Learning how to utilize electronic evidence such as video depositions at trial is much easier than you might expect. Directing your trial tech to an exhibit is not any harder than directing your witness to one. The difference is that everyone in the room will be able to see it, which will make questioning a witness about it much easier.
Here are a few tips:
- Learn the lingo. Asking for an exhibit is as easy as directing a witness to look at it, simply refer to it by name and page number.
- Focus everyone on specific parts of the records. If you need to enlarge a portion of a record, ask your tech to “call it out” or “blow it up.” If you want to further focus a witness and/or jury on a specific word or phrase, ask your tech to “highlight” it. The tech will change the color, just as easily as if using a traditional yellow highlighter—and you get to choose the color!
- Get comfortable with the laser. Laser pointers are a great way of getting everyone in the room to focus exactly where you want them. You can direct your trial tech to call out a key phrase or image, then ask the witness to explain.
In no time you will wonder why you have not done it sooner!