Issues With Trials By Zoom
By Jonathan Cheng, Rice University Class of 2024
February 19, 2021
A Texas lawyer recently went viral after an embarrassing mishap during a recorded Zoom trial. While representing the state of Texas in a hearing concerning contraband products leaving the US, lawyer Rod Ponton suddenly transformed into a baby-eyed cat. Hilarity ensued, with Ponton attempting to remove the filter and reassure the judge that he was, in fact, not a cat. The presiding judge, Roy Ferguson, of Texas’s 394th judicial district, later shared the video on social media (Guardian). But this incident highlights existing questions and concerns that many have had about the prospect of transitioning this nation’s judicial system into an online format.
There are several pressing issues that immediately surface when considering the idea of a “trial by Zoom”. First and foremost, there is the problem of due process and equality under the law that is a cherished institution in this country. Under the 6th Amendment, “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed” (Constitution Center). Zoom presents several obstacles to the idea of an impartial jury. There is the fact that many Americans do not have access to technology, which severely limits jury selection and raises the possibility of a trial only by Americans with the income to afford personal devices. In 2019, almost 1 in 5 Americans did not own a smartphone, 1 in 4 Americans did not own a laptop, and 1 in 10 Americans did not use the internet at all (Pew Research Center). With physical trials in a courtroom, there were few legitimate hurdles preventing lower income Americans from attending court and doing their civic duty as a juror. This is not the case in the age of Zoom.
Online trials may also affect the equality of proceedings for the witnesses and the jurors themselves. Witnesses may find it far easier to commit perjury while under examination from the safety of their own home, with a video screen separating them from any hostile interrogator. It is far easier to tell a lie when you are not physically seated on the wooden bench of the stand, staring at an aggressively probing attorney and twelve jurors listening intently to every detail of your story. Jurors may also have a different trial experience from the comfort of their own homes that may impact their ability to remain impartial. Both the defendant and the witnesses could appear impersonal and alien to the jurors, causing them to feel far less sympathy towards them. Jurors could be distracted by interesting Zoom backgrounds, or even by scrolling through their phone or checking their emails on their computer (Institute for Legal Reform), presenting a new problem compared to physical trials where cell phones and other devices are strictly discouraged as potential distractions. Technical issues could also frustrate jurors and disrupt their ability to focus on proceedings. During a criminal jury trial on August 11th, 2020, “Several jurors could not see the defense attorney when he first began his voir dire, so the proceedings had to stop in order for the court to teach the jurors how to switch from Gallery View to Active Speaker. Lots of questions had to be repeated because of bad connections or an audio lag. Poor connectivity caused visual and audio problems multiple times throughout voir dire, which led to people talking over one another. One juror had to move locations during jury selection (for reasons unknown), which was very awkward and caused yet another delay” (Law.com). Forcing jurors to embarrassingly flounder through an unfamiliar process by themselves can lead to them becoming flustered and less likely to sympathize with the defendant or properly engage in proceedings. Everything is obviously different now, from business meetings to everyday life, during the pandemic. But any significant change to procedure, like for instance the wholesale altering of the medium of trials across the US, is immediately a gross injustice under the 6th Amendment to all defendants who are now expected to fight for their lives and livelihoods in a system that is completely different from the one their predecessors faced.
This persisting problem of technical difficulties is multi-faceted. It must be remembered that this level of disruption caused by technical difficulties is rare in an ordinary courtroom (Grabowski). The increasing number of antics and mishaps that have occurred on Zoom trials, while hilarious to watch on social media, can create a lack of seriousness in the proceedings. Examples range from Ponton’s issue with the cat face (Guardian), to lawyers having mic issues, being intruded on by others members of the household, or struggling to change inappropriate backgrounds. Obviously, many of these issues are unavoidable due to the pandemic and the unique difficulty that working from home poses, however it cannot be denied that Zoom trials are having a detrimental effect on the reputation of the US justice system. Courts are supposed to inspire a degree of formality and authority; that’s why courthouses are normally some of the most centrally located buildings in cities, why the Supreme Court building looks as imposing as it does, why witnesses have to swear an oath before testifying, and why judges wear their official robes and sit in high chairs above everyone else (ClearWay Law). It must be remembered that courts are powerful institutions, capable of dealing out punishments and jail sentences that can change a person’s life forever. Imagine how it must feel as a defendant to watch your trial proliferate across all of social media, with your defense lawyer and presiding judge cracking up and your prosecutor looking around confusedly with a cat face on, when you are on trial for your life. Conducting trials by Zoom and running the risk of amusing technical difficulties removes some of the power and gravity that was previously invested in the US court system.
A problem also exists with the ability of courtroom trials to be recorded and live streamed in a way that they were never able to be before. Judges and legal scholars have long been opposed to the presence of cameras in the courtroom, alleging that they “distract trial participants, prejudice trial outcomes, and thus deprive defendants of fair trials” (Strickland). In addition, having cameras pointed directly in people’s faces can cause a shy witness to fidget, sweat, and appear uncredible, or encourage egotistical lawyers to become overly dramatic and showy. This is the reason why there are still dedicated artists that create courtroom sketches, in order to provide the public with a view into the courtroom while still maintaining some decorum. When the decision was made by Judge Lance Ito to televise O.J. Simpson’s trial, it was met by significant controversy and backlash in the legal community, who objected to the prejudicial presence of cameras in such a high-profile case (Lowry). Obviously, with Zoom, it is impossible not to have cameras pointed in your face at all times or avoid their prejudicial effects. And there are significant potential negative consequences to this. Trials can be recorded, live streamed, or posted online with ease now due to their online nature. This can lead to privacy concerns for both parties in a trial who may not want the entire world knowing their business. For example, tech-savvy children could conceivably find ways to watch footage of their parents’ nasty divorce or heinous crimes that they are not ready to emotionally handle. Hackers can potentially gain access to sensitive material that is made available in court, such as birth dates, valuable evidence, signatures, or social security numbers (National Law Review). Given the painstaking effort in the past by lawyers and judges to ban cameras, maintain privacy, and ensure complete impartiality, it is surprising that all of these pretensions have been tossed out the window with Zoom trials.
Of course, as long as the pandemic continues, trial by Zoom is something that must continue in order to preserve the safety of all parties involved. But it is worth at least considering the plethora of issues that are presented by the idea of making a potentially life-changing decision over someone else while sitting in the comfort of your own home, dialing in on a video screen.
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“First Asbestos Trials on Zoom Marred by Distracted Jurors and Technical Problems.” ILR, 19 Aug. 2020, https://instituteforlegalreform.com/first-asbestos-trials-on-zoom-marred-by-distracted-jurors-and-technical-problems/.
Mark Grabowski, Are Technical Difficulties at the Supreme Court Causing a "Disregard of Duty"?, 3 Case W. Res. J.L. Tech. & Internet 93 (2011)
Jouvenal, Justin. “Justice by Zoom: Frozen Video, a Cat — and Finally a Verdict.” Washington Post. www.washingtonpost.com, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/justice-by-zoom-frozen-video-a-cat--and-finally-a-verdict/2020/08/12/3e073c56-dbd3-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html. Accessed 16 Feb. 2021.
Lapinski, Jennifer, et al. “Zoom Jury Trials: The Idea Vastly Exceeds the Technology.” Texas Lawyer, https://www.law.com/texaslawyer/2020/09/29/zoom-jury-trials-the-idea-vastly-exceeds-the-technology/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2021.
Lowry, Brian, and Brian Lowry. “O.J. Simpson Trial Ruling to Let TV Cameras in Court Created 20-Year Mess.” Variety, 18 June 2014, https://variety.com/2014/tv/columns/judge-itos-decision-to-let-cameras-in-the-courtroom-20-years-ago-has-created-a-mess-1201222205/.
NW, 1615 L. St, et al. “10% of Americans Don’t Use the Internet. Who Are They?” Pew Research Center, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/04/22/some-americans-dont-use-the-internet-who-are-they/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2021.
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Strickl, Ruth Ann. Cameras in the Courtroom. https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/989/cameras-in-the-courtroom. Accessed 16 Feb. 2021.
Texas Lawyer, Trapped by Cat Filter on Zoom Call, Informs Judge He Is Not a Cat | Texas | The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/09/texas-lawyer-zoom-cat-filter-kitten. Accessed 16 Feb. 2021.
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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J El NBA 2K sigue desvelando sus novedades de cara a su edición para la temporada 2017-2018. Y trae muchas sorpresas (aunque quizá la mayor se la hayan llevado ellos después de que el traspaso de Irving haya desbaratado su portada).
Una de las principales novedades es que el NBA 2K18 incluirá los llamados All-Time Teams: los equipos históricos de las 30 franquicias NBA formados por sus mejores jugadores de todas las épocas. En ellos podrás encontrar por ejemplo en los Lakers a Shaquille O’Neal jugando con Magic y Kareem además de Kobe, o a Giannis Antetokoumpo compartiendo cancha con Oscar Roberson en los Bucks.
Como curiosidad podemos ver a Shaq en tres equipos distintos o a los hermanos Gasol juntos en los Grizzlies. Pero estos All-Time Teams, como toda selección de mejores jugadores no ha estado exenta de polémica. Y no solo por las ausencias, sino también por algunos matices. Por ejemplo, podemos ver a Embiid, que se ha colado en el equipo histórico de los Sixers a pesar de haber jugado apenas 50 partidos, o a los Oklahoma City Thunder, cuyo roster se compone en buena parte de los extintos Supersonics, equipo del que heredó la franquicia, y por lo tanto, aunque moleste a algunos, no es técnicamente un error o una metedura de pata.
¿Echas alguien en falta en tu equipo favorito? Cuéntanoslo
Atlanta Hawks
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Reservas: Kevin Willis (87), Steve Smith (87), Pete Maravich (87), Paul Millsap (87), Doc Rivers (85), Al Horford (85), Jeff Teague (85), Kyle Korver (84), Stacey Augmon (81), Spud Webb (80)
Boston Celtics
Bob Cousy (95), John Havlicek (96), Paul Pierce (94), Larry Bird (98), Bill Russell (98)
Kevin McHale (95), Dave Cowens (94), Robert Parish (93), Sam Jones (92), Kevin Garnett (91), Isaiah Thomas (89), Rajon Rondo (89), Ray Allen (88), Tom Heinsohn (88), Antoine Walker (87)
Brooklyn Nets
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Charlotte Hornets
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Muggsy Bogues (85), Raymond Felton (81), Baron Davis (85), Stephen Jackson (83), Dell Curry (85), Kendall Gill (85), P.J. Brown (83), Kenny Gattison (80), Al Jefferson (86), Derrick Coleman (84)
Chicago Bulls
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Jimmy Butler (90), Jerry Sloan (89), Bob Love (88), Joakim Noah (87), Luol Deng (86), B.J. Armstrong (85), Toni Kukoc (85), Horace Grant (85), Charles Oakley (84), Steve Kerr (81)
Cleveland Cavaliers
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Kevin Love (87), Larry Nance (87), Ron Harper (86), Terrell Brandon (86), World B. Free (86), Campy Russell (86), Austin Carr (86), Tyrone Hill (85), Anderson Varejao (83), Craig Ehlo (82)
Dallas Mavericks
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Jim Jackson (88), Jason Terry (88), Michael Finley (88), Jamal Mashburn (88), Steve Nash (86), Jason Kidd (86), Tyson Chandler (82), Sam Perkins (81), J.J. Barea (80), Brendan Haywood (80)
Denver Nuggets
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Detroit Pistons
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Golden State Warriors
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Houston Rockets
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Indiana Pacers
Mark Jackson (85), Ron Artest (88), Paul George (91), Jermaine O’Neal (90), Rik Smits (87)
George McGinnis (89), Chuck Person (87), Jalen Rose (86), Roy Hibbert (86), Herb Williams (85), Antonio Davis (84), Detlef Schrempf (84), David West (84), Lance Stephenson (83), George Hill (82)
Los Angeles Clippers
Chris Paul (92), Corey Maggette (86), Bob McAdoo (94), Blake Griffin (90), DeAndre Jordan (87)
World B. Free (88), Ron Harper (87), Danny Manning (86), Bill Walton (84), Eric Gordon (84), J.J. Redick (83), Eric Bledsoe (82), Quentin Richardson (82), Jamal Crawford (82), Darius Miles (80)
Los Angeles Lakers
Magic Johnson (99), Jerry West (97), Kobe Bryant (98), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (96), Shaquille O’Neal (98)
Elgin Baylor (96), James Worthy (95), George Mikan (94), Wilt Chamberlain (91), Pau Gasol (90), Gail Goodrich (90), Jamaal Wilkes (87), Byron Scott (87), Michael Cooper (86), Derek Fisher (84)
Memphis Grizzlies
Mike Conley (87), Tony Allen (85), Shareef Abdur-Rahim (86), Pau Gasol (92), Marc Gasol (93)
Zach Randolph (88), Shane Battier (85), Mike Bibby (85), Jason Williams (84), Mike Miller (83), Rudy Gay (83), Byron Scott (80), Greg Anthony (80), Bonzi Wells (80), James Posey (80)
Miami Heat
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Shaquille O’Neal (89), Glen Rice (87), Rony Seikaly (86), Hassan Whiteside (86), Eddie Jones (85), P.J. Brown (85), Steve Smith (84), Udonis Haslem (83), Brian Grant (83), Dan Majerle (82)
Milwaukee Bucks
Oscar Robertson (94), Sidney Moncrief (93), Ray Allen (90), Bob Dandridge (88), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (99)
Giannis Antetokoumpo (90), Michael Redd (88), Vin Baker (87), Terry Cummings (87), Paul Pressey (85), Jon McGlocklin (85), Bob Lanier (84), Ricky Pierce (84), Brandon Jennings (83), Andrew Bogut (83)
Minnesota Timberwolves
Sam Cassell (87), Andrew Wiggins (86), Wally Szczerbiak (85), Kevin Love (91), Kevin Garnett (97)
Karl-Anthony Towns (91), Al Jefferson (88), Stephon Marbury (87), Terrell Brandon (86), Isaiah Rider (85), Ricky Rubio (84), Christian Laettner (83), Latrell Spreewell (83), Zach LaVine (82), Trenton Hassell (80)
New Orleans Pelicans
Chris Paul (96), Baron Davis (90), Jamal Mashburn (89), David West (88), Anthony Davis (92)
DeMarcus Cousins (88), David Wesley (84), Tyson Chandler (83), Peja Stojakovic (82), Ryan Anderson (82), Eric Gordon (81), Jrue Holiday (81), Tyreke Evans (81), Trevor Ariza (80), J.R. Smith (80)
New York Knicks
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Oklahoma City Thunder
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Spencer Haywood (89), Dennis Johnson (89), Jack Sikma (89), Dale Ellis (88), James Harden (87), Xavier McDaniel (87), Lenny Wilkens (87), tom Chambers (87), Detlef Schrempf (87), Serge Ibaka (86)
Orlando Magic
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Philadelphia 76ers
Allen Iverson (97), Hal Greer (90), Julius Erving (94), Billy Cunningham (91), Wilt Chamberlain (93)
Andre Iguodala (87), Hersey Hawkins (87), George McGinnis (87), Doug Collins (87), Joel Embiid (86), Maurice Cheeks (86), Jrue Holiday (84), Darryl Dawkins (83), Henry Bibby (82), Aaron McKie (80)
Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash (96), Paul Westphal (88), Shawn Marion (90), Tom Chambers (89), Amar’e Stoudemire (91)
Dennis Johnson (92), Kevin Johnson (90), Jason Kidd (88), Connie Hawkins (88), Larry Nance (88), Dan Majerle (87), Jeff Hornacek (86), Goran Dragic (86), Leandro Barbosa (84), Cedric Ceballos (84)
Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard (89), Clyde Drexler (96), Jerome Kersey (87), LaMarcus Aldridge (89), Bill Walton (95)
Arvydas Sabonis (88), Terry Porter (87), Kiki Vandeweghe (86), C.J. McCollum (86), Zach Randolph (85), Kevin Duckworth (85), Rod Strickland (85), Isaiah Rider (84), Nicolas Batum (83), Wesley Matthews (83)
Sacramento Kings
Oscar Robertson (97), Mitch Richmond (94), Peja Stojakovic (88), Chris Webber (93), Jerry Lucas (94)
Nate Archibald (93), DeMarcus Cousins (90), Mike Bibby (88), Vlade Divac (88), Reggie Theus (85), Jason Williams (84), Antoine Carr (84), Rudy Gay (83), Tyreke Evans (83), Doug Christie (83)
San Antonio Spurs
Tony Parker (94), George Gervin (96), Kawhi Leonard (94), Tim Duncan (98), David Robinson (96)
Manu Ginobili (93), Sean Elliott (87), LaMarcus Aldridge (86), Bruce Bowen (86), Artis Gilmore (85), Dennis Rodman (84), Avery Johnson (83), Danny Green (83), Vinny Del Negro (81), Robert Horry (80)
Toronto Raptors
Kyle Lowry (88), DeMar DeRozan (89), Vince Carter (95), Chris Bosh (92), Antonio Davis (85)
Damon Stoudamire (86), Tracy McGrady (84), Morris Peterson (84), Jose Calderon (84), Doug Christie (84), Jonas Valanciunas (81), Louis Williams (81), Amir Johnson (80), Terrence Ross (80), Alvin Williams (80)
Utah Jazz
John Stockton (97), Pete Maravich (95), Adrian Dantley (92), Karl Malone (97), Mark Eaton (89)
Deron Williams (89), Andrei Kirilenko (88), Rudy Gobert (88), Gordon Hayward (88), Darrell Griffith (87), Al Jefferson (84), Jeff Hornacek (84), Paul Millsap (83), Derrick Favors (83), Greg Ostertag (80)
Washington Wizards
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Bradley Beal (87), Chris Webber (87), Larry Hughes (86), Rod Strickland (86), Rex Chapman (85), Richard Hamilton (84), Gheorghe Muresan (84), Manute Bol (82), Marcin Gortat (82), Otto Porter (81)
http://www.sweethoops.com/equipos-historicos-franquicia-nba-2k/
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