The Virtual Courthouse

A Pilot Program testing the Second Life virtual environment and avatar persona

interface in legal proceedings.by

Richard Courchesne

The 6th Amendment & Virtual Law

“In all crimes prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have

been committed; which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of

the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against (them); to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in (their) favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for (the)

defense” (Cato Institute, 2002).

Purpose:

• A Virtual Courtroom can generate efficiencies in the:– Time economy (Synchronizing effort)• Transportation

– Attention economy (Unlimited availability of space)• Administrative

– Monetary economy (Limited resources)• Security

Illustration:• A Virtual Courtroom has only one entrance:– Docket Clerks avatars transport human cell avatars

into Court of Summon, or interest from a central receiving security zone.

– Deputy Docket Clerks receives exhibits and categorize evidence in case proceedings; and swear in witnesses.

– The Court Reporter, or Stenographer, records testimony, and repeats back statements upon court order. Transcripts are available at per-page fee.

Explanation:

• Council for Defense collaborates client identification and ensures attentive presence in the forms of avatars.

• Defendant need not leave confines of incarceration.

• Voir Dire selection and appointment to jury duty can sequester human cell avatars in a networked ground-based viewing room.

How to create an SL Avatar for Court.

Start here

Choose your Language

Choose a Robot SL avatar

Do Not Choose a Vehicle SL avatar

Do Not Choose an Animal SL avatar

Do Not Choose a Vampire SL avatar

Choose a Human SL avatar

Pilot Program: Choose Free account

Create a SL Login “Username”

7-Steps of Personal Data

• Enter and confirm email address• Enter Real Name• Physical Address• Choose a Security Question• Choose a Security Answer• Pass the Robot Catch test• Read & Confirm to Terms & Service

Agreement.

Open email and Click on SLink.

Download & Install

Log in to Second Life (SL)

Destination: The Virtual Courthouse

Appearing in the Virtual Hall of JusticeSua Sponte

• Docket Clerks assist human cell avatars in connecting to specific courtrooms within the Virtual Courthouse environment.

• Chief Docket Clerk human cell avatars coordinate Court Proceedings Trial schedules in The Virtual Courthouse; which has infinite Courtroom space to hold hundreds of trials simultaneously.

Transport into Courtroom

Prosecuting Attorney & Judge

Attorney for the Defense

Evidence Presentation Board

Courtroom Human Cell Avatars

Courtroom Human Cell Avatars

• The standard courtroom environment consists of a Judge (J) and Court Support Organization (CSO) human cell avatars: The Courtroom Deputy Clerk, Court Reporter and Docket Clerk.

Counsel (C) or Public Defender and the Defendant (F) at their Office

Counselor for Defense human cell & Defendant avatars deliberating from Jail.

Full Private Region Island in SL• The Full Region Premier

Island product 65,536 square miles of undeveloped virtual space, extending in heights above 3,500 feet.

• Construction of mesh object courtrooms can be imported from many other 3-dimensional CAD-modeling programs.

Private Region Pricing: $1,000.00Monthly Maintenance Fee: $ 295.00Assorted mesh objects: $ 600.00SL Training Online videos:FreeMonthly Administrative: $ 500.00

PILOT BUDGET

Open Bid on Hosting, Construction, and Orientation for human cells to interact with ease

within the Virtual Courthouse environment.

Highly secure hosting virtual environment facility, that can verify interface with Second Life avatar users.

The Virtual Court human cell Officials

• Court of Appeals: Judge (J1), Judge (J2), and Judge (J3) human cell avatars.

Concerns about your human cell avatar appearance in SL?

References:

• Castellani, B. & Hafferty, W. F. (2009). Sociology and Complexity Science: A New Field of Inquiry, 277-286. United States: Springer Books.

• United States Department of Justice (2011). A Journalist’s Guide to the Federal Courts. Administrative Office of the US Courts, Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building.