Covering court isn’t for the faint of heart in the best of times.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, things are different, and not necessarily for the best, but certainly for the health and safety of all involved.
Courthouses are open to the public. Anyone can attend court proceedings. Now, though, during the pandemic, when the courthouse is open to in-person attendance, everyone is screened upon entrance and paperwork is filled out to conduct contact tracing.
Capacity is obviously limited in the courtrooms, with one to two people per bench. There is plexiglass up all over the place, masks are worn by all except when lawyers or court personnel are at their respective desks, ready to proceed with their matters.
While attending in person is an option, much of the court proceedings taking place are being done virtually. Zoom has been instrumental in allowing court cases to continue through the system, but with technology comes some different issues.
There have been times when the audio during court proceedings has left much to be desired. Connection problems are also an issue.
Virtual proceedings make it more convenient for a reporter to cover court, but at the cost of potential technical issues that could hamper proper coverage.
It also means the system is moving at a slower pace, but that’s to be expected. Court personnel are doing their best. No one ever expected to be in the middle of a pandemic. It’s a big learning curve for everyone.
What will be interesting to see is how things change permanently once we are on the other side of the pandemic.
Reporter Arron Pickard covers court for Sudbury.com
