Remote Criminal Hearings

Placer Superior Court is pleased to offer remote appearances for select hearing types. This webpage outlines the process for all Criminal hearing types. Check for your hearing type in the table below to see which category it falls under. If your hearing type is not listed, please contact the Clerk’s Office for assistance.

Procedural Requirement to Appear Remotely

Click on a link below to see remote appearance requirements for each of the following categories:

  1. Attorneys
  2. Defendants
  3. Witnesses, Victims and Other Nonparties

You can open a downloadable and printable PDF version of the procedural requirements to appear remotely in Criminal cases BY CLICKING HERE. 

Attorneys

The Court generally allows remote appearances for attorneys in Criminal cases, however, remote appearances are NOT allowed in the following hearing types:

  • Contested violation of probation hearings;
  • Court Trials
  • Jury Trials
  • Preliminary hearings
  • Pre-trial status conferences for felony cases without a P.C. § 977 appearance waiver on file, or in those cases where the court has ordered an in person appearance notwithstanding a P.C. § 977 waiver. 

For all other hearing types (e.g., arraignments, collaborative court hearings and conferences, pre-trial status conferences, sentencings, etc.), the following applies:

Attorneys Appearing on behalf of their Client pursuant to PC 977 Client is Appearing - Either Remotely or In Person (Attorney is NOT appearing on behalf of their client pursuant to PC 977)

Schedule your remote appearance no later than 4 PM the court day before the hearing. For felony cases, the waiver of a defendant’s right to be physically or remotely present pursuant to P.C. § 977 may be filed in writing or entered personally by the defendant or by the defendant’s counsel of record.

 

Schedule Now

 

NOTE:

  • If you try to schedule after the deadline, you will see a "no valid events" message in red when searching for your case and you will be unable to schedule your remote appearance. 
  • You will not be able to schedule remote appearances for hearings set more than 30 days out.
 File PL-CR012 Request for Remote Appearance: Criminal no later than two (2) business days before the hearing.

 

Defendants

Most hearings require a remote appearance request subject to judicial approval. The process for each hearing type is as follows:

Hearing Type Attorney Defendant
Any matters where the personal presence of the defendant is required pursuant to P.C. § 977

Remote Appearance Not Allowed

 N/A
Arraignments Remote Appearance Not Allowed N/A
Collaborative Court Hearings and Conferences Remote Appearance Not Allowed N/A
Court Trials Remote Appearance Not Allowed N/A
Jury Trials Remote Appearance Not Allowed N/A
Matters Involving the Issuance, Modification, or Reissuance of a Criminal Protective Order Remote Appearance Not Allowed N/A
Motion Hearings Approval is Required to Appear Remotely To submit a request: File PL-CR012 Request for Remote Appearance: Criminal no later than two (2) business days before the hearing. Court schedules if approved.
Petition Hearings Approval is Required to Appear Remotely To submit a request: File PL-CR012 Request for Remote Appearance: Criminal no later than two (2) business days before the hearing. Court schedules if approved.
Post Judgment Proof Hearing Approval is Required to Appear Remotely To submit a request: File PL-CR012 Request for Remote Appearance: Criminal no later than two (2) business days before the hearing. Court schedules if approved.
Preliminary Hearings Remote Appearance
Not Allowed		 N/A
Probation Transfer Out Hearings Remote Appearance Available To be scheduled: File PL-CR012 Request for Remote Appearance: Criminal no later than two (2) business days before the hearing.
Return on Warrants Remote Appearance
Not Allowed		 N/A
Review Hearings Approval is Required to Appear Remotely To submit a request: File PL-CR012 Request for Remote Appearance: Criminal no later than two (2) business days before the hearing. Court schedules if approved.
Sentencings Remote Appearance
Not Allowed		 N/A

Status Conferences 

(including, but not limited to, Early Status Conferences, Pre-Trial Status Conferences, and Trial Confirming Conferences)

 Approval is Required to Appear Remotely To submit a request: File PL-CR012 Request for Remote Appearance: Criminal no later than two (2) business days before the hearing. Court schedules if approved.
Surrender on Warrants Remote Appearance
Not Allowed		 N/A
Trial Assignment Approval is Required to Appear Remotely To submit a request: File PL-CR012 Request for Remote Appearance: Criminal no later than two (2) business days before the hearing. Court schedules if approved.
Trial Confirming Conference Approval is Required to Appear Remotely To submit a request: File PL-CR012 Request for Remote Appearance: Criminal no later than two (2) business days before the hearing. Court schedules if approved.
Violation of Probation Hearings Remote Appearance
Not Allowed		 N/A

 

Witnesses, Victims and Other Nonparties

Type Eligibility
Witnesses

For Mental Health Court matters, remote appearances are allowed for witnesses, however, judicial approval is required.  

For all other matters, any requests for witnesses to appear remotely must be made on the record with all parties present. 
Victims For all non-trial proceedings, file Local Form PL-CR015 Confidential Request for Remote Appearance: Victim / Victim Advocate at least two (2) business days before the hearing to be scheduled for a remote appearance. 
Nonparties

Nonparties to a case are not permitted to appear remotely.  

  • Nonparties who file motions (e.g., motions to quash) in criminal actions may be allowed to appear remotely. In order to request a remote appearance, nonparties under this subsection must contact the Court Clerk’s Office for instructions on how to file Local Form PL-CR012 Request for Remote Appearance: Criminal. 

 

PREPARING FOR YOUR REMOTE APPEARANCE

  1. Confirm you received the link to connect the day PRIOR to the hearing. Pursuant to the Court’s Local Rules, remote appearance links WILL NOT be provided the same-day as your hearing.
  2. Prepare in the same way you would if appearing in person.
      • Dress appropriately.
      • Think about your background. It is highly recommended that you be located indoors with limited background noise and distractions.
      • It is highly recommended to use a headset with a mic equipped.
      • Join the meeting up to 5 minutes early.
  3. Prior to connecting, ensure your device (must be equipped with a camera, microphone, and speaker) is compatible with the Court’s remote appearance system by reviewing the FAQs. You can find the technology related requirements to appear remotely in our Remote Appearance User Guide.
  4. Please enter both your first and last name when joining the meeting. It is highly encouraged to also include your case number.
  5. Your case may not be heard at the time the calendar is scheduled to start. The courtroom will admit you into the meeting and place you and all other participants on mute. Only once your case is called, please unmute yourself and turn on your video. Keep in mind that your case may not be called for a few hours.

The remote appearance confirmation email you receive will ONLY be valid for the hearing you are scheduled for. The conference ID, PIN, and/or link provided to you will not work if your matter is continued or has another hearing set. You will either need to schedule yourself or request a remote appearance for future hearings.