If you’re a lawyer who has taken part in a virtual courtroom, you are probably familiar with the term “cat on the zoom call.” That’s because, as a lawyer, you have probably been a victim of a mishap during a zoom call at some point in your practice. Here are some tips to help you avoid a similar occurrence.
Ponton
Texas lawyer Rod Ponton went viral when he appeared in a virtual courtroom as a cat. The video was a part of a civil forfeiture hearing.
In the Zoom video, Ponton is seen talking to a gray kitten. When he speaks, the kitten appears to flutter across the screen. During the hearing, the filter was not working correctly. It showed a white kitten mask over Ponton’s face, and he could not turn it off.
Several news outlets covered the story. The New York Times wrote about it, and Vice News also featured it. The Houston Chronicle ran a story about it at the top of its newsletter. And several international news outlets covered the story.
Several people laughed at the video, but Judge Roy B. Ferguson saw the funny side of it. He shared the video online as a warning to computer users, and it quickly gained attention.
After the video gained popularity, Ponton started receiving phone calls and emails. But he had no idea that he was being viewed as a cat until he was at his next hearing.
As a result, he was asked to give a talk about professional use of the Zoom application. He said he has gotten over his initial embarrassment. His colleagues at Big Bend Law were understanding. Since his mishap, he has opted to sell T-shirts and merchandise on the internet.
A Twitter user shared that a similar incident occurred during an interview. He had to explain that he was not a cat, but it turned out to be hilarious.
Many other users also poked fun at the lighthearted video. One person said that she had a similar incident during a job interview. This was not the first time a Zoom meeting went viral.
Some people pointed out that the cat filter was not built into the Zoom software, and that it was just an application. Others were charmed by the response from Ponton. At the end of the video, he replies with “Augggh,” and then looks sad at the screen.
Despite his embarrassment, Ponton says he has gotten over his mishap. He has been asked to speak about professional use of the Zoom application, and has opted to sell merchandise. Nevertheless, he remains at his current civil forfeiture case.
His Zoom filter mishap has led to a few other cases of a similar nature, and other lawyers have taken a humorous approach to the situation. The latest example involves a man in Texas who logged into a Zoom hearing and mistakenly used a cat filter.
It isn’t clear what happened to the filter, but it is possible that it was on the assistant’s computer. Perhaps, he had borrowed his secretary’s machine. Regardless, the mishap was hilarious, and it didn’t take long for it to go viral.
Mishaps in online courtrooms throughout the pandemic
Online courtrooms are a boon to the criminal justice system, but it has its own set of challenges. Not only are the technology and procedures needed to run a virtual trial difficult to implement, but the consequences of the move may not be evenly distributed. This is especially true of poor defendants who don’t have access to digital technologies that are often associated with the rich. Considering that millions of Americans don’t have consistent access to broadband and internet services, it’s no wonder that their access to the court is hampered.
There is no denying that the courtroom has changed significantly in the last few years. Aside from the usual suspects of jurors, witnesses and attorneys, a new breed of prosecutors have entered the fray. While this does not mean that traditional forms of trial have ceased to exist, it does signal a serious change of pace. The novelty has worn off a bit, and courtroom staff is looking forward to the day when the lion’s share of court time is spent in the old-fashioned brick and mortar setting. In the meantime, the courts of record are working out the bugs and figuring out how to make it all work.
The most impressive technological feats of the past few years have been a distant second to the most spectacular mishaps. But when it comes to eliciting the best performance from the technology on hand, the best strategy is to keep your eyes on the prize. Specifically, it’s a matter of resiliency. For example, in the early days of the pandemic, rumors were rife and rumor mills were abuzz. Even so, some judges were notably proactive in the midst of a crisis.
While there’s no silver bullet that can be pinned to a single event, there are a number of innovations and advances in the courtroom that can make it a more efficient and effective process. One such innovation is the use of “broadband” to allow for improved communication between lawyers and their clients. Previously, this was a time consuming affair that required lawyers to travel from court to court, a cumbersome and time-consuming endeavor for both sides. By using the same network of computers in the same location, attorneys and their clients can be better coordinated and the process can be more seamless. It’s also a great way to increase efficiencies in the courthouse by eliminating the need to handle paper-based correspondence.
Using a similar model of communication with a wider demographic of litigants, a distributed courtroom could prove to be the answer to the courtroom’s many questions. It would also mitigate the risk of the spread of the Corona virus. However, a successful implementation would require a bit of a redesign, and many courts are still considering the merits of moving to a more online-friendly model.
Tips to avoid zoom slipups
If you’re considering a Zoom meeting be sure to check out some of the tips and tricks associated with this nifty video conferencing software. Among the best practices include locking the meeting when you’re done, and not making your coworkers wait in line for your meeting. The company’s website also recommends the use of the mute button on your laptop’s keyboard.
There have been plenty of blunders and boo-boos, though. Perhaps the shortest list of those includes a Miami Herald reporter whose Twitter feed is a veritable treasure trove of wacky moments from the virtual courtroom.
While the name badge may not have been the biggest winner, the 394th District Court of Texas has certainly had its fair share of high-fibre fun in the past year. Indeed, a cursory look at some of the plethora of videos posted on YouTube suggests that the court has been in session for nearly a million virtual meetings. In the name of the court, attorneys have been known to dress more like a hipster than a lawyer, and have even resorted to the odd od odoblet to prove themselves. A recent high-profile case involved a male attorney who appeared to be wearing only a t-shirt. It’s not hard to see why some judges aren’t so fond of their virtual counterparts. Fortunately, the jury is still out on whether this type of technology is truly the next great thing or just another fad. Ultimately, we’ll have to let fate decide.
The true-to-life experience lasted about ten hours, but the perks of the job are well worth the grueling commute. Besides, Zoom’s high-speed Internet is more than sufficient for the esoteric, and you can’t beat the social interaction with your fellow Zoom colleagues.