Judge Joely A. O'Rourke speaks in superior court Tuesday afternoon in Chehalis.
Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher adjusts his mask in superior court Tuesday afternoon in Chehalis.
Deputy Prosecutor Silvia Irimescu holds a stack of documents while sporting a mask in superior court Tuesday afternoon in Chehalis.
The Lewis County Board of County Commissioners approved $480,038 of funding from the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to go to the county’s Superior and District Courts on Monday, with the plan of installing a camera system in the courtrooms for video conference hearings.
The money is being handed down from the AOC, but it came from an $11.8 million in CARES Act funding that was awarded to the department in June, meaning the money needs to be spent on something coronavirus-related.
According to Lewis County Superior Court Administrator Susie Palmateer, it was an opportune time to bring the county’s video conferencing capabilities for virtual court hearings up to snuff, because up until now, the Lewis County Courts were lagging behind on this front.
Had it not been for emergency orders from the state’s Supreme Court giving some leeway on the regulations for virtual hearings, then the current system the County Courts are using would not be up to code.
Aspects like using the video conferencing software Zoom, instead of Webex, which Palmateer characterized as a more secure software and preferred for courtroom settings, but is also much more expensive, is where Lewis County Courts were lacking.
As Superior Court Judge Andrew Toynbee put it, “there’s what you can do, and there’s what you should do,” and currently, the Lewis County Courts are doing what they can do. But with the $480,038 provided, they should be able to elevate the operation to what they should be doing.
Palmateer explained that the money will go toward new cameras that will be outfitted in all eight Lewis County courtrooms in both Superior and District Court, new monitors and the software Webex.
“It’s very expensive, there’s a lot of licensing involved … but, boy, those cameras are expensive and then the Webex behind it and all the TVs,” Palmateer said.
Another added feature with the camera system will be the ability for the public to tune into hearings virtually, giving people the option to either come to the Lewis County Law and Justice Center to see it in person, or watch from home.
While nothing is set in stone, the courts hope that this new camera system will allow them to have more virtual hearings post-COVID-19 when it is appropriate, like if someone who is supposed to appear in court does not live locally, or for preliminary appearances in criminal cases, the defendant, if in custody, could appear from the jail.
“We’re working with the jail right now to see if this is something we’re going to continue long term,” Palmateer said regarding criminal cases.
Toynbee, who acknowledges the added benefits of some virtual hearings, says the courts must strike an equal balance of determining when it is beneficial and when it is more important to have the traditional courtroom setting for a hearing.
“There’s no substitute for having somebody right in front of you, and being able to see them,” Toynbee said. “Right now, I’m only seeing half of their face, and there is a difference … I think the video is a great tool, we have to be selective on how we use it so we don’t lose the important aspects of in-person courtrooms.”
