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Streamlining Virtual Hearings with the Liberty Virtual Courtroom:
An In-Depth Analysis
September 9, 2025
Featuring: Glendale AZ City Court
Introduction
Courts across the country continue to face the challenge of balancing accessibility, efficiency, and reliability in their virtual hearings.
General-purpose video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Webex, while effective for everyday collaboration, struggle to meet the unique demands of a courtroom setting.
This paper explores the recurring pain points courts face with these platforms, how Liberty Virtual Courtroom is purpose-built to address those needs, and the first-hand experience of Glendale City Court, which transitioned from Zoom to Liberty Virtual Courtroom and saw measurable improvements in time savings, staff efficiency, and participant confidence.
Problem #1: Managing Multiple Virtual Courtrooms
Why Zoom Hearings Take Longer
The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) reports that remote hearings often take up to 34% longer than in-person hearings, with login conflicts and technical difficulties cited as leading causes of delay1.
Courts relying on general-purpose platforms like Zoom or Teams struggle when running multiple dockets simultaneously, as login collisions and session timeouts disrupt proceedings and waste staff resources.
How LVC is Built for High-Volume Courts
Liberty Virtual Courtroom (LVC) allows multiple managers to co-manage different virtual courtrooms at the same time without logging out or ending sessions.
Staff can seamlessly switch between lobbies and courtrooms, join a colleague's room instantly, and keep every docket moving in parallel. In short: the system was designed for the realities of high-volume courts where several hearings run concurrently every day.
.png "Virtual Conference")
Time Saved in Glendale
Devin McMillion, Court Operations Supervisor in Glendale, confirmed the difference after implementation:
"I'd say the biggest thing we've saved is time.
We're no longer battling for space on Zoom ... delays could range anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes depending on the number of in-custodies."
He continued: "At times, we had up to four courtrooms running separate Zoom sessions simultaneously.
Because of login limitations, one courtroom would often be kicked out ... The process added unnecessary stress, caused delays, and disrupted the overall flow of proceedings.
With Liberty, those conflicts are gone."
Problem #2: Process and Clerical Overhead
The Hidden Burden on Clerks
The NCSC has noted that one of the most common complaints about virtual hearings is the increased burden on clerks and staff.
When using general-purpose platforms, recordings must often be downloaded, labeled, and manually stored, creating extra steps that introduce risk of error and consume valuable time.
In many courts, this clerical overhead translates into hours of repetitive work each week.
How LVC Eliminates Busywork
Liberty Virtual Courtroom captures all in-room and remote audio/video and saves it directly into a single Liberty Court Recorder file - the same secure, evidentiary file used for in-person hearings. Every participant's isolated channel is preserved and merged into the case record automatically.
By eliminating downloads, conversions, and duplicate files, LVC ensures consistency and saves staff from unnecessary post-hearing tasks.
Glendale's Workflow Transformed
Before adopting LVC, clerks in Glendale had to download and back up each Zoom recording to the courthouse's "R" drive - a manual process that added stress and slowed workflow.
Devin McMillion explained: "Clerks were required to download and back up each Zoom recording ... creating yet another manual step that added to their workload."
Since deploying LVC, that entire step has been eliminated.
"Clerks no longer have to spend extra time downloading and backing up recordings, since everything is captured automatically within Liberty's recorder."
The result is fewer errors, less repetitive work, and more time for clerks to focus on higher-value support for judges and case flow.
Problem #3: In-Room Audio and Video Integration
Why Remote Voices Go Unheard
One of the recurring challenges in hybrid hearings is poor audio distribution in the courtroom.
On general-purpose platforms, remote participants' voices often play only through a laptop or small bench speaker, making it difficult for everyone present to hear clearly.
This not only frustrates participants but also undermines the sense of professionalism and formality that court proceedings demand.
And in some setups can lead to chronic echo.
.png "Frustrated Judge")
How LVC Delivers Clear, Courtroom-Quality Audio
Liberty Virtual Courtroom integrates directly with existing courtroom microphones, speakers, and Liberty Court Recorder.
Remote participant audio is routed through the courtroom's main digital signal processor (DSP) - the same system used for in-room proceedings - ensuring that every voice is heard with clarity and without echo.
This design elevates the formality of the hearing, maintains continuity with existing AV infrastructure, and reinforces courtroom professionalism.
Better Sound, Smoother Hearings in Glendale
Devin McMillion highlighted the unexpected impact this had on Glendale: "With Liberty Virtual Courtroom, participant audio plays through the courtroom's main speakers, rather than just external speakers at the judge's bench.
This is a significant improvement, providing a more professional experience and making it easier for everyone in the courtroom to hear clearly."
The shift not only improved audibility but also contributed to smoother proceedings and a more formal atmosphere in the courtroom - a detail that judges and staff quickly came to value.
Problem #4: Public Access and Participant Confusion
The Confusion Behind Virtual Access
NCSC studies highlight that participant confusion is one of the leading causes of delay in virtual hearings.
Multiple meeting links, passwords, and unclear access points often require clerks to spend valuable time walking participants through the connection process.
Language access is another barrier: courts serving multilingual communities need to provide instructions and prompts in multiple languages, something most generic platforms don't support.
How LVC Makes Access Simple
Liberty Virtual Courtroom simplifies participant access with persistent lobby links tied to each courtroom.
Links do not need to be regenerated when schedules change, reducing confusion and lost time.
Additionally, LVC provides multilingual access, with all links, prompts, and voice instructions available in English, Spanish, and French.
This ensures equitable access for participants and minimizes the need for staff intervention.
Glendale's Participants Join With Ease
According to Devin McMillion: "Since participants can either use a provided link or access the platform directly from our website, joining Liberty is much smoother and more straightforward. This reduces confusion and delays, minimizes the need for staff to provide technical support, and ensures that hearings start on time."
Conclusions
For Glendale, Liberty Virtual Courtroom turned persistent challenges into measurable improvements.
Login conflicts no longer derail hearings, recordings save automatically without clerical overhead, participant audio reaches the full courtroom, and public access is simple and reliable.
The result is more than convenience - it's a courtroom environment that feels professional, efficient, and prepared.
Judges and staff focus on justice instead of technology, and participants experience smoother, more accessible proceedings.
Glendale's experience underscores a clear truth: while general-purpose conferencing platforms may suffice for office meetings, courts require a purpose-built solution.
Liberty Virtual Courtroom delivers that focus, enabling courts to reduce disruption, simplify workflows, and keep cases moving forward with confidence.
For inquiries related to the Glendale City Court's implementation, contact Devin McMillion at: demcmillion@courts.az.gov
1National Center for State Courts (NCSC). Remote Hearings and Access to Justice: Lessons Learned from the Pandemic, 2021.
Contact Liberty Recording for more Information about the Liberty Virtual Courtroom and how it can enhance your courtroom's operational workflow.
Contact Liberty Recording at
905-886-7771 & press 1 or at sales@libertyrecording.com.
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