Government

Kiosks allow defendants to attend plea hearings remotely

June 1, 2020

Kiosks with Zoom video conferencing are being introduced to criminal courthouses in Travis County, Texas to allow unincarcerated defendants to remotely attend plea hearings, according to a Texas Lawyer report. The kiosks, which are also being considered in Harris County, are part of COVID-19 operating plans. Plea hearings have been suspended since March.

Video kiosks have also been introduced in libraries, fair grounds and conference centers in Idaho, as well as in an Illinois county law library and some Iowa courthouses, according to the report.

The kiosks include a webcam, microphone, hand sanitizer and gloves.

For an update on how the coronavirus is affecting kiosks, click here.