Mercer Island Municipal Court

		
		
                          MIMCLR 7
                VIDEO CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS


(1)  Authorization.  Preliminary appearances held pursuant
     to CrRLJ 3.2.1(d), arraignments held pursuant to CrRLJ 3.4
     and 4.1, bail hearings held pursuant to CrRLJ 3.2, and trial
     settings held pursuant to CrRLJ 3.3(f), may be conducted by
     video conference in which all participants can
     simultaneously see, hear and speak with each other.  Such
     proceedings shall be deemed held in open court and in the
     defendant's presence for the purpose of any statute, court
     rule or policy.  All video conference hearings conducted
     pursuant to this rule shall be public, and the public shall
     be able to simultaneously see and hear all participants and
     speak as permitted by the Mercer Island Court judge, judge
     pro-tem or court commissioner.  Any party may request an in-
     person hearing which may be granted at the discretion of the
     Municipal Court judge, judge pro-tem or court commissioner.

(2)  Agreement.  Other trial court proceedings, including
     the entry of a Statement of Defendant on Plea of Guilty as
     provided for by CrRLJ 4.2, may be conducted by video
     conference only by agreement of the parties, either in
     writing or on the record, and upon the approval of the Mercer
     Island Court judge, judge-pro tem or court commissioner.

(3)  Standards for Video Conference Proceedings.  The
     standards for video conference proceedings shall be as
     specified in CrRLJ 3.4(d)(3).


(Adopted effective September 1, 2006)