Maryland's Court of Appeals adopts tech changes to make justice more accessible.

This week, Maryland's highest court, which makes the rules dictating how litigation is conducted in all of our courts, adopted rules making access to justice a bit easier.

Spurred by the inconvenience visited by COVID-19, where mandatory closures prevent many court room activities, the Court approved the following;

• Video conferencing in the District Courts- A visit to the District Court is often akin to a visit to the MVA. The waits are long, the rooms crowded, and you are often told to return, again, on a later day. Soon, many conferences and hearings will be held by video participation.  What remains to be worked out is whether persons without internet or a computer may still participate in person, or whether this innovation has created another practical impediment to court access for some.
  
• Electronic filing for appeals- Three of Maryland's largest jurisdictions are Baltimore City, Prince George's and Montgomery Counties. They are not yet set up for electronic filing. Appeals to the courts in Annapolis are thus not done electronically. That has been changed.  While filings in the Circuit Courts must still be mailed or hand-delivered, appellate filings to the courts in Annapolis will be via the on-line portal.  This is a modest improvement, but a step toward uniform efficiency.
  
• Remote video depositions- The current rules of procedure do not contemplate remote participation via video. Taping is routine, but it still requires gathering in one location. The conduct of remote discovery can add efficiencies to litigation, while also adding complexities that drive up costs for litigants. It also creates opportunity for shenanigans, where remote deponents may be secretly coached or manipulated by off-camera persons or devices. 

We will help you manage these innovations, and move your cases to the swiftest conclusion our system will allow. Changes must be made, and they will breed additional modifications in how we conduct your cases. We will adapt and grow with them. As the CEO of Uber reminds us, "ultimately, progress and innovation win."