The Administrative Office of the Courts, as directed by the U.S. Judicial Conference, now requires that federal courts limit remote attendance (i.e., Zoom or telephonic) at evidentiary hearings to parties to those matters. To comply with that directive while simultaneously trying to increase access to the bankruptcy court, Judge Parker has implemented a “green room” procedure for Zoom and telephonic court attendees.
A traditional “green room” is the space in a theatre or similar venue which functions as a comfortable waiting room for performers waiting to go onstage. Judge Parker’s green room is simply an electronic “breakout room” for attendees to wait pending their hearing before the Court. Multiple “performers” similarly waiting their turn may be in the green room simultaneously. All attendees are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect, and placement in the green room is not intended to disparage an attendee in any way. Instead, it is Judge Parker’s way of continuing to allow, in appropriate circumstances, a Zoom or telephonic attendance at a hearing without compelling parties to attend a live hearing. Judge Parker prefers live hearings but believes that remote attendance at hearings for some matters and for some attendees allows greater access to the court.
Green Room Procedures
It is said that bankruptcy courts are the face of the federal judiciary because these courts “touch” eighty-five percent of all who come into contact with the federal courts. As such, bankruptcy courts, including Judge Parker’s court, tend to be very busy and they hear a great number of matters. That means that bankruptcy courts must schedule multiple matters for a hearing at the same time. While the docket is typically called in order of pleading submission, the Court will usually take uncontested matters and matters not requiring evidence first. Short evidentiary matters typically follow and evidentiary matters that may take a long time are taken up last.
If you are attending a hearing via Zoom, you will be placed in the green room as soon as you connect. Once your case is called, you will be automatically moved into the hearing by the Courtroom Deputy. If, once your hearing is concluded, another evidentiary hearing begins, the Courtroom Deputy will move you back into the green room.
Placement in the Green Room
Once you log into Zoom or call in to your hearing, you will be automatically placed in the green room. If the Court proceeds on an evidentiary hearing, all remote attendees who are not parties to that hearing will be moved back into the green room by the Courtroom Deputy (Deanna Castleberry or her substitute).
If you are attending remotely (either by Zoom or telephonically) without prior Court permission, your connection to the hearing will also be terminated to allow the Court to comply with the Administrative Office’s directive. If you are attending by telephone, please indicate your identity. If you do not, Judge Parker will ask you to identify yourself, after which you may be terminated from the hearing if you have not requested permission to attend via telephone. Because it is very rare for the Court to allow telephonic appearances, anyone attempting to attend via phone without permission will “stand out” and have their connection terminated.
Parties may request permission to attend via both Zoom and phone (a “Dual Attendee”) for audio quality purposes. Should placement in the green room be necessary for Dual Attendees, the Court will move a Dual Attendee’s Zoom connection and phone connection to the green room.
The Administrative Office’s directive does not apply to live appearances. To avoid being placed in the green room, or being disconnected as a telephonic attendee, you may attend any hearing in-person. No permission is required to attend a live hearing. Absent special circumstances, the Court is always open to members of the public who wish to attend live hearings.