COVID-19 has led to a backlog of felony court cases across Georgia, but teleconferencing technology put into place just months before the pandemic has helped avoid much of that problem in Northwest Georgia, according to a judge who presides over the area.
New legislation is needed, warns Judge Ralph Van Pelt Jr. of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, because the use of the technology is only allowed under a state emergency declaration. Such legislation has been attempted in recent sessions, he said, but it hasn’t passed.
“A lot of people in the state are playing catch up,” Van Pelt said in a phone interview, adding that Northwest Georgia is better off. He credits Catoosa County and the Bureau of Prisons for being forward-thinking in their use of technology, which also saves money by preventing the need for transporting prisoners and the expensive security that goes with it.
In his first State of the Judiciary Address earlier this month, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice David Nahmias focused on challenges to the judiciary based on the pandemic – including the backlog of cases plaguing many parts of the state and the use of teleconferencing for some hearings.
Van Pelt said some cases are better suited for in-person proceedings, especially domestic and civil cases. When multiple exhibits are required, having to email them to all the lawyers involved is a headache, he said. Divorce lawyers don’t like video hearings either, he said, and witnesses without fast internet connections can often lead to glitchy testimony.