I have experience in Virtual appeals at
this point and I can give you a direct
example this is an argument in front of
the court of appeals with regard to the
time limits that are placed on
examination of a mesothelioma plaintiff
in-depth position this case comes to us
concerning the extent of time to examine
a dying mesothelioma plaintiff under CCP
2025.295 uh Mr Hugo you may proceed
thank you justice Needham
I look the same size as the justices and
bigger than my opposing counsel because
I plan to do so the virtual platform
requires planning that we never thought
we would have to do as traditional
lawyers in a physical space now we not
only have to plan as to how we are going
to look physically but we need to plan
as to how we are going to look virtually
and how we’re going to sound so you have
to practice in a different way than
traditional oral arguments you have to
practice into a computer where you can
play it back and see how you appear and
in order to create a great virtual
presence you have to practice first way
to do that is to look at videos that
were shot during actual virtual appeals
California records its oral arguments so
those are available on YouTube and other
channels second you need to practice
with either a videographer or a computer
and play it back and see how you appear
I’ve been very critical of virtual
in contrast virtual appeals actually
work you have a much smaller audience
usually three justices in only one
opposing Council it’s relatively easy to
look at the justices and have a
communication through a computer in your
posing council is really not involved
that’s far far different from a judge a
live witness 12 jurors plus alternates
and all opposing counsel in little
squares on a screen so it’s much easier
to be interactive in a court of appeals
