S.E Williams | Contributor
San Bernardino County Superior Court launched its live audio streaming service effective Monday, July 20, 2020 for all criminal proceedings held at the San Bernardino Justice Center. The county-wide incremental roll out of the process for all case types will be completed by August 31, 2020.
Due to confidentiality issues, juvenile delinquency and dependency cases are being excluded from this process.
The public will have access to courtroom proceedings through the mobile application, Zoom. If you do not have access to a Zoom App you may listen to the court proceeding with a touch-tone telephone or cellular device. You do not need to install the Zoom app to stream the courtroom proceedings.
Julie Van Hook, Communications and Public Affairs Officer for the San Bernardino Superior Courts, announced the process change was implemented to ensure the public has access to court proceedings during these unprecedented times.
Van Hook continued, “This new alternative method for observing courtroom proceedings is strongly encouraged for all non-parties to avoid coming to court in-person where social distancing protocols and limited courtroom access applies.”
Any member of the public can access the audio stream of court proceedings. Keep in mind however, there is no option for oral argument or commentary.
Other restrictions also apply. For example, live-streamed court proceedings may not be recorded, or re-broadcast without prior written judicial authorization consistent with California Rules of Court, Rule 1.150.
For details regarding how to request permission to record, or re-broadcast court proceedings, please review California Rules of Court, rule 1.150 and/or click here for more information.
Finally, portions of the livestream may be unavailable or otherwise closed to the public. In addition, the Court declared, “It makes no representations or warranties regarding the quality or reliability of the livestream feed.”
For more information and to access hearings on the court’s calendar
please visit www.sbcourt.org/cas. A direct link to the courtroom audio streaming information is available here. To Join Using the Zoom App simply click on the “Join by PC” link. A box to “enter your name” will appear. Type your name. Check or uncheck the “remember my name for future hearings” based on preference. Click the “join the meeting” option. Select either “already joined by phone” or “join with computer audio” based on preference. If you select “already joined by phone” enter the access code shown on the screen. When the courtroom proceedings end, click “leave” (bottom right corner). Click the “leave meeting” option to end the audio streaming session.
To Join Using a Touch-Tone Telephone or Cellular Device you must dial the telephone number associated with the courtroom providing audio access to courtroom proceedings and then enter the meeting ID assigned to the courtroom you want to stream the courtroom proceedings.
