01/09/2021
When You Have a Case on Zoom
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, many judges are conducting court through Zoom. Zoom is a videoconferencing system that allows people to see and hear each other over the internet. For more information, check out the resources tab at https://zoom.us/.
Before the hearing . . .
• Check in with your attorney:
-Make sure your attorney has your cellphone number in case there is a problem.
-Make sure you have your attorney’s phone number in case there is a problem.
-Ask your attorney if there is anything that you will need to do when you check in to the hearing or if the court has any requirements like people must be seen during the hearing.
• Make sure you don’t run out of battery life, have a power cord handy and sit by an outlet.
How to Connect to the Zoom Hearing . . .
• If you have a link, you can click the link to be taken to the meeting. If you get asked “do you want to run or save Zoom,” select RUN. If you don’t have a link, go to https://zoom.us/join. Once you are there, you enter the meeting ID in the box under “Join a Meeting” and press “Join.”
• Sometimes you need a password to enter the meeting. This is usually different from the meeting ID. You will get the password with your meeting invite.
• If you do not have a computer or smartphone, you can usually use a phone to call into the hearing. The court will give you at least one phone number that you can call. Once you dial in, the operator will tell you to enter your meeting ID and press #.
• Consider opening a free Zoom account and getting the Zoom app for your tablet or smartphone so that you can practice using Zoom and controlling your settings.
How to be a Zoom Success . . .
• Watch the hearings ahead of yours on the court’s channel so you can be better prepared. Court channels can be found at https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/virtualcourtroomdirectory/.
• Make sure you choose “Use Computer Audio” when you enter the hearing—otherwise you and the other participants won’t be able to hear each other.
• Muting and Unmuting Yourself: You can stop people from being able to hear you by pressing the mute button on the bottom right of your screen. This “button” looks like a microphone. If you are muted and you want to be heard, press the unmute button (microphone symbol).
• Renaming Yourself: When you enter a Zoom, Zoom typically assigns you a name. Names like i-Pad, (586) 555-3869, or Bob’s phone are not professional and can lead to delay.
-To rename yourself while in a Zoom meeting, click on “Participants” at the bottom of the screen, hover your cursor on your name, select “More,” click on “Rename,” type your first and last name, press OK.
-To rename yourself in the Zoom app, press Settings, press your name at the top, press Display Name, enter your first and last name, then press save.
• Understand the difference between a Zoom waiting room and a breakout room:
-Waiting Room: Some courts put everyone in a waiting room until their case is heard. You will not be able to see or hear what is going on in court while you are in the waiting room. Some courts livestream cases on YouTube.
-Breakout Room: The court has the ability to give you and your attorney privacy by placing the two of you in a breakout room. No one but the people in the breakout room can see and hear what is happening in the breakout room. You can ask for a breakout out room anytime you have a question for your attorney or when you want to talk about something with your attorney.
• Even though you are not at the courthouse, this is still an official court proceeding:
-You should wear appropriate clothing. No tank tops, t-shirts, shirts with slogans, baseball hats, or sunglasses. Some courts require a shirt with a collar.
-Be in a quiet place when you call in. Avoid being outdoors, in a vehicle, or in public.
-You also don’t want to have distracting noises in the background that could make it difficult for you to hear or be heard.
-Try to have a blank wall behind you when you Zoom. Don’t Zoom from your bed or be near anything you would not want the judge to see.
- Do not walk around while on Zoom.
• Look at yourself when you get on camera:
-Do you need to adjust your camera angle? No one wants to look up your nose or only see part of your face.
-How is the lighting? Do you need to move away from a window or turn on a light?
• Don’t eat, drink, smoke, v**e, or chew gum during the hearing.
Prepared by the MIDC staff with Special thanks to Ashley Johnson of the Waterford District Court for her assistance with this project.
