Civil actions: appearance by telephone.

Existing law authorizes a party who has provided notice to appear by telephone at specified conferences, hearings, or proceedings in civil cases. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to adopt rules effectuating those policies and provisions. Existing law also requires the Judicial Council to establish statewide, uniform fees to be paid by a party for appearing by telephone. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to enter into one or more master agreements with a vendor or vendors to provide for telephone appearances in civil cases pursuant to the above-described provisions. Existing law requires a portion of the fees collected by vendors or courts providing for appearances by telephone to be transmitted to the State Treasury for deposit in the Trial Court Trust Fund. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to determine the method and amount of allocation to eligible courts, as specified. This bill would repeal those provisions.