Category Archives: Technology

OJD Webinars on New Court Rules Today and Tomorrow

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New eSignature and Remote Hearing Rules

On Friday, March 27, 2020 Chief Justice Walters amended CJO 20-006, which in section 7 allows parties to electronically file exhibits for remote hearings. In addition, CJO 20-008 allows filers to submit declarations signed by non-filers using eSignatures. In eCourt parlance, “non-filers” are represented parties and non-party declarants.

OJD Webinars Today and Tomorrow – Sign Up Now!

OJD is holding webinars to go over these changes on Monday, April 6, 2020 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM and Tuesday, April 7, 2020 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. If you are unable to attend at either of these times, the webinars will be recorded.

Register now!

Questions, Concerns, or Comments About the New UTCRs

Please send your questions, comments and feedback to: oeto.webinar@ojd.state.or.us.

File & Serve Upgrade Postponed

The File & Serve upgrade originally scheduled for April 10, 2020 is postponed. If there is sufficient time during the eSignature and remote hearing webinars, OJD staff will cover this topic.

When is the Upgrade Happening?

Hopefully in June. Watch for announcements via email and in the News section of the OSB website. When the upgrade occurs, File & Serve will be offline for at least 4 hours.

How is File & Serve Changing?

The new version of File & Serve will look and function the same as the current version of File & Serve. The only substantive difference will be the addition of case subtypes as a filing option.

The new version of File & Serve has other optional features that will be evaluated after the upgrade. If OJD decides to add other optional features it will provide notice to all filers before the changes are made.

What Do I Need to Do?

Nothing for now. OJD will host specific File & Serve webinars prior to the upgrade. More details will be provided in the coming months.

All Rights Reserved 2020 Beverly Michaelis

Using Zoom for Video Conferencing

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I love Zoom, but like any tech, there are potential vulnerabilities for new users.

Protect your Zoom account and avoid Zoombombing (aka hacking) by following these suggestions:

  • Be wary of links. Login at Zoom directly rather than using the meeting link. Enter the provided meeting ID to join a meeting.
  • Set screen sharing to host only. Doing so prevents your meeting from being hijacked by a hacker.
  • Use the waiting room feature to prescreen and approve attendees.
  • Try Zoom webinars instead (this is the method I use for all my CLEs). Webinar settings offer advanced controls, including several approaches to prescreening attendees.

Read more about these safety tips here.

Are Zoom Conferences Recorded?

Webinars

When I conduct Zoom CLE webinars, I record them. This is a setting I activate as host. It isn’t automatic.

Meetings

Zoom meetings are recorded by default. Zoom help explains this and instructs hosts on how to change settings. This is one area where the USA Today article is misleading. For information on Zoom encryption, see this.

Give Others a Heads Up

No matter what you do, it is common sense to give clients and others a heads up on how your video meeting will be conducted. Advise if you plan to record. Let attendees know if your conference is listen only, whether they can raise their hand, or submit questions.

Documenting Your File

Recordings have their place. For example, preserving the meeting as part of your file. Advanced settings in Zoom allow you to include all participant names, add a time stamp, save chat files, and automatically transcribe audio.

All in all, Zoom is a pretty terrific tool.

All Rights Reserved 2020 Beverly Michaelis

How to Work Remotely

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For those of you struggling to figure out how your business can adapt to the age of COVID-19, here’s the good news: it can be done!

The keys, according to Washington Lawyer Jordan L. Couch, are:

  • Setting up a VPN & Remote Desktop
  • Grabbing What You Need from the Office
  • Taking Online Signatures
  • Using Cloud Storage
  • Scheduling Video Conferences and Investing in VoIP

Read more at the link below.

via How to Work Remotely as a Lawyer: An Innovator’s Guide to Law in the Time of Coronavirus — NWSidebar.

My two cents?

VPN and Remote Desktop

Remote access allows you to get to all your office files from home. Learn more by reading this post.

Grabbing What You Need at the Office

Plan before you go. If you have staff, ask for input then make a list. Find a cardboard box, sacks, or anything you can use to carry office supplies and the like – ideally virus-free and ready to go. If you’re not sure whether the carriers you’re using to bring stuff home are good to go, then disinfect. Be prepared to do it again or to “quarantine” carriers when you return home.

  • If you were last in the office four or more days ago – everything you bring home is virus-free. This assumes no one else has been in your space and had access to files or items in your workspace.
  • If you were in the office more recently, prepare to disinfect what you bring home or quarantine it for three days. The virus lives on plastic for three days and plastic is EVERYWHERE in our offices – keyboards, mice, phones, etc. Read more here.
  • Protect yourself. If you are in a firm, office share, rent space, or pay for custodial services, assume someone has been in your space and protect yourself according to CDC guidelines.

Digital Signatures

I first wrote about digital signatures in 2012. I’m a big fan. See the heading Digital Signing Apps in this post for recommendations.

Cloud Storage

If you already have Microsoft Office 365, use OneDrive. If you have Google Apps, use Google Drive. Mac user? Why iCloud of course. Otherwise, think about Box or Dropbox Business.

Phone conferencing

VOiP isn’t essential. If you use your cell phone for business, you’re already set. If you rely on an office landline, contact your provider about call forwarding. Minimally change your outgoing message so clients know you’ll be monitoring and returning calls remotely.

Video conferencing

I love Zoom for video conferencing! All my webinars are conducted through Zoom.

All Rights Reserved 2020 Beverly Michaelis

Breaking News: eFile & Serve Upgrade Postponed – Webinars Coming on UTCR Amendments Allowing Remote Hearings and Expanding eSignatures

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Register here for the Webinars and pass on this news!

Chief Justice Order Amended Today

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This evening Oregon Chief Justice Walters issued amended CJO 20-006.

In addition to continuing the Level 3 health restrictions already in place, the Chief Justice is seeking legislative authority to (1) extend or suspend timelines currently set by statute or rule, and that apply after the initiation of both criminal and civil cases; and (2) ensure the ability to appear in court by telephone or other remote means in most circumstances. If that authority is granted, a supplemental order will be issued.

With exceptions, proceedings and trials scheduled to begin earlier than June 1, 2020, are postponed, and no trials will be scheduled to begin before June 1, 2020.

The Chief Justice also ordered temporary suspension of collection fees and amended UTCR 21.090 and repealed UTCR 21.120. The net result of this change is to permit the use of electronic signatures by declarants if created with secure software.

Read the full press release here.