Technology generally makes things easier and cheaper, and things are no different in the legal field. For example, since the COVID-19 pandemic, lawyers have had a massive spike in the use of video depositions. 

Some attorneys prefer to use video testimonies in all their cases due to the time and cost savings. In contrast, others who are more cautious about technology only do videos on the most critical cases.

Regardless of how many times you use video depositions, you will naturally be looking for ways to reduce further the costs involved. 

Ways to Save Money While Using Video Depositions

Whether you videotape all your depositions or only do so on special occasions, you will find that the recording costs can add up pretty quickly if you don’t make efforts to lower them. 

Below are four proven ways to protect your bottom line while still giving your clients the invaluable benefits of video depositions:

Record In-House

Hiring a pro videographer is not necessary in most cases and can quickly run up your costs. With so many video recording options available, it is cheaper and more convenient to record your own videos. 

You only need basic video equipment and good lighting, and you’re ready to go. If you are not well-versed in videography, you can have one of your staff do the recording or even hire an intern anytime you need to record.

However, you will need to ensure your deposition complies with the Federal and State Rules of Civil Procedure, particularly sections about the use of video testimony. It would help if you also had the witness ready to take an oath in court to clear the way for their testimonial to be used as evidence.

Hire Freelance Videographers

Preparing a deposition tape can be overwhelming for anyone who’s not a professional videographer. There are edits and copies to be made, file names to be determined, and storage to be sorted out. Buying good enough equipment to produce clear footage may also be a challenge if you are a small firm.

In such situations, we recommend using freelance videographers. They will not only come with their own quality equipment but will also offer great advice on things like camera angles and lighting. Moreover, they are an on-demand service, so they will not be a constant on your payroll. 

For best results, you may want to work with a freelancer who is well versed with the laws touching on legal videography.

Outsource Some Things

Paying for recording software, editing tools, and video production rooms can leave a big dent in your finances. As such, you don’t need to take this path. 

Instead, look for companies offering all-in-one services and contact them whenever you need to record. 

Luckily, many companies offer fully equipped recording rooms, video hosting, and even videography services, so you won’t have to look for long.

Recover Your Costs

They may help make your work easier, but video depositions benefit the client more. You should not be afraid to recover your costs after the client gets a settlement.

To make things easier, you should initially offer videotaping as an option and only proceed with it if a client wholeheartedly approves.

Are you in need of an experienced court reporter in New Jersey? If so, contact us today!

When dealing with a complex case, there’s always a chance you’ll find yourself in a drawn-out deposition. Although deposition proceedings typically last a few hours, it is not uncommon for some cases to go on for days and even weeks. 

Therefore, if you’re looking to safeguard your clients’ interests, it helps to prepare them adequately for what might be a series of meetings. Learning how to manage extended deposition proceedings is an invaluable skill that will come in handy during some of the most crucial cases in your career. 

Below are key things you can do to help you better prepare for and manage lengthy depositions:

Prepare Your Client and Witness Psychologically

When going into any deposition, it is crucial to be aware of your clients’ personalities and how they handle stressful situations. As you might already know, depositions can be pretty stressful and, in most cases, will elicit intense emotions such as anxiety, rage, and fear. 

There is also a high likelihood that the opposing parties will try to trigger negative feelings in your client to provoke a reaction, which they can then use to build a case against you. 

For this reason, preparing your clients and witnesses beforehand is critical as it helps them remain calm even when confronted with an uncomfortable line of questioning by the opposing counsel. In addition, conducting deposition simulations with your clients and witnesses allows you to recognize their emotional triggers and devise strategies to mitigate them if they arise during the actual deposition hearings. 

Prepare A Detailed Line Of Questioning

Regardless of the deposition you’re handling; you will likely need to present a high degree of evidence supporting your case. 

As such, you should set aside time and resources to prepare a convincing line of questioning that bolsters your argument or debunks the position of the opposing attorney. 

Having a thorough understanding of a topic relevant to the deposition can save you a lot of time in the long run since you won’t have to conduct extensive research during the hearing. 

The most brilliant attorneys enter a deposition with a clear and comprehensive grasp of what will be addressed, from industry jargon and standard processes to contract specifics and the precise role and expertise of each witness that is called to the stand. 

For this reason, you should conduct extensive research pertinent to the case you’re working on before going into any deposition hearing. 

Organize Your Questions

While you may be tempted to ask any questions that spring to mind, you should prioritize your inquiries and limit your questions to only those that will assist you in establishing the facts of the case.

It’s easy to get off course during a lengthy deposition and travel down a route that won’t help you support your case. You may add questions based on the answers you obtain as the deposition proceeds. However, unless these changes significantly impact the case, it’s best to go as close to your initial strategy as possible. 

Familiarize Yourself With Court Reporting and The Technologies Used

A certified court reporter is a neutral third party who records the material delivered by the counsel and witnesses during the deposition. 

When deciding how to prepare for and handle a lengthy deposition, it’s a good idea to learn as much as you can about the vocabulary and technologies that the reporter will be using. 

It would be best if you were also prepared to carefully go over the transcripts, video, and other materials gathered during the deposition for any errors in recording or labeling. 

It’s easy to assume that all court reporters and legal videographers are flawless and never make errors. However, the reality is that we are all human, and mistakes are bound to happen at some point. So, it is better to be prepared in advance for any unforeseen eventualities. 

Work Out Better Schedules For Long Depositions

In a perfect world, deposition hearings would be held daily until a case is finalized. Unfortunately, however, this doesn’t typically happen in our world. 

When preparing for a lengthy deposition, you’ll need to juggle and strike a balance between your schedule, the schedules of your clients and witnesses, and the schedule of the court reporter and opposing counsel. 

For this reason, negotiating a deposition schedule that is as short and compact as possible should always be your objective. This speeds up the procedure, decreases stress, and keeps the financial impact minimum. 

Furthermore, it eliminates the possibility of any contradictory or dishonest testimonies, which might undermine your case.

In Conclusion

While lengthy depositions can be pretty stressful, preparing adequately beforehand will keep you grounded during the hearings. So, before going into potentially drawn-out deposition proceedings, make sure you’ve done your research on the case, prepare your questions, and prep your clients and witnesses for any unforeseen events that may arise during the hearing.

While finding a certified court reporter in New Jersey can be a hassle, it is still possible to outsource a competent company if you know what to look for.

Below are some of the questions you should ask a court reporting company during vetting to ascertain whether they are right for you.

Their Level of Experience

Independent court reporters are often required to provide references from past jobs.

Similarly, when grilling a potential court reporting company for your projects, you should probe their background.

Check whether the firm can give you references from other attorneys who have worked on similar cases.

Don’t be hesitant to inquire about each court reporter’s qualifications, experience, and certifications.

Be sure to also pay attention to reviews and testimonials by other attorneys and clients who have worked with the firm.

The Services Offered

Many court recording companies often assume that audio recordings are sufficient to convey a client’s position in court correctly.

While this may be true in some cases, it is not always applicable. Therefore, when vetting a firm, ask whether they have the resources, facilities, and technology to make video depositions.

You might also want to check what transcription formats they use and how quickly they can deliver copies of depositions.

The Areas Served

It is crucial to hire a court reporting agency with a hosting space or numerous office locations.

If your preferred company doesn’t conduct depositions, you’ll need to determine which geographical locations it services and how far its employees are prepared to travel.

There may be instances where depositions need to be made over several days in different places, so the company should be able to plan logistics ahead of time.

You may also ask whether you can retain the same court reporter to avoid variations in the transcripts.

The Service Fee

The cost of court reporting can vary widely from one company to another, depending on their services.

Remember, the cheapest option is not always the best. So, when outsourcing court reporting services, aim for a company that will provide all the litigation services at a reasonable fee while still being pleasant enough to work with long term.

Bottom Line

Due diligence is critical when looking for the right company to outsource your court reporting to.

Fortunately, asking the right questions during the vetting process can save you a lot of time in the vetting process and ensure you find the most suitable company for your litigation needs.

Although video technology can at times seem like an old-fashioned way to document important events, there are some situations when it is simply best to use video technologies. And for today’s attorneys, this means using video technologies in their depositions and cases.

Attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants discover that video technologies are one of the best methods for recording events, cases, and depositions.

However, not every attorney may have the exact needs and preferences for the different types of video technologies they may use in their cases.

So, what are some of the video technologies legal professionals use?

7 Types of Video Technologies Attorneys Use in Depositions and Cases

Text-Video Synchronization

One of the most popular technologies used these days is text-video synchronization. It allows an attorney to play a video file and a transcript from the same file. This is done by using a player that includes a synchronized subtitles file, which means that you will be able to synchronize all video transcript files with one another correctly.

When using text-video synchronization, it is best to start with the transcript since this is an integral part of the video file. Once you have a well-written transcript, you should add the video file.

Video Depositions

Video depositions are also becoming increasingly popular. This video technology allows you to record, edit and save video for depositions. Unlike text-video synchronization, this technology only focuses on the recording process itself.

The advantage of having video deposition files is that these can be transmitted over the internet. This means you do not have to come to the court or deposition room in person.

However, the videographer who works with you will need to have good camera skills. So make sure the quality of your video deposition is outstanding by choosing someone who has the right skills.

Video Conferencing

One of the most effective video technologies for depositions is video conferencing. However, if you use video conferencing, you must choose a reliable and easy-to-use video conferencing program. For this, many attorneys prefer to use Skype or Go To Meeting.

Apart from depositions, you can also use video conferencing for video-recorded hearings and trials. Attorneys usually use video-recorded hearings and trials to prove that they are organized and can follow court proceedings. It also proves that attorneys are present in court, providing more credibility to your case.

Mobile Video Conferencing

Mobile video conferencing is the latest technology in video deposition. It allows paralegals, legal assistants, and attorneys to record depositions anywhere they go. This is possible through laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Using this technology, your videographer does not need to come to your office or go to the deposition room with you. Instead, they have to attend the deposition and start recording it. They can do this by using a tablet or smartphone while sitting in the back of the room.

However, mobile video conferencing can only be used with a reliable and stable internet connection.

Site Documentation and Inspection

Site documentation and inspection is another valuable video technology that you can use. It allows attorneys to create a virtual tour of a location – something like Google Street View.

This is beneficial for sites that are difficult to access, such as mines and oil rigs. With this technology, attorneys can see the site and study it even if they cannot physically access it.

When using this technology, make sure you hire a highly skilled videographer. Your videographer will need to take several shots from different angles and ensure that all details are correctly captured.

The Use of Video Clips in Court

Using video clips in court can be very useful. There are situations where an attorney might want to show a clip from a movie or other moving pictures.

When showing a clip from a movie in court, you want to make sure it is relevant and necessary. It should also be short and easy to understand. If you cannot show a quick and relevant clip, do not show it because it can only waste the judge’s time.

Day-in-the-Life Videos

A day-in-the-life video is an excellent type of video deposition that you can use. It presents an overview of how a person performs their job.

An attorney can show this video to a jury, judge, and other involved people in the case. For example, if you are helping a client who wants to sue their employer for wrongful termination, you can create a day-in-the-life video showing what the client does on a typical day.

When creating this type of video, hiring an experienced videographer who can do the job well is crucial. In addition, the videographer should have good audio and video skills so that they can capture everything about the day-in-the-life of your client.

Conclusion

When it comes to the different types of video deposition and technologies available, you will need to choose the right one for your case. If you want to find out more about different types of video technologies, then you should contact a reliable and experienced legal videographer. They can provide more details on the different kinds of video deposition technologies available.

A deposition is a significant event in any legal proceeding as it influences the outcome of a case. 

No matter how confident you are, appearing for your deposition can be an anxious or even nervy experience with court reporters, attorneys, and legal officers waiting to hear your account of events.

This post explains what happens during a deposition and how to go through it for a successful civil lawsuit.

What happens in a deposition?

A deposition is a sworn oral testimony conducted out of court and recorded by a court reporter. It allows the opposing counsel to ask you questions about your lawsuit. Instead of telling your whole story, the attorney will ask direct questions and expect accurate answers from you.

Reasons why depositions are important

Records, documents, and other physical evidence are not adequate to paint a clear picture of the facts of the case during court proceedings. After all, they are usually taken at face value. 

Documents used as evidence cannot recount what happened at what time. For this reason, having witnesses testify under oath is vital, and that’s why depositions are necessary.

Depositions are oral testimonies from witnesses that are converted into written transcripts. They ensure the evidence provided by the witnesses remains the same throughout the lawsuit.

The participants in a deposition

Every deposition has at least four parties involved, including the witness, opposing attorney, witness’s attorney, and a court reporter.

• Witness – The witness provides an oral statement under oath that is later converted into a written transcript.

• Opposing attorney – The opposing counsel asks the witness direct questions about their case.

• Court reporter – The court reporter is responsible for recording questions asked and the responses to create an accurate written transcript.

• Witness’s attorney – They protect witnesses from answering inappropriate or misleading questions.

Where are depositions held?

Depositions are sworn, out-of-court oral testimonies and can happen in an attorney’s office, a conference room, or anywhere both sides deem suitable.

Clients may utilize video conferencing to conduct their depositions if the opposing counsel is out of town. The best part is that video depositions are admissible in court and are fast becoming popular due to their convenience. 

Depositions are part of the legal process, and they offer a chance to tell your story about the case in a written statement. They affect the outcome of a case since any discrepancies might suggest you are not a reliable witness.

The objective of a deposition is to gather and preserve evidence. They are also significant in evaluating witnesses, gaining admissions, and solidifying trial testimony. 

Good communication is vital during a deposition since there is no room for error. Everyone in the room, including the certified court reporter, must play their role to ensure a high level of accuracy and precision when conveying their message.

Here are a few points highlighting why clear communication is essential during depositions:

Non-Verbal Communication

Eye rolls, head nods, glances, deep breaths, and hand gestures are all part of human nature. However, non-verbal communication is not part of a deposition. While the opposing attorney may interpret and utilize your body language to tailor their questions, the certified court reporter will not record your non-verbal gestures. Even though your gestures may appear in a video recording, juries usually focus on verbal expressions and ignore non-verbal communication.

Interjections and Filler Sounds

Verbal utterances such as uh uh, oh oh, and aha have no place in a deposition process. They can create confusion, yet a deposition’s role is to gather facts and seek clarity. Deponents must be aware using such sounds may cause miscommunication and lead to misinterpretation of vital information. Avoiding filler sounds and interjections can help speed up the deposition since the court reporter does not have to stop and clarify answers every time.

Rambling Answers

If you are an attorney, you should avoid asking compound questions. Instead, break down your questions into simpler parts that a deponent can answer with a “yes” or “no.” Complex questions are hard to answer, and they often lead the deponent to speculate.

Clients and witnesses must never ramble their answers or deliver long speeches when testifying. The opposing attorney may use this against the client during cross-examination or even question the witness’s credibility. 

Circling Back to Previous Queries

During a deposition, answers to unresponded questions asked earlier can come back later after jogging your memory. After all, our memory is unpredictable, and one may never know when they’ll recall certain events. When this happens, the deponent should not revisit and answer the previous question without clearly referencing it. The attorney should advise the client to reference the earlier question before delivering an answer. Doing so will help prevent confusion and misrepresentation of information.

Evidence Review

All parties involved have the right to review any documents presented during a deposition before asking or answering questions. Deponents can ask to review documents referenced during the process before delivering their answers. The documents could be medical records, accident reports, and insurance policies. Reviewing evidence before answering questions can help the deponent recall vital information. It will also ensure that the answers provided are facts rather than speculation.

Estimated Information

Sometimes it is challenging for deponents to provide the exact details when giving an account of events. It may be hard to recall the precise time, distance, speed, color, size, or date, especially if the deponent went through a traumatic experience. With this in mind, depositions usually extend to the grey area of estimates. When these questions come up, the deponent should verbally indicate that the answers are only estimates and not established facts.

Communicating With The Court Reporter

A certified court reporter plays a crucial role in the success of any deposition process. Your communication with the court reporter must be clear and precise before, during, and after the deposition to avoid any misunderstandings. 

Discuss the location of the deposition, the expected duration, and any other important information related to the process. An experienced reporter should be able to address any standing orders you might have, including arranging for synced videos and contacting other professionals such as interpreters and videographers if needed. Since depositions involve a lot of logistics, the more details covered, the better for all parties involved.

Transcript Review and Clarification

Depositions are about precision and accuracy. In essence, you must never submit erroneous transcripts to avoid weakening your case. The good news is that the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure allow changes to be made to a deposition document within 30 days once it is available to counsel. The attorney and deponents can review the transcript to correct errors, clarify jargon, and make the necessary changes. To avoid any discrepancies, the witness must sign a statement highlighting the changes and the reasons behind them.

They must also be able to establish communication with witnesses, lawyers, and the judge to ensure that a transcription is accurate. Whether you currently work as a court reporter or want to, these tips could help you improve understanding and performance.

Be early instead of on time.

Early is always best. Make getting places twenty to thirty minutes early your new normal and you will usually be able to deal with anything that gets thrown your way. Make it an hour if you’re the type of person that likes to get there early and then enjoy their drink.

Do your best to interpret an interpreter.

Cases with two primary languages that are different (or utilization of sign language). When an interpreter is required, a reporter must clarify who is testifying– a witness or if an interpreter is speaking. Prepare for this as needed.

Get spelling of certain words determined ahead of time.

Specific words can be needed in order to confirm how first or last names or medical terminology are spelled. Use punctuation and more and get spelling down ahead of time if you know there are going to be certain terms used if possible.

Develop a good sense of communication and rapport.

Get a rapport going with attorneys. If you’re going to be working together, you need to have clear communication and that way both of you will know what’s happening. Be clear about expectations both ways and confirm confidentiality when needed. Some may want headers on pages indicating confidentiality levels on the document.

Keep up with recording demands.

A reporter’s duties on the job are to keep up and make sure that the record and resulting transcript are accurate. Speaking up as needed to clarify words and more is key! Be sure you get a good night’s sleep and are ready to take on the day by eating breakfast and leaving early so you stay focused.

Do your best to stay current.

Commit to developing your reporting skills and staying sharp. Staying current with your industry and profession may be a good idea as well. You may want to familiarize yourself with timers if you need to track time, and be sure that your computer or steno components are good and do not require repair.

Be professional and courteous.

This one explains itself but will get you far in any career, job, or field. Always be professional and courteous with no exceptions!

Dress for work.

Length is best and never do shorts! Skirts should be at least to the knee and ideally longer. A simple pants and formal shirt combination whether male or female should be suitable. Simple colors and no loud colors or patterns is important too. Go with formal over casual, length over shortness, and clothing that you purchased within the last two years so that it is not overly dated.

Thanks for reading our tips for court reporting. Follow these tips to do your best on the job!

Work on your vocabulary.

Expanding your vocabulary is beneficial if you are planning on working in court reporting. You can do this by downloading an app, flipping through a dictionary, reading different books, or learning random new words. Learning more legal terms as well as medical words and terms may prove helpful.

The more that you study new words, the better you’ll be prepared as a reporter. Keeping up with local and national news could also be helpful, as you’ll pick up new vocabulary and terms that you could need to recognize while working as a reporter.

Practice your typing.

Keep in mind that there are different machine types and technology. Look up the most frequently used in your own area. Learn how to work the stenography machine, getting comfortable with positions of your fingers before moving on to typing. You must be able to type at a rate of 225 w.p.m. (words per minute).

These words must not only be typed out quickly, they should also be typed out accurately. Being a good reporter is just as much about being accurate as it is being efficient or quick. If you can put aside a block of time every day so that you can practice and work on it, you will see improvement.

Many students that graduate will tell you that they put in their fair share of practice hours. Work on being accurate in the beginning, then work on picking up speed.

Be comfortable.

Remember to sit in the correct position (up straight, both feet flat, keyboard positioned so forearms are parallel to floor). You want to be comfortable while you are typing. Adjust your chair, posture, machine height and more if you are not comfortable or feel tension or pain. Be sure to stretch as well to prevent later tension.

Keep a notebook.

Keeping a notebook and putting words in that you don’t know, frequently use, or have a tough time typing out. Then you can look up words that you were not familiar with and learn how to spell them as well as what their definition is. Practice typing the words on the list that you struggle with spelling out.

Use the resources available to you.

Maximize the resources you have while at school. Ask questions, practice typing, and get advice and insights from reporters who have worked in the field. Typing skills are important, but you may realize that other life skills are just as necessary.

Being early, planning your time, being accurate, being professional, having a business wardrobe and demeanor, personal grooming and presentation, and even getting enough sleep can all be incredibly relevant to a future career in court reporting.

Have a support system.

Teachers, students, friends, family, guidance counselors, therapists, and more can all be great sources of support. Have people in your life that encourage and support you on your way to success!

So you know that you should prepare a witness for a deposition, but what do you do? In case you’ve never done this before, there are a few key things that you should definitely pay attention to. Okay, it is slightly more than a few.

For one, you want to pay attention to the clothing that your witness is going to be wearing. You basically want something that is respectful and put together. The clothes that they are going to wear should be somewhat comfortable, but should really fall in the realm of professional outfits more than casual. Anything but casual and sweatpants should definitely be a no go.

You also want them to cut back on the patterns as well as the colors. For women, do not have them wear anything that is too revealing or is low cut in nature. For men, have them hold off on colored shirts that are too loud or ties that have a lot of patterns going on. It will look bad and look bad on camera too.

The video person needs to get a good balance of color. Try to avoid black and white as well to get everything right on the video. Posture should be natural and as comfortable as possible. Get the witness to be in a chair and sit up, getting them to have good posture to look good on camera.

Have them try to have a pleasant expression on their face that is as natural as possible. Have them try not to react and to be polite. Do not have them fidget or move around too much. Keep focus on the camera and do not have them look away.

You want all cell phones off too for this. Make sure that the back wall is also blank and not distracting. No ringing or colors or patterns with windows behind should be used. They are too distracting. The light needs to be good and you should be sure that you are working with a quality team that knows what they are doing.

They should be certified and know how to record a deposition. This is very important when you are going into a court room or recording a video. Prepare your witness and you will know that everything is going just the way that it should. You will be then likely to have a better result and be happy in the end.

Courts have been reliant upon the individuals that have not only learned but honed their profession. Having them there allows for court sessions to be recorded and remain transparent and fair. You may have heard them described as stenographers or seen one in the movies, typing away at a dramatic court scene.

Whether you are one, know someone that works in this field, or are considering being one, court reporters are an integral part of the court system. Trials could not go on and courts could not function as they do without these human professionals that are taking down every word and action diligently and accurately.

Today we are going into depth about everything court reporting and what this career involves. Everything from recording depositions to court trials and business meetings and more might be something that you make money from as a stenographer.

Court reporters record the events and the words spoken in courtrooms, and everything must be accurate. They are the recorders of what goes on and what is stated and if they don’t hear something they ask for it to be repeated so that the transcription will be correct. If they are asked to strike something from the record by the judge, they strike it from the record.

It does involve skill level and reporters often go to schools or training to learn how to type and perform the job accurately and with a level of quickness, skill, and professionalism. Without their efforts, there would not be a transcription. Courts are not getting rid of this position anytime soon.

Even the threat of technology being introduced is no competition for the real (human) deal. Stenographers just have a level of accuracy and competency that a machine cannot match, at least not to that level. Add in potential error or malfunction and you have a risk both financially and when it comes to the veracity of the record itself.

They simply are not able to have that literally personal touch of interpreting accents or hearing what someone said without getting a word wrong (perhaps the machine is all audio recording and not familiar with idioms or a heavy Brooklyn accent).

Typically, the typing speed for a typist wanting to get into this field would be 200 words. That is not per hour, it is per minute! There also is a requirement for accuracy levels. In most cases, the ability to achieve 97.5% accuracy is desired.

Before that you should get a certification of completion from a court reporting school that is state recognized. That will make you eligible to take the state exam. Upon qualification you will receive your license that allows you to prove you have been trained and are ready to work in the field. It’s a great job to have and if you have the traits and commitment to do this job, then this could potentially be your career!