We have all experienced and read about the horrors of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other virtual meetings. From work to school to family gatherings, complaints abound:
- Loss of connection
- poor audio
- frozen face
- “you’re muted”
- camera off
- Everyone’s talking
- No one’s talking
- watching people eat, drive, etc
- video bombing by kids and pets
- Clothing surprises
- No clothing
The list goes on and on. Now imagine trying to conduct a court hearing under these same conditions. Imagine trying to cross-examine someone virtually. Imagine trying to help your client tell their story. Imagine trying to introduce evidence. Imagine trying to give a closing argument. It was not ideal to say the least and I, as a trial attorney, am happy to be returning to court in-person.
But, enough complaining! There were some positives to the process from the client’s perspective. Here is a list of the good stuff:
- No commute to court
- No waiting in the court hallways for hours
- Clients had me all to themselves since only one matter scheduled at a time
- My clients were at my office = more relaxed, comfortable, beverages and snacks provided
- Client did not have to literally “take the stand”
- Client did not have to testify in open court
- If client got emotional, court often gave option to “take a break” which could be done in private
- And the crowd favorite, clients were able to put stickies over the opposing party’s face
Alas, there is some blessing to be found in every struggle. Here’s to the blessings.
