Virtual Court Process

Before Your Hearing

  • Once you have made contact with the court regarding your virtual hearing, the information needed to join the Zoom meeting (virtual hearing) will be sent to your address that was provided by you.
  • All documents that you want to present to the court regarding your case(s), such as identification cards, insurance cards (for failure to maintain financial responsibility or moving violation) must be submitted no later that the Friday before at noon the day before your hearing to court@clearlakeshores-tx.gov .

The Virtual Court Process

  • Proper courtroom etiquette and proper courtroom attire are required.
  • The virtual court hearings are streamed live to comply with the State of Texas "Open Court" requirements.
  • Audio and video are necessary for the virtual courtroom hearing. When joining the hearing you must select "Join with Audio and Video" If your audio is not working when you are called for the check-in process, you will be returned to the waiting room.
  • When you enter the virtual courtroom, you will be muted and should remain muted until the Judge permits you to speak.
  • The Judge will call your name when he is ready to accept your plea and render his order(s).
  •  Some defendants are not speaking to the Prosecutor, but have been summoned for a Show Cause hearing. You will speaking only to the Judge and will be addressed in the main court hearing.
  • If you do not answer when your name is called, the next person will be called.
  • After speaking with the Judge, you will be moved to an paperwork breakout room where you will speak with the court clerk, who will explain the Judge's orders and answer any questions you may have before leaving the virtual courtroom.
  • If you are going to speak with the Prosecutor you will be moved to a breakout room where your conversations are private.
  • The Prosecutor will instruct you when it is time to leave the breakout room and return to the main hearing room.

The Day of Court

  • The day of your scheduled virtual hearing, you must join the virtual hearing via Zoom using the meeting link provided to you. You may join the Zoom meeting firm a smartphone or computer wit a webcam and microphone enabled.
  • Please download the zoom platform before the scheduled virtual hearing date and time to avoid any delays. If you have any difficulties, please contact the court for assistance in downloading, installing, or joining Zoom prior to the virtual hearing. Once the virtual hearing has started, assistance will be limited.
  • When joining the virtual hearing, please use your full legal name as your screen name. Once you have successfully joined the virtual hearing, you will be placed in a waiting room.
  • When the hearing starts, you will be brought into the virtual courtroom. You will be muted upon entry and will remain muted until your called upon at which time the court clerk will unmute you. Please be attentive at all times, failure to do so may cause you to miss important instructions and possibly be removed from the virtual courtroom.

Recording Court Proceedings

No person, other than the court reporter, may record a court proceeding without the court’s permission. This prohibition applies to all persons, including members of the public viewing court proceedings on any court’s live stream and to persons with the ability to record any virtual court proceeding. Any person found to be in violation of this order faces contempt proceedings, including a fine of up to $100 and a sentence of confinement for up to three (3) days in jail for each act of contempt of court.

Note:  The remote appearance is not optional and neglecting to appear will have the same consequences as not appearing at an in-person proceeding.  Alternatively, options for handling a citation prior to a court date, can be found here, on the court’s website. (See Dismissals, Payment Information on the main page of this website.)

Please call the court at (281) 334-0697, for more information on video conferencing court appearances.