Little Rock Traffic Court (State District 31 - Little Rock, 2) announced today that, in light of the recent success of its “virtual court cyber-docket” and the data being received from state, county, and city officials, it will not re-open for in-person hearings until September at the earliest.

In a letter to Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., Judge Fleming wrote: “After reviewing the draft of the City’s most recent circular, as well as taking into account the flow of data from the State, we have decided not to recommence in-person hearings until September at the earliest.”

Fleming added that his court will “continue with our telephone and teleconference hearings and, when absolutely necessary, … hold occasional in-person hearings with stringent distancing and ample PPE being employed.” He said about 100 cases were called for plea and arraignment Wednesday, with about 70 being resolved. He said the 30 no-shows out of 100 “was consistent with in-person expectations.”

He also wrote that “Each of the past few weeks, we have been able to handle 100 or more cases via teleconferencing and telephone” and that many “are expressing sincere gratitude for our efforts in helping them resolve issues that have been looming for weeks. Most people want to deal with their citations in a timely manner.”

Fleming told Scott that the “health and safety or our staff, as well as that of our customers, is paramount. There is no merit in endangering anyone by in-person handling of matters that can be handled remotely. Moreover, the ability, availability, accessibility, and accountability involved with Webex hearings, plus speaker-phone patch-ins, allow us to dispose of most cases, as long as defendants will participate by logging on after our staff has reached out to them.”

Recipients of traffic citations are asked to email the court to get on the docket for a remote court session. People who do not have email may call 501-371-4733. Some will be permitted to “appear” by telephone only, but Fleming stresses that videoconferencing is preferable.

“In most cases, / we need to see faces,” he said.

People with citations that show court dates in July and August are asked to email the court at TrafficCourtContact@littlerock.gov as soon as possible to get on the docket. “We want them to call early,” Fleming said, “so we can pull their files before deadlines loom. Some cases can be resolved with one phone call or by emailing one document.”

Fleming stressed that “it will not be helpful to drive downtown and physically come to the courthouse. Please don’t come to the building.”

People who do show up at the courthouse will be given paperwork explaining how to get on the cyber-docket. For more information, call 501-371-4733 or emailTrafficCourtContact@littlerock.gov.

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