In a West Texas district court Zoom hearing on Tuesday, an unexpected face joined the meeting: a cat. Or, more accurately, 69-year-old Presidio County Attorney Rod Ponton, trapped in a virtual filter. His face replaced with the countenance of a somber feline, the lawyer assured the judge, “I’m here live; I’m not a cat.”
The internet exploded with laughter. But as Texas courts have transitioned online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are serious concerns and opportunities regarding access to justice. David Slayton is the man in charge of moving Texas court hearings online during the COVID-19 pandemic. The administrative director for Texas’ Office of Court Administration, Slayton has wrangled judges and lawyers across the state for more than one million remote hearings, including the first virtual jury trial in the country. Slayton says more people are showing up to their court dates than ever before. Still, advocates worry that low-income and rural defendants, particularly those without reliable broadband access, will suffer from online trials—especially in high-volume courts like justices of the peace, which oversee eviction proceedings. In some cases, one party might be in person while the other appears virtually. Overall, the number of trials in Texas has plunged in the past year, leaving a hefty backlog.
Slayton spoke with the Observer in January about Zoom courts, access to justice, and the future of the Texas court system.
