Superior Court Orders Address Remote Proceedings and Presence of Parties
July 08, 2020
The Superior Court of the District of Columbia issued a pair of orders on July 6, 2020, approving temporary amendments to Superior Court rules relating to remote proceedings and the presence of parties.
Rule Promulgation Order 20-05 temporarily enacts and amends Superior Court Rule of Criminal Procedure 43, addressing the physical presence of parties in criminal proceedings. The amendments permit arraignment, trial, and sentencing to occur by telephone conference and grant emergency authority for video and telephonic conferencing in other matters.
Rule Promulgation Order 20-06 temporarily enacts and amends Superior Court Rule Governing Juvenile Proceedings 43, relating to the presence of respondents in juvenile proceedings. The amendments require presence at the initial hearing, factfinding hearing, and entry of a dispositional order. Rules regarding the waiver of presence as well as emergency authority for video and telephonic conference are also addressed.
Both orders will remain in effect until December 31, 2020.
