and court reporters to make sure everyone is on the same page when you can’t be there in person.
In short, be patient with yourself and others, and keep up to date on court closures and changes to other processes to keep your case on track.
Video conferencing services in Arizona
You might be new to remote court proceedings, but the staff at Bartelt | Nix Reporting, LLC isn’t. Our team of highly-skilled court reporters is well versed in remote legal procedures, including depositions. When you need to hit the ground running during the COVID-19 pandemic, you can rely on us to provide accurate and reliable court reporting services from our home base in Phoenix. Call us today to learn more about what we can do for your law firm, both now and after the pandemic has passed. We look forward to assisting you.