Abstract: Many professions have felt the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the legal field. At the onset of COVID-19, many courthouses closed and trials halted, but as the pandemic continued, the need to resume judicial proceedings led courts to turn to virtual platforms to conduct civil jury trials. This Comment examines the response of judges in Washington State to the use of Zoom for conducting civil jury trials. Interviews with judges across Washington reveal a stark contrast in opinions among judges in different districts as well as within districts. This Comment answers the question of how judges feel about Zoom trials and illuminates the need for a uniform approach to virtual trials in the future.
Other Articles from WLR Print Edition
“That’s Not My Name”: The Linguistic Violence of Misnaming Parties in Court Proceedings
Abstract: This Article calls attention to the harms done when parties are misnamed in legal proceedings. Misnaming, which many might initially consider trivial, is properly understood as a form of…
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Making Youth Matter
Abstract: Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the United States. The harm caused by this public health crisis falls disproportionately on Black and…
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A State Constitutional Challenge to Washington’s Denial of Minimum Wage to Incarcerated Workers
Abstract: This Comment challenges as unconstitutional Washington’s exemption of incarcerated individuals from the state Minimum Wage Act. Incarcerated people in Washington, unprotected by minimum wage guarantees, earn low wages in…
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