Order in the Court... Via Holograms?
By SCN Staff ( Systems Contractor News )
Reuters recently dove into a mock trial at William & Mary Law School that used holograms as witnesses. Will it stick?
(Image credit: William & Mary Law School (YouTube))
As with everything, the courtroom experience changed with the pandemic. Many turned to videoconferencing in order to keep to social distancing and unnecessary trips to the courthouse.
With the help of Proto, William & Mary is taking it to the next level with holographic witnesses.
“I believe it’s radically different than any type of videoconferencing we’ve ever used,” center director Fredric Lederer told Reuters.
While it is not only worthwhile, presenting a better image and more detail than a videoconferencing solution, let's face it—it's pretty darn cool. That doesn't mean it doesn't come with challenges. As Reuters points out, the Epic unit from Proto costs roughly $65,000 and there is also constitutionality to consider.
"The Confrontation Clause grants those facing criminal prosecution the right to confront their accusers. And while courts have allowed some child witnesses to testify remotely in criminal cases, the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to clarify the matter as to adult witnesses," Lederer said in the Reuters article.