Rule 18.1 Appearance by Audio-Visual Transmission

If a defendant is in jail and facing a non-capital charge, the court can let them appear for their arraignment using video technology instead of showing up in person. This means the defendant can see and hear the judge, and the judge can see and hear the defendant, all in real time through a video connection.

During this video hearing, the defendant can still enter their plea, just like they would if they were standing in the courtroom. This rule helps save time and resources by avoiding the need to transport the defendant from jail to the courthouse for this particular step in the case.

It's worth noting that this option is only available for non-capital cases, meaning cases where the death penalty is not a possible punishment. For capital cases, the defendant would likely need to appear in person for their arraignment.