Art. 195.1.Judicial Proceedings By Remote Technology

Article 195.1 builds a general framework for appearing in court remotely, going beyond the specific in-chambers proceedings listed in Article 195. Paragraph A applies it to civil proceedings that do not require witness testimony or the introduction of evidence — routine hearings and status conferences rather than a trial on the merits. A party who wants to appear remotely must give the court written notice at least ten days before the hearing. If the court has the necessary technology, it must allow the remote appearance unless it states, in writing, good cause for declining.

Paragraph B sets standards for how a remote hearing has to work once allowed. The court must ensure the technology lets every party — whether appearing remotely or in person — participate fully, not just watch or listen passively. The court must also require that any remote appearance meet privacy and security requirements it considers appropriate for that particular hearing.

Paragraph C requires the court to maintain a process for a party, a court reporter, or other court personnel to flag technology or audibility problems as they come up during a remote proceeding, so a garbled connection does not silently compromise the record. Paragraph D adds a further option: an entire judge trial may be conducted by audio-visual means, but only with the consent of every party and the court’s permission — a proceeding involving evidence and testimony gets an extra layer of agreement that the more routine hearings in paragraph A do not require.