ffi -i p rr - las vegas justice court (av procedures--final).pdf · testimony in criminal...

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JUSTICE COURT, LAS VEGAS TOWNSHIPF Et ffi ffiCLARK COUNTY, NEVADA

IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER

REGARDING AUDIOVISUAL

TECHNOLOGY FOR TESTIMONY IN

CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

I0l1 Au$ -i p rr I SADMINISTRATIVE ORDER # I7-OI

JIJ$TICI CilURTLAS VEGAS I{TVADA

Bnr D Hl'VIJL,I IJ I I

WHEREAS, NRS 171 .197 5 provides for the use of audiovisual to present

live testimony at a preliminary hearing, and the statute requires that the technology must ensure

that the witness may be "[c]learly heard and seen" and "[e]xamined and cross-examined"; and

WHEREAS, Part IX-A(B) of the Supreme Court Rules provides "Rules Governing

Appearance by Simultaneous Audiovisual Transmission Equipment for Criminal Proceedings;"

and

WHEREAS, the Court has determined that clear procedures are needed when such

testimony is to be used in a criminal case in the Las Vegas Justice Court; therefore,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that, in addition to the requirements set forth in

NRS l7l .1975 and Part IX-A(B) of the Supreme Court Rules, the following procedures will now

be applicable in the Las Vegas Justice Court when audiovisual technology is used for live

testimony in criminal proceedings:

(1) Notification of the need to utilize audiovisual testimony should be sent to theLas Vegas Justice Court's IT Division ("LVJC IT") at least 3 business days in advance ofthe hearing where such testimony will be required. Notification shall be sent via e-mailto lvjcithelpdeskadClarkCountyNV.sov. The notification must include, at a minimum,the following information :

(a) The case number;(b) The department number;(c) The date and time of the scheduled hearing;(d) The name(s) of the witness(es) who will be testifying; and(e) The name, telephone number, and e-mail address of the requester orrequester's designee who can be contacted by LVJC IT to coordinate the witnesstestimony.

NRS I 7 I .197 5(4) defines "audiovisual technology" to include, without limitation, "closed-circuit video andvideoconferencing."

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(2) Once the request is received by e-mail, LVJC IT will create a BlueJeans videoconference session for the applicable court hearing.

(3) LVJC will then e-mail to the requester, and any other designated individuals, aninvitation to connect to the BlueJeans video conference by way of a specific hyperlink.

(a) The hyperlink to the BlueJeans meeting will be available for access in order to test thequality of audio/video connectivity. It is the responsibility of the requester and thewitness(es) to test the audio and video quality, and capability of the witness(es) toconnect to the BlueJeans Network, and such testing must occur no later than oneday prior to the date of the scheduled hearing.

(5) If a witness has a subpar connection or limited hardware capabilities, the Court willnot be responsible for troubleshooting such issues. Moreover, if such issues are notresolved by the requester, the testimony of the witness(es) by audiovisual technologymay be disallowed by the Court.

(6) On the day of the scheduled hearing, LVJC IT will provide the necessary service toconnect to the courtroom, facilitate the bridge to conference into the courtroom, andensure that the meeting is displayed in the courtroom. Any other dealings with thewitness and/or preparation needed to facilitate the witness testimony will be theresponsibility of the requester.

(7) LVJC IT staff will join the meeting once the presiding judge in the applicable case

has indicated that he or she is ready for the witness(es) to be conferenced into thecourtroom. LVJC will then connect the witness(es) to the courtroom. However, due tothe volume of cases on the Court's calendars, the actual time for the witness(es) to testifymay be later than the previously designated hearing time.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this Administrative Order shall become effective

immediately.

Dated this z day of \.^^*, \ 2017.

Joe Bonaventure,Chief Justice of the Peace

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