It’s essential for anyone who has a virtual Connecticut court appearance to understand some of the pitfalls involved with video and how to really capitalize on the positive. Here are some rules that you should follow for your Connecticut virtual court appearance.
- Understand that the in-person advantages that we take for granted when speaking with people disappear when we participate in a virtual exchange. Non-verbal cues, hand movement and other subtle ways in which we understand each other when speaking in person aren’t usually available or are substantially diminished on camera.
- Accentuate the positive. Be aware of how you dress. Your clothing should be professional and neat. The way that you dress shows that you take yourself and the court seriously.
- Continue to accentuate the positive by being aware of the volume and tone of your voice, making sure that you speak slowly and clearly.
- Maximize lighting. Daylight is ideal, but if artificial light is your main source, do make sure that there is plenty of light surrounding and make sure that your camera angle is either straight-on or somewhat above your eye level.
- Be aware of your backdrop. A neutral backdrop is your goal here. A blank wall is fine. If there is furniture behind you, such as a table, remove any clutter and any potential distractions. A picture is OK, but your picture should not make a statement. YOU should be making the statement by how YOU appear.
- When examining your backdrop and what the camera will record, remove personal items. The court doesn’t want to see your dirty laundry, dishes, or things that you might be storing in boxes. Do your best to clean up your space.
Remember that every time that you appear in court, whether in person or virtually, you have an opportunity to make a positive impact. For the near and maybe long term, virtual court appearances will be increasingly common.
Your law firm should spend time on preparing you for your appearance, ensuring that you and the backdrop look right. When you put all of the rules together with the right law firm, you will succeed at your Connecticut virtual court appearance.
