First District Court of Appeals Judge Pierre Bergeron

First District Court of Appeals Judge Pierre Bergeron

With Ohio courts running efficiently during COVID-19, the realization for many judges is that remote technology will likely outlive the pandemic.

That was the topic of an article written by First District Court of Appeals Judge Pierre Bergeron for the Journal of Appellate Practice and Process.

“We've encountered this watershed transformation with COVID on how oral argument takes place,” Judge Bergeron said.  “We need to ask the hard questions about what does our experience with Zoom suggest for the future.”

The pandemic forced all courts to embrace innovation to keep running smoothly, while courts across the country have historically resisted using such technology.

“Technological innovations are typically slow to be embraced by courts. But I see the means by which we can use things like Zoom oral argument to potentially improve the practice of oral arguments, and to increase the courts' transparency as well as access to justice,” he said.

Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor transferred $6 million in March 2020 to local courts so they could purchase virtual software, laptops, monitors, and audio equipment. She also started the Task Force on Improving Court Operations Using Remote Technology – iCOURT – to examine how this technology is working and how tech could improve the administration of justice after the pandemic.

“Our Court Services statistician tells me that we are doing well in minimizing case backlogs, thanks in large part to the new way we conduct hearings through technology, however the real test will be how we manage the influx of eviction and foreclosure cases once the moratorium is over,” Chief Justice O’Connor said. “It’s my belief that we will be using technology long past the day that we are clear of COVID.”