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miliar with remote technology at As a mediator and arbitrator,
all. They won’t know how to click Chris Kriesen has held about 15
on for a remote hearing. There is Zoom meetings with attorneys and
a digital divide there.” their clients since the beginning of
In some cases, White said, those Chief Court Administrator the pandemic in mid-March.
Patrick Carroll III sounded
without computers might have go “At first, there was pushback be-
to court to access computers that the bell that hearings cause everyone thought it wasn’t

the courts will be making avail- conducted remotely will secure and they were uncomfort-

able. That, she said, can create be part of the new way of able with the technology,” said
more obstacles. attorneys doing business. Kriesen, founder and principal of
“Many people of less means are The Kalon Law Firm in Hartford.
not technology-savvy,” she said. “People have adapted. The system
“And, I don’t believe it will be fea- can be secure and they are feeling
sible for court personnel to assist more comfortable with the tech-
them because of social-distanc- nology. Many people don’t even
ing concerns. Who will show them how to use the realize they are online anymore.”
equipment?” ¦

White continued: “I’m not saying the handbook Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
and working remotely is a bad thing. It is what it is. analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
We just have to make sure the rights of unrepresent- him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
ed people are protected.” 203-437-5950.

Connecticut Court Allows All Voters to
Use Absentee Ballots

By Robert Storace
The Connecticut Supreme Court late Monday District, and Thomas Gilmer and Justin Anderson,
issued a ruling dismissing a challenge to the who are seeking their party’s endorsement for the
state’s absentee ballot process that allows all state’s 2nd Congressional District.
residents to vote via absentee ballot in the Aug. 11 In the July 1 lawsuit, the candidates said issuing
congressional primary, if they choose to do so. absentee ballots for everyone in the primary was
The state Supreme Court had not posted the ruling unconstitutional and “erroneously expands absentee
on its website at press time, but the state’s Attorney voting in Connecticut.”
General’s Office employees said they were notified of The lawsuit, which lists Secretary of State Denise
the ruling late Monday afternoon. Merrill as the defendant, also says that Merrill “er-
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Ned roneously determined that all eligible voters may
Lamont signed an executive order in June allowing use COVID-19 … as a valid reason for requesting
every resident to vote via absentee ballot in the pri- an absentee ballot.”
mary election. The lawsuit further claims that Section 7 of the
Four Republican candidates for U.S. Congress state constitution provides “that voting must be
in Connecticut challenged the executive order in a done in person and limits the use of absentee voting
lawsuit. Those candidates are Mary Fay and James to circumstances when a person is unable to appear
Griffin, who are vying for the 1st Congressional
¦ Continued on PAGE 16

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