HomeMy WebLinkAboutOPERATIONAL PLAN Virtual Municipal Court
Operational Plan
Estes Park Virtual Municipal Court
Defendant’s Process
Defendant will receive an email with instructions to join Virtual Court by Zoom meeting
link or by telephone. (Exhibit A)
o Should a Defendant arrive in person, they will appear virtually on a Town provided
computer in the Town Board room.
Defendant will remain in Zoom Waiting Room until their case is called.
o A check-in time will be provided to Defendants on Exhibit A.
o Upon joining at outlined time, the Defendant will be admitted to the Check-In
Room and will be greeted by Court Staff.
Zoom Waiting Room
Staff will move Defendants into the Zoom Check-in Room one person at a time in
conjunction with their pre-assigned check-in time.
Outgoing messaging in the Zoom Waiting Room will be updated specifically for court
(available in Zoom instructions).
Zoom Check-In Room Court Staff
Greet Defendants as they arrive in Zoom Waiting Room one at a time.
Verify name and case number:
o Confirm the Defendant is appearing virtually for their initial appearance in Estes
Park Municipal Court.
o Advise the Defendant of the order in which they will move through Court: Waiting
Room, Check-In Room, Court Room, Check-Out Room and Prosecutor’s Room.
One person at a time for virtual court procedures.
Confirm Defendant’s receipt of email and instructions. (Exhibit A)
Confirm Advisement of Rights has been reviewed, and acknowledge signature verbally.
o Acknowledgement of Advisement of Rights will be the order in which Defendants
will appear before Judge.
o Defendant will return to Zoom Waiting Room to await their case being called.
Defendant will be moved to Zoom Court Room for arraignment before the Judge.
Zoom Court Room - Court Clerk, Judge, Clerk Staff
Court Room will be recorded via the Zoom Cloud. (A verbal request for permission to
record locally must be made by the Defendant).
Defendant will meet directly with the Judge
o Judge will greet Defendant in the Zoom Court Room.
o Verify name, case number and acknowledge receipt and understanding of
Advisement of Rights.
Defendant will hear plea offer prepared by the Prosecuting Attorney prior to the court
proceedings, provided by the Judge. The Defendant can choose to accept the prepared
plea or decline the plea on the record:
o If the plea is accepted, the Defendant will enter their plea on the record.
o If the plea offer is declined, the Defendant will be moved to the Zoom Prosecuting
Attorney Room to discuss the plea offer with the Prosecuting Attorney. After
meeting with the Prosecuting Attorney, the defendant will be moved back to the
Court Room to enter their plea on record before the Judge.
Defendant will be moved to the Zoom Check-out Room.
Zoom Prosecuting Attorney Room – Prosecuting Attorney
Should the Defendant not accept the prepared plea offer, both the Prosecuting Attorney
and Defendant will be moved to the Zoom Prosecuting Attorney Room to discuss the
offer.
o If the defendant agrees to an amended plea offer the defendant will be moved
back to the Court Room to appear before the Judge.
o If the offer is declined a final time by the Defendant, the Defendant will plead not
guilty, and a trial will be set by the Court Clerk for the next available court date.
Trials will require the defendant to appear in person.
Zoom Judge’s Orders Room – Judge, Court Clerk, Clerk Staff
(Judge presiding over court remotely)
Following the issuing of the Judge’s orders to the Defendant, staff will be moved to the
Judge’s Orders Room to confirm appropriate orders have been entered into Laserfiche,
the software program operating municipal court.
Following confirmation, the Judge will be moved to Zoom Court Room and the Court
Clerk and Clerk staff will be moved to the Zoom Check-Out Room.
Zoom Check-Out Room – Court Clerk, Clerk Staff
The Defendant will be moved to the Zoom Check-out Room to review contact
information, payment instructions, conditions and court fines/fees, or set a trial date to
complete the check-out process.
Defendant will be instructed to leave the Zoom Meeting
Staff Roles
Court Staff (x2)
Act as Zoom Host & Co-Host.
Greet Defendants as they arrive and check-in for court.
Will assist in routing Defendants through Zoom Rooms.
Will assist with any Defendants which may appear in person.
Will confirm Laserfiche Court processes runs smoothly and assist in any technical issues
which may occur.
Court Clerk
Act as Zoom Co-Host.
Present in Zoom Court Room, Zoom Judge’s Orders Room, and Zoom Check-Out
Room.
Will assist in routing Defendants through Zoom Rooms.
Check-Out Defendants following appearance, collect Defendant contact information,
review court payment agreement (process payment) and sentencing conditions.
Prosecuting Attorney
Arrive early and enter plea offer in each of the Defendants files via Laserfiche before
Zoom Court Proceedings.
Meet with the Defendant if they decline the prepared plea offer in the Zoom Prosecuting
Attorney Room.
Judge
Present in the Zoom Court Room and Zoom Judge’s Orders Room.
Meet with one Defendant at a time. Will verify identity, case number, and
acknowledgement of Advisement of Rights.
Review Case.
Enter their plea on the record.
o Confirm correct orders have been entered in Laserfiche in the Zoom Judge’s
Order Room with the Court Clerk and Clerk staff.