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Courtroom Decorum and Dress
Dress appropriately. If you have to ask, then your attire probably is not appropriate. Hearings and Contested Trials
For In-person Hearing, for which all parties, counsel of record and witnesses shall personally appear at the assigned court room. The courtroom will have no more than ten (10) occupants including the Judge/Magistrate. All occupants will be seated at least six (6) feet apart and shall wear facemasks or other suitable covering. Clients and Counsel will be granted reasonable recesses to confer during the trial. - Courtroom assignment may change on or before the date of trial. All Parents, Parties, and Attorneys shall confirm the courtroom assignment with the Assignment Office thirty (30) minutes immediately prior to the date ant time of the trial. The Assignment Office is located on the 4th floor, 373 South High Street, Columbus Ohio, 43215, across from the public elevators. Phone: 614-525-4408 or 614-525-4135.
- Governor DeWine has reported that Ohio has “flattened the curve” of infections of the Corona Virus and he has replaced the “Stay at Home Order” with an “Urgent Health Advisory.” A Parent, Party, or Attorney may seek leave of Court to participate remotely by Phone or Zoom (Video Conference). Not less than five (5) business days prior to the hearing, the person seeking leave of Court to participate remotely by Phone or Zoom (Video Conference), must file a Motion with the Court (with immediate service upon all parties and counsel of record) requesting to participate remotely and state why the remote appearance is requested. A proposed order shall accompany the motion. The proposed order shall be filed in person with the Clerk or e-filed as “file submitted to Visiting Judge.” A written waiver of personal appearance should be requested of the Parties.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:
- If a hearing will be conducted in any other manner other than entirely in person, and a party intends to introduce documentary evidence (including but not limited to written documents, photographs, test results and reports), the party shall mark the exhibits with exhibit numbers. Photographs shall be separately numbered. Documents of multiple pages shall be page numbered. The Party shall provide legible copies to the Court and to all other parties reasonably in advance of the hearing. Failure to provide the same may be result in exclusion of the evidence, to the party’s detriment.
- Any party or counsel of record who desires to appear for trial by Zoom (Video Conference) shall have downloaded the Zoom application on a computer or “smart” phone, shall have provided the Court an email address for access, shall be able to input the meeting ID and Password provided by the Court via email, shall be responsible to ensure that the party or counsel possesses the appropriate electronic equipment and internet connectivity, etc. to appear via videoconferencing.
- Any party or counsel of record who appears in a hearing by Zoom (Video Conference) shall appear by both video and audio, such that the party or counsel of record can be both seen and heard by the Court.
- If a party intends to present the sworn testimony of a witness who will appear remotely, the witness shall appear via Zoom (Video Conference). Other Parties shall be notified prior to trial that a witness shall be appearing remotely. The party who seeks to present the witness is responsible to ensure that the witness can appear via Zoom (Video Conference) (i.e. possesses the appropriate electronic equipment and internet connectivity, etc.).
FURTHER, it is recommended that parties and their attorneys discuss and consider participation through remote methods prior to participating in a hearing through that platform. Parties and attorneys should consider issues including, but not limited to, the following:
- Parties’ and attorneys’ ability to view other parties, witnesses, and other participants and judge their demeanor throughout an evidentiary hearing;
- Parties’ and attorneys’ ability to present evidence from a remote location;
- Parties’ and their attorney’s ability to communicate with one another throughout the hearing and presentation of evidence;
- Unexpected technical issues that may interfere with or preclude participation; and
- Attorneys’ overarching professional responsibilities and duties in competently representing their clients and their clients’ legal interests.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
_______________________________ Magistrate Hudson With gratitude to
Judge James S. Rapp
Sitting by Supreme Court Assignment |