Is Too Much Zoom A Bad Thing?

Perhaps the convenience of not having to get directions, drive to the courthouse, find a parking spot, take as much time off from work or find a babysitter has made the parties less likely to compromise.  It is really easy to sit back in your own home and jump on the computer for a hearing or trial. The parties do not have to face their spouse, opposing counsel or the judge in person, they do not need to wait in long lines for the elevator or security, nor do they have to sit and wait for their case to be called in a large courtroom filled with strangers. Instead, they can sit in the comfort of their own home. The fear and stress of the court process seems to have been significantly diluted by Zoom. I think that the process of going through those steps of just even getting to court caused a lot of people to consider what they are doing and how long they could sustain going to court.

Fortunately, as COVID-19 seems to be subsiding, the courts are starting to find what I think is a great balance of holding trials and evidentiary hearings in person while the more routine and less contested court appearances are on  Zoom. Hopefully, this  hybrid approach will bring back a better balance to the system.