UPDATE: MEMO RE CRITERIA FOR REQUESTS TO APPEAR VIA ZOOM (CRIMINAL CASES ONLY, ADULT AND JUVENILE)

 To: Cowlitz County Criminal Attorneys

From: Judge Marilyn K. Haan, Assistant Presiding 

Update: May 3, 2023

Re: Criteria for Requests to Appear via Zoom

Update: The memo regarding ZOOM requests applies to adult AND juvenile criminal cases.

For scheduled in person dockets, the attorney and defendant are presumed to appear in person. If you or your client wish to appear via Zoom, please, a MINIMUM OF 3 DAYS PRIORTO THE DAY OF HEARING ,do the following:

Send an email to Court Administration requesting the appearance via Zoom .In the request, include the following:

• Type of hearing
• Basis for the request
• Existence of an outstanding warrant
• Copy opposing counsel (they may have an objection to a Zoom appearance).

The following types of requests illustrate situations that may be approved:

• Defendant hospitalized or at in-patient substance abuse treatment;
• Defendant verified as ill and/or disabilities that limit travel
• ;Defendant residing more than 150 miles away and other related situations.

A defendant's request to appear via Zoom to quash a warrant is unlikely to be approved.

If the request does not comply with these requirements, then a request will likely NOT BE APPROVED!

Again, the presumption is–attorneys and defendants appear in person.