Gain Courtroom Advantage with Trial Presentation Technology
Presenting your case in a trial is all about telling a story. Your ability to communicate and tell your story can influence the outcome you receive for your client. Trial presentation technology can help you tell a better story and ensure that you make a lasting impression upon your audience. Whether you are a big firm, small firm, even solo practitioner, this valuable technology is well within your reach.
Simplify and Organize Your Presentation
Trial presentation technology is software that can be used to simplify and organize your trial presentation process and provide information in a way that is easily digestible by jurors and judges. There are several ways trial technology should be incorporated into your next case.
- This technology can be used with PowerPoint presentations in opening statements.
- It can be used to pull up any page of any exhibit at any time.
- You can use video for witness impeachment.
- Timelines can be created that allow you to pull up relevant documents, show the important text, then go back to the timeline and continue presenting your case.
Incorporate Presentation Technologies Into Your Courtroom Strategy
When you began your legal career, you likely learned to present your case without the assistance of technology. You are familiar with using large amounts of paper exhibits and graphics printed on large boards. You have hauled all of this into the courtroom with every trial. Trial presentation technology can diminish your need for those notebooks and boxes, and can enhance your existing courtroom strategies. With a little practice, you can learn to use the new technologies in your presentation in a way that suits you and your existing process. There is no need to relearn your strategies, only a need to become more familiar with the technology available to you and how it can make your case better.
Hold Their Attention
It is no secret that attention spans have gotten shorter since the advent of the internet, smartphones and tablets. Statistics gathered by Statistic Brain show the average attention span today is 8.25 seconds. This means you only have a few seconds to make a point before you start to lose your juror’s attention.
Viewing documents on monitors will feel comfortable for your jury and help them engage as you present your case. They can see the document as you refer to it during your questioning of witnesses. Jurors are familiar with this combination of audio and visual information and expect information in the courtroom to come to them in the same way.
http://www.statisticbrain.com/attention-span-statistics/
Make Your Case More Memorable
Studies also suggest that we have difficulty retaining auditory messages compared to visual messages.
This means, you need to both show and tell your jurors the points you want them to remember. If you present your information to the judge or jury using visual monitor displays, they are far more likely to retain the information at the time of deliberation. You can also emphasize specific parts of an exhibit with highlighting or enlarging text that you want your jury to remember. With your trial technician, you can have this prepared ahead of trial, as well as add more highlighting and enlargement while the trial is in session. Your jurors will have a much better chance of remembering key facts in your case during deliberation.
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0089914
Seamlessly Work With Documents
Once your exhibits and graphics are organized digitally, a trial technician can bring up the documents you need when you need them. With paper, if you suddenly need to use documents out of order, you have to comb through your documents to find the right exhibit. Trial technology can help you streamline this process and present your case more efficiently. Your trial technician can find exactly what you need when you need it, and bring it up immediately on the screen for the judge or jury. They can do this quickly because they are very familiar with the software and how to use it to present information.
Tell a Better Story
Trial technology can help you make a good case better. If your case involves complex issues, you will need to be able to concisely explain those points in a way that your judge or jury will understand. Your jurors are not experts, but they may need to hear and digest technical issues. To help in that process, trial technology allows you to create charts and graphs that will simplify concepts. You can also create timelines that allow you to show your case chronologically and present specific documents along the timeline.
Seeing is Believing
When it comes to testimony, seeing is believing. Using video depositions allow you to play back portions of a witness’s testimony. Video allows your jury can see the demeanor of your witness as they testify. This conveys information that will not be found in a written-only transcript. You may be able use video clips to emphasize testimony or even to impeach a witness.
If you are ready to get started with Trial Presentation Technology, there are some things you need to know.
You Don’t Have to Do It Yourself
You can now work with court reporting firms who offer trial services using trial technology software. They can work with you and your staff during trial preparation to obtain the documents you need to present, as well as help you take video depositions and create courtroom graphics. During the trial, your technician will be working beside you. All you need to do is present your case just as you would with paper documents. Your trial technician will call up the documents and video clips when you need them to effectively present your case.
You Don’t Need To Learn New Software Programs
Your trial services provider will be using powerful presentation software. Your technician will know the software well and will be efficient and adept at using it to help you present your case. You and your staff do not need to learn the software. Working with the trial technician, you will be able to benefit from this powerful software without going through extensive training.
You Don’t Have To Set Up or Troubleshoot Equipment
Trial technicians can also work with the court to ensure the right equipment is available and in working order. If the right equipment is not available in your jurisdiction, the technology firm can often provide what you need. In the courtroom, if something goes wrong with equipment, your trial technician is very familiar with the equipment and will be able to troubleshoot any issues that might arise.
Give Trial Presentation Technology a Try
A good way to get started with trial technology is to try it out on a small case. Most attorneys, once they have tried the services and worked with a trial technician, see the benefits. They see how easy it can be to present a seamless presentation. By trying trial presentation technology on a small case first, you will be familiar with the services when a large case comes along, and can use it to gain the advantage for you and your client.
To learn more about what the PohlmanUSA trial services team can assist with visit http://pohlmanusa.com/our-services/trial-support-services/
