JAIL VISITS & WEEKEND SENTENCES

*UPDATE* 12:45 PM – BSO states a limited number of video conference calls will be made available to attorneys for non-recorded, secure jail visits, lasting for the duration of the state of emergency. The logistics should be ironed out by Wednesday at the latest, as specific procedures need to be worked out with Securus, the vendor providing the service to BSO. Don’t be alarmed by the word “limited,” as availability should be plentiful. The other good news is attorneys will be able to videoconference with incarcerated clients from cell phones or any other device of their choosing, so it may not be necessary to cancel tee times and trudge to Pompano in the coming days. We’ll post procedures as they become available.

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We’ve reached out to the powers that be over at BSO to see about video attorney/client visits. They’re looking to see if the current video equipment used for non-attorney visitation has the capability to be deployed without recording some or all of the visit. We’ll update as soon as the information is available, and proper procedures if it’s a go.

We’re also told Jack Tuter has suspended weekend warrior sentences during the local state of emergency. We’ll link as soon as that Administrative Order posts to the 17th Circuit website.

Well done!

VOTE HERE FOR BOARD OF GOVERNORS UNTIL MARCH 23RD

DOCKETS!

The following email was sent to judges by Jack Tuter. The reference to dockets is apparently to civil matters, but criminal practitioners can rest assured that procedures are being put into place to assure access to judges and other necessary players to get their clients out of jail if warranted by circumstances. There have been no decisions yet, but as during Wilma, the jail will not just be open for admissions only. There will likely not be any procedural update until Monday when the stakeholders have further discussions, but in addition to telephonic hearings, the electronic first appearances courtroom could be utilized in addition to normal operating hours and functions, as well as recently technologically updated criminal courtrooms in the north wing. As it states in Tuter’s email, all judges will be in the courthouse, so conscientious lawyers can still get the job done over the next couple of weeks …

VOTE HERE FOR BOARD OF GOVERNORS UNTIL MARCH 23RD