Bob Alvarado, CEO of CourtCall, was stunned when he saw an attorney appearing as a cat on a Zoom hearing. “It’s funny in some ways, but it also takes away from the sanctity and significance of what court is all about.”
Since the start of the pandemic, courts have adopted remote technologies. Zoom-bombing and cat fiascos continue to plague the platform.
CourtCall has been offering remote appearances for over 25 years. The company was started by Mark Wapnick and Bob Alvarado, two lawyers who were frustrated by the inefficiencies of attending court in person.
The pandemic has brought new competitors, specifically Zoom. “Adoption of remote appearances has skyrocketed since COVID-19. In a matter of months, everyone is now much more accepting of this approach,” said Alvarado. “We’ve been saying ‘this is how law should be practiced for 25 years!”
And business is booming. “Our competitors are technology companies. But we are a service oriented company with technology. That’s a huge difference. Courts and lawyers are quickly realizing they need the service of our moderators. Zoom-bombing and the now infamous “cat fiasco” are perfect examples of why the courts and lawyers need a moderator.”
CourtCall’s moderators are also important to increase access to justice. The moderators welcome attendees, explain the process, troubleshoot IT problems, move parties into and out of conference rooms, help with documents and exhibits and ensure everything runs smooth. “Our moderators do a great job of holding someone’s hand through the process if they need it. Many judges appreciate it too. They want to do their job, not be distracted with IT issues. And court personnel are doing a lot of the work our moderators do. It will be challenging for them to do that in the long run,” said Alvarado.
Indeed, the future of court hearings likely includes a hybrid scenario where some participants are present in court while others appear remotely. This will pose significant challenges.
“CourtCall has been here for 25 years. We plan on being here for another 25 years, too.” said Alvarado. “The key is being a partner to the lawyers, judges and courts and making their lives easier.”
Please visit CourtCall at https://courtcall.com.