Section 15-26-1

Conduct of pre-trial proceeding by audio-video communication device.

Whenever the law requires a defendant in a criminal case to appear before any judge or magistrate for a first or subsequent appearance, bail, arraignment, or other pre-trial proceeding, at the discretion of the court, the proceeding may be conducted by an audio-video communication device, in which case the defendant shall not be required to be physically brought before the judge or magistrate. The audio-video communication shall enable the judge or magistrate to see and converse simultaneously with the defendant or other person and operate so that the defendant and his or her counsel, if any, can communicate privately, and so that the defendant and his or her counsel are both physically present in the same place during the audio-video communication. The signal of the audio-video communication shall be transmitted live and shall be secure from interception through lawful means by anyone other than the persons communicating. Nothing herein shall be construed as affecting the defendant's right to waive counsel.

(Acts 1996, No. 96-732, p. 1224, §1.)