Electronic Appearances in Colorado County Traffic Courts

In the last five years many Colorado County Courts have permitted many individual defendants in traffic matters to appear in the court via electronic means. Courts often permit such video appearances for the more routine traffic violation court hearings and disallow electronic appearance for more involved proceedings. The Judge, in the specific Courtroom, always has the discretion to permit, or to disallow, a person appearing via a video appearance in every circumstance.

The law, as it is currently set forth in Colorado, never compels a person to appear via a computer application. Rather, a defendant always has the option to physically appear in the Court for any court proceeding.

The State of Colorado has adopted the Webex computer application as the means for individual defendants to appear electronically. The computer used by a person attending must have a functioning microphone, camera, and speakers to properly appear via the Webex computer application. Most modern laptop computers have these attributes and can be used for this purpose.

The process to appear via Webex is intuitive. A person, granted permission to appear via a video appearance, normally needs to click on the link to the Webex application for that specific designated courtroom. The Webex application incorporates the ability for an individual to start or stop their own video feed, and also, assuming the Court permits, to mute or unmute their microphone. The application generally permits an individual to use the intuitive “chat” function to communicate with the Court Clerk, or others in the hearing, by typing a message rather than by speaking. This is especially helpful to communicate to the court clerk that a person is, or is not, ready for their case to be called by the judge in the courtroom.

Many Colorado Courts also allow what is termed a “Livestream” option to view court proceedings. The “Livestream” option is generally for those seeking to remotely listen and view court proceedings without participating. Thus, defendants who appear by Webex, never want to choose the “Livestream” option.

Colorado traffic matters are also routinely heard in Colorado Municipal Courts. Many of the municipal courts also allow appearances via electronic means, however, the policies and procedures vary widely with some municipalities forbidding electronic appearances entirely. Many municipalities have adopted a preferred computer application, but the applications used vary by the individual jurisdiction. For instance, if allowed to do so by the court, a person appearing in the Denver County Court typically will utilize the Microsoft Teams computer application.

Every Colorado County Court has a webpage that provides further information, computer links, and direction for remote appearances if allowed by the Judge.

For instance, applicable links to Arapahoe County Courts Webex information is at the following:
https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/livestream-and-virtual-courtrooms?topic=11&wrapped=true

Directions and links for remotely accessing Douglas County Courts Webex is at the following:
https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/livestream-and-virtual-courtrooms?topic=25&wrapped=true

If approved by the judge, the option to appear via electronic means in many traffic related matters is a substantial step towards making it easier and far more convenient for defendants to without physically traveling to and entering into a Courtroom. As of now the procedure is expected to change and adapt to the lessons being learned.

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