Navigating the Virtual Courtroom

As the COVID-19 situation is constantly changing, we’ve all been required to adapt and evolve faster than ever before. Court is stressful for any and everyone—and the constant flip flop between virtual and in person makes it even more stressful.

The San Diego Superior Court system currently offers a hybrid option. If you are more comfortable staying safe at home, we recommend you become familiar with Microsoft Teams software. Microsoft Teams is the software that the court is using to conduct hearings remotely, similar to Zoom. The court allows one to make in person appearances, however, you must wear a mask to ensure everyone’s safety. The Court has not expressed any preferred method of appearing, but it may be helpful to contact the specific department in advance to see if your judge has a preference.

There’s one other way to make an appearance at your hearing or trial; you can dial in using your phone. However, we recommend against this option because it limits you to your voice rather than the court having the ability to see your face and expressions. The Court’s prefer if you are going to appear virtually to do it by video. So, get familiar with this technology, if not for court, then for life because who knows when our unpredictable situation will return to predictability.

Here is the link to find your Microsoft Teams link for your civil hearing in San Diego: https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/virtualhearings

Here is the link to download Microsoft Teams: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/download-app