Criminal suspects making their first appearance in Tucson City Court are now doing so live on YouTube, the court’s administrator said.
The court recently began livestreaming initial appearance hearings in a bid to expand remote access that began in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Until now, public access to such hearings required going to the Pima County jail in person to view a video link to the proceedings, Tucson City Court administrator Eric Silverberg said in a news release.
The change required a “major upgrade” to the court’s remote technology, Silverberg said.
First appearance hearings are held 365 days a year, twice a day at 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. to comply with a legal requirement that any defendant being held in custody be seen by a judicial officer within 24 hours of arrest.
At the hearings, criminal suspects are advised of the charges against them, their right to an attorney, their release conditions, and their next hearing date.
The video appearances will not be recorded, but audio recordings will be available by contacting the court.
“In light of the pandemic lessons, the use of remote hearings will continue, and they make the court more accessible to the public,” Presiding Judge Antonio Riojas Jr. said in a city court news release.
“The new remote hearing platforms are simpler, have more robust features, and are more stable than the technology they replace.”
To connect to a live initial appearance hearing, go to tucne.ws/1hn4
