MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Saginaw County Bar Association

                        Saginaw County Prosecuting Attorney and Staff

Saginaw Defenders Office

                        Criminal Defense Attorneys Appearing in Saginaw County

FROM:            Hon. Darnell Jackson, Chief Judge

                        Saginaw County Trial Courts

DATE:            April 27, 2020

As the Saginaw County Trial Courts expand the use of Zoom, Polycom and other technologies to conduct court proceedings remotely, it is imperative that attorneys are appropriately prepared.  Below is a non-exhaustive list of issues that recently have complicated these remote proceedings.  Please review these issues and be as prepared as you would be when proceedings are physically held in court.

1. Ensure that you have fully communicated with your client PRIOR to the proceeding.  Ensuring confidential communications during the hearing is problematic.

2. Ensure that your client has received and reviewed any and all necessary paperwork, e.g. presentence investigation reports, updated case reports, etc. in a timely manner PRIOR to the proceedings.

3. Ensure that your client has received, reviewed and signed and/or initialed necessary forms for pleas and sentences: Advice of Rights; Notice of Right to Appellate Review PRIOR OR DURING the proceedings.

4. If there are any disputes regarding guideline scoring, those must either be resolved prior to the sentencing or otherwise set for a hearing PRIOR to the sentencing date.

5. Complete plea agreement forms and submit same to the judge PRIOR to the plea.

Thank you for your anticipated and continuing cooperation during this time.