All Office of Administrative Hearings: Child Support (“OAH”) hearings before a judge are done by video/phone calls. (Do not go to OAH’s office in the Sequoyah building in Oklahoma City to attend your hearing appointment or hearing before the judge.) OAH uses Microsoft Teams to create a meeting that everyone will join. Each person will be given the information needed to join and can choose to use a phone, computer, tablet, or other device. In a video/phone hearing, everyone may see and hear each other. The hearing will be done as if everyone were in a courtroom, with some differences as to exhibits. (See FAQ #20)
Please download the Teams app prior to your hearing day.
On the day of your hearing appointment, if everyone has not agreed on all of the issues, everyone will go to hearing before a judge. If a hearing before a judge is needed, Child Support Services ("CSS") will contact OAH. However, any party can decide that they want a hearing and CSS will contact OAH. No matter who decides they want a hearing, CSS will email a hearing request form to OAH. A copy will also be sent to all the parties and/or their attorneys. The hearing request form will have everyone's exhibits attached.
(See Sample Hearing Request Form)
When OAH gets the hearing request form, including everyone’s exhibits from CSS for the hearing before the judge:
- CSS will forward copies of the hearing request form, with everyone’s exhibits attached, to the other parties/attorneys.
- OAH will create the Teams meeting (hearing room) with a start time and email the invitation to CSS.
- If you have email, CSS will forward the invitation to you by email. The invitation has the information you need to join the Teams meeting/hearing. The information in the invitation will include a link to join the meeting directly from a device. If you don’t use the link and a device like a smart phone, tablet or computer, you will also have the Teams meeting phone number and meeting ID number to use with a phone. If you do not have email, your CSS worker will call you with the information you need to call in by phone to the meeting/hearing. The information is the Teams meeting phone number and the meeting ID number.
- You can join the meeting by using the Microsoft Teams app or through an internet browser on your smart phone, tablet, or computer and a link in the invitation, OR by making a phone call into the meeting (like a conference call).
Tips for your hearing:
- Video helps the judge and everybody else understand each other better.
- Do not drive while attending the hearing.
- Being able to look at your email during the hearing can be helpful.
- Do not turn on your speaker phone. No one, including the judge, will be able to hear you well, if you do.
- Please join from a quiet place, so everyone can hear you.
- Arrange for child care, so you can focus on the hearing.
- Keep your phone close to you. Contact your caseworker if you are disconnected and cannot reconnect.
- Please have a copy of all papers, including those you sent and those you got from the other parties or OAH, and all exhibits available to review them during the hearing. You can look at electronic copies, if you are able to talk to the judge at the same time. You can also look at paper copies. If you need a paper copy, please contact your caseworker.
- Microsoft Teams Support: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/teams
After you join the meeting:
- You will first be placed on hold (in the “lobby"), until the judge allows you into the meeting. Please be ready to wait on hold a few minutes while everyone else joins. The judge usually allows everyone into the meeting/hearing at the same time.
- Everyone who joins by video/phone call, will see and hear everyone else who joined by video/phone call, including the judge. If someone joins by phone call, without video, that person won't be seen or be able to see the others.
- The judge may leave anyone named as a witness on hold (in the "lobby") or may allow them into the meeting, at first, and then put them back on hold. Witnesses are usually kept out of hearings until they are called to testify/talk.
- You will have a microphone and some control of it, but the judge has greater control of all microphones.
- The Chat feature will be disabled.
- Video Walk-Through for Joining Teams meetings
There are different ways to join listed in the email invitation:
1. Computer:
All you need to join the hearing is the link. This link will come to you in the email invitation. Just click your cursor on the link.
Once you select "Click here to join the meeting," you will be taken to a webpage where you can choose to either: (1) join on the web or (2) download the desktop app.
If you already have the Teams app on your device, the meeting room for the hearing will open there automatically. (If you do have a Teams account, select Sign in to join.)
2. Smartphone with Internet Access:
To join the hearing by smartphone, you’ll need to download and install the Teams mobile app.
In your invitation, select "Click here to join the meeting" to open the app and join the hearing. If you don’t have the app, you’ll be taken to the app store where you can download it.
Note: Please download the app before the meeting starts. It might take a minute or two, depending on your internet connection. To download the app anytime in advance of the hearing, please click on this link.
When joining, if you don’t have a Teams account, select "Join as a guest." If you do have a Teams account, select "Sign in and join."
3. Landline or Mobile Phone (Audio Only):
You may join the hearing by dialing a phone number if you’re unable to use Teams. In the invitation you receive in email, there will be a phone number and a "conference or meeting ID." Dial the number and once you are connected, enter the conference ID when prompted
If you do not have email, please tell the CSS worker prior to hearing. This alerts the CSS worker to call you with the Teams meeting phone number and the meeting ID.
