ZOOM ORAL ARGUMENT INFORMATION

FOR GENERAL PUBLIC OR NON-ARGUING

PARTIES AND LITIGANTS

 

1. Occasionally, the Seventh District Court of Appeals may conduct oral arguments remotely using Zoom Video Conference technology. These instructions are provided to assist you in participating via zoom.

2. Install Zoom application on your laptop, tablet or smart cellphone.  The method for installing Zoom varies from device to device.  We can only give you general information on how to use the Zoom app.   We may be able to help you with the process, or feel free to explore the Zoom website for further information.

3. The public and parties are invited to view oral arguments conducted remotely. Please refer to our Court Calendar page. The Zoom link is suppled next to the hearing date.

 

 

 

 

 

ZOOM ORAL ARGUMENT INFORMATION FOR LITIGANTS

 

1. Occasionally, the Seventh District Court of Appeals may conduct oral arguments remotely using Zoom Video Conference technology. These instructions are provided to assist you in participating via zoom.

2. Install Zoom application on your laptop, tablet or smart cellphone.  The method for installing Zoom varies from device to device.  We can only give you general information on how to use the Zoom app.   We may be able to help you with the process, or feel free to explore the Zoom website for further information.   If you are arguing at the hearing, the device you use must have a camera and microphone and must have the Zoom application installed on it.

3. Please click photo to the left as save it as the "virtual background" JPEG photo during the Zoom oral argument.  The "virtual background" option is part of the Zoom app in the "setting" section.  Not all devices are able to use "virtual backgrounds" (such as Android smart phones).  If you are not able to use the virtual background feature on your phone or laptop, please be sure that the background of the actual room you will be in for your video oral argument has a professional look to it (such as your office) or has a plain background. (CLICK HERE FOR JPG PHOTO FOR VIRTUAL BACKGROUND)

4. For more information about Zoom virtual backgrounds, click here.

5. The parties entitled to argue at the hearing will be notified of the date and time of your Zoom oral argument, and will be emailed an electronic link to the hearing. If either the Appellant or Appellee will have more than one person arguing for their side of the argument, immediately notify the court administrator so that the proper persons are invited to the Zoom oral argument conference.  (You will need to provide the email address of each additional person.)

6. Please be available by phone thirty (30) minutes before the hearing.  Sign into the Zoom oral argument twenty (20) minutes before your scheduled time. When you sign into Zoom, you will be will be able to watch the oral argument currently in progress until it is your time for argument.  You will be let into the Zoom hearing by the court administrator when the judges are ready for you.  You will be asked to turn on your audio and video at that time.  Please do not speak until spoken to by one or more of the judges.

7. You and the judges will work through any technical difficulties at the start of hearing.  Oral argument will then proceed as it would if you were in court.  Appellant will have 15 minutes, with the option to reserve any of that time for rebuttal.  Appellee will have 15 minutes.  Appellant may rebut if time was reserved for rebuttal. 

8. Please dress professionally for the hearing and prepare the surroundings that will be on camera in a way that is suitable for courtroom decorum.  Treat the video hearing as if it were an in person hearing.

9. Please TURN OFF YOUR MICROPHONE unless it is your turn to argue.

10. Turn off all notification sounds on any electronic devices near you, and insure that there will not be any extraneous noises occurring while your microphone is on.

11. All persons arguing should LEAVE YOUR VIDEO CAMERA ON during the entire hearing.

12. Do not mention the name of children/minors during your argument. 

13. When the hearing concludes (if there are additional hearings after yours), you will be removed from the hearing by the administrator and placed in the attendee area.  You may continue to watch the next hearings or wait if you have a hearing at a later time. If there are no additional hearings, the oral argument will be terminated by the administrator after the judges' concluding remarks.