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Seeing
Really Is Believing:
Compelling Court Presentations Make Dollars and Sense.
Philadelphia, PA, January 30, 2009 – Today’s
technology is spreading fast and becoming widely accepted in
courtrooms throughout the U.S. The most common use of video
in the legal profession today is the documentation of depositions
for later use in court. The strength found in courtroom
presentations that utilize video testimonies and “day-in-the-life” videos
is convincing and continues to influence case outcomes. Using
video offers credibility to jurors by letting them see an individual
speaking instead of just hearing it read from a transcript.
Taking time to develop your deposition is an important step towards
winning your case. “Gathering and preparing facts and evidence
that support your case is the first step. What makes that evidence
come to life is how it is presented in the courtroom”,
says Henry Karasch of Karasch & Associates, a litigation
support firm specializing in video presentation. “Transcripts
provide facts; video reinforces those facts and takes your case
to the next level.”
A recent case in Camden, NJ was presented in the courtroom both
with and without video technology. While opposing counsel merely
read testimonies and case evidence from a transcript, the plaintiff’s
court representatives strengthened their case by presenting video
testimony from witnesses. When the same witnesses were brought
into the courtroom, their live testimony stories were different
from what the jurors had previously seen on video. The
jurors, in interviews taken after the case concluded, pointed
to the video taped testimony as key evidence in helping them
decide their verdict. This evidence resulted in a ruling
in favor of the plaintiff, to the tune of $1.25 million.
“Day-in-the-Life” videos are another common and powerful use of
video technology in the legal profession. The purpose of these videos
is to portray the damages an individual has sustained due to the incident addressed
in the law suit. The video provides an actual account through visual
representation of how the plaintiff’s life has changed because of the
incident and the injuries that have resulted. Video has proven to be
a powerful tool in clearly communicating life altering events.
Video in the courtroom is not intended as a substitution for transcripts
or court reporting. All case evidence, documents and testimonies are recorded
in the same manner, regardless of whether or not video technology is used. “Words
are taken and preserved, however by adding video to enhance testimony you can
show facial expressions, mannerisms and injuries that would not be evident
using only basic transcription.” – Henry Karasch
Karasch & Associates, independently owned
and operated throughout the United States, provides a full spectrum
of litigation support services, including specialized court reporting
and legal video. |
