Remote Hearings: Let’s Hope They Become the Rule Rather Than the Exception

One day after the March 23 shelter-in-place order went into effect for Dallas County to prevent the spread of COVID19, the local ABC affiliate, WFAA, reported that one man was the sole individual to board a Southwest flight leaving Dallas. Who was this man and why was it so essential he make the trip? He was an attorney heading to a court hearing in Houston.

Good attorneys always puts their clients first, and that includes making sure the client is adequately represented at hearings. But is it necessary for attorneys in this day and age of ubiquitous technology to put the health and safety of themselves and others at risk? Further, if the technology is available, why are we still conducting hearings like we were Abraham Lincoln in the 1800s, tethered to live court appearances as the rule?