Pros and cons of judicial hearings via Zoom: the effect of in-person presence

Abstract

While Zoom hearings streamline judicial procedures, they may be detrimental to those bringing legal claims. Empirical studies suggest that judges tend to reject petitions more often in virtual hearings than in in-person ones, and that witnesses who testify via screen are perceived as less trustworthy This work examines, from the perspective of legal sociology, the “Presence Effect,” that is, the effects of virtuality on perception, credibility, and judicial decision-making, and proposes strategies to minimize the negative biases that this medium can generate.