![]() A few times I worked from home, and conducted Zoom hearings from our guest room. I felt safe from the pandemic when I sat in my courtroom alone, conducting hearings remotely via Zoom. I continued going to work from late March until the end of May even though our courthouse was closed to the public. More importantly, we purchased a Zoom subscription. Our court purchased laptops and other necessities for operating remotely. Courts turned in their proposals within days of the program announcement, and grant money was dispersed in record time. One of my first pandemic tasks was to help draft a grant proposal for the Ohio Supreme Court’s emergency grant program designed to help courts buy whatever technology they needed to operate remotely. My first Zoom hearing, from a empty courtroom. Closing courts 100% is not an option in a civil society. Courts also need to hear other emergency cases, such as emergency custody actions involving children, and motions for temporary orders that might be needed in a divorce or other type of case. The Ohio Supreme Court has continually made it clear to judges and magistrates that despite the pandemic and courthouses doors being closed to the general public, courts have a duty to be available for victims of domestic violence. Many courts closed their doors to the general public back in March, and some closed again within the past two weeks for the same reason. ![]() But I knew that if I had retired then, I would have been shirking my duty as an officer of the court to keep the courts open and operating despite the pandemic. When I looked at the scary new world around me, I wanted to retire immediately. So big, in fact, that my blogger buddies successfully lured me back into the blogging realm by suggesting I write about Zoom.ĭuring our Thanksgiving service at church this morning, by Zoom, it occurred to me that: (1) I’m surprised I enjoy staying home nearly all the time, and (2) my previous fear of staying home was a fear of being unable to interact with others, and (3)-and here’s the kicker-I wouldn’t be half as happy during this 2020 pandemic if it weren’t for Zoom contact with two-dimensional people.īy the middle of March, when the pandemic was in full force in Ohio, I had not yet retired from my job as a domestic relations magistrate in a small Ohio county. The theme of the Hoagies Gifted Education Page December 2020 Blog Hop is “2020 The Year of _.” Each blogger filled in whatever word best describes their year. 2020 The Year of Zoom Posted: Decem| Author: Wenda Sheard | Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment Zoom benefits: No mask or driving needed. ![]()
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