The Pima County Consolidated Justice Courts switched from Zoom to Microsoft Teams a while back for on-line court hearings. Initial eviction hearings are held remotely using Microsoft Teams, and all parties are welcome to attend the initial hearing either in person or remotely. (Our staff generally attends initial hearings remotely.) With Microsoft Teams, all the parties for your hearing as well as all the parties for all the hearings held that hour (There can be 15 hearings scheduled in a single hour period.) are brought into the virtual court room at the same time. The judge calls the cases one at a time, and everyone in the virtual court room can hear the cases before the judge.
A few tips on how to best handle being in the virtual court room:
1. When you call or log on let the Clerk know your name, and your tenant’s name or the case number. This helps the clerk and the judge know who is present and should ensure you are let into the court room at the proper time to hear and attend your hearing.
2. Make sure once you are let into the court room that you are muted. Background noise is very distracting, and you can be removed from the hearing if you are causing background noise during another person’s hearing.
3. If you are the telephone, you cannot see what is going on. It is fine to be on the telephone, but there will be what may feel like relatively long periods of silence. Please keep quiet during these times. The Judge is reading through paperwork or behind the scenes actions are taking place. This is not the time to talk.
4. As our client, you are represented by an attorney in your hearing. As such, please do not speak up unless asked to do so, or if your case is a dismissal and we appear to have not gotten the notification or update.
5. Once your case is concluded you may hang up or log off.
6. If you are logged on via video it is best to be not only muted but have your video off until your case is called. If you are on video please turn on your video when your case is called. That let’s the attorney know you are present and should testimony be needed the judge can see you while you testify.
While initial hearings are conducted through Microsoft Teams, it is very rare for a second hearing to be held remotely. The judge wants all parties in person for second hearings. That means, if your case is set for a trial, please plan to attend the hearing in person at 240 N Stone Court Room 402 unless instructed otherwise.