Slow internet hampers Wayne County court operations

GREENVILLE — The dependability of the internet is the biggest problem Wayne County’s courts are experiencing in its use of technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Depending on where you are, the internet is not good,” said Associate Circuit Judge Christina Kime.

Living in Piedmont, Kime can work from home since she has good Wi-Fi, but, she said, it’s easier to be at the courthouse.

Wayne County, she said, had been using video conferencing between the courtroom and the jail prior to the pandemic.

“They all work; it’s just how well (everyone) can hear, how delayed” the transmissions are, said Kime. “The Polycom to the jail, so far, has not been a problem. Everyone is able to hear really well.”

Kime said she has been doing the preliminary hearings for those defendants in custody by Polycom this month. Polycom, she said, also is being used for cases involving prison inmates.

“The Supreme Court has new rulings, regarding oaths; we can swear you in by Polycom,” she said.

The Supreme Court, Kime said, is now recommending the use of WebEx as an alternative to Zoom.

“Unfortunately, I could not use either of these (options) if an ‘on-the-record’ hearing is required,” said Kime.

The video conferencing, Kime said, has been a “good thing for us, we can do all bond hearings through Polycom with the jail.”

The new bond rules, she said, have constitutional implications and time standards.

Kime usually hears preliminary hearings one day a month.

Due to COVID-19, she said, she still will have the preliminary hearings for those in custody.

During the video appearances, Kime said, the public defender, who mainly represents those in jail, is in the courtroom with her.

“If he needs to talk to his client, everyone will have to leave the courtroom,” Kime said. “It’s likely to be a long day. … We’ll do as much as we can.”

The public defender, Kime said, is not crazy about the process.

“None of us are,” she said.

Preliminary hearings for those on bond, will be continued, Kime said.

“Here, we have held, have to hold adult abuse (hearings)” in person, said Kime. Those are among the exemptions to the Supreme Court’s in-person proceedings suspension.

“We have to do (those) in person,” Kime said. “We have no (other) procedure except the Polycom in the jail.

“We let one case in at a time. No bystanders, only the witnesses and parties” are allowed.

Other parties, she said, will be asked to remain in their vehicles until their case is heard.

Misdemeanor offenders, Kime said, usually only end up in jail if they failed to appear in court and a warrant is issued.

“Once in a while, they’re picked up and they want to resolve their issues, and we get them out of the jail if possible,” she said.

Kime said she is unsure whether she could conduct her regular docket via the internet.

So far, she said, they have not been doing more than 10 cases a day.