All Eyes on Me: Facing the Courtroom Under the Zoom Lens

The chaos of a global pandemic in 2020 brought along the devastation of the loss of loved ones, massive supply shortages of raw materials, closing of businesses, the list goes on and on… Forensic laboratories across the world were faced with sharing the supply chain of consumables with the ever‐growing needs of COVID testing laboratories while balancing social distancing and new safety procedures. As the world slowly starts to return to business, new challenges are faced by restrictions in the courtrooms. Combining the nerves of regular testimony with personal protective equipment (PPE) on the stand, along with temperature checks, and new check‐in procedures, adds to the stress of everyday testimony. However, many courtrooms are opting for another choice, virtual testimony. What does this mean for confrontation clause challenges? How will scientists convey their findings to a jury through the zoom lens? This presentation will highlight some of the challenges and advantages experienced in the changes of courtroom testimony in 2020 and beyond.