Depositions play a critical role in helping attorneys gather information when building a case for court. Depositions can be used to interview individuals with firsthand knowledge of the case, as well as expert witnesses who can help prove counsel's theory.
Most attorneys rely on a court reporter to generate a written transcript of each deposition they engage in. Having a written copy of a deposition can be helpful, but it can be extremely beneficial to have a video tape of the deposition as well.
Here are three reasons why you should consider investing in a legal videographer to help your law firm record depositions in the future.
1. The video can be used in court.
If you want to use the information provided during a deposition in court, then it can be beneficial to have a video copy of the proceedings. Expert witnesses or other individuals may be unavailable to personally appear in court to testify.
By presenting a video tape of the deposition to a judge and jury, you allow the court to see the information provided by the deposed individual in the way it was originally given. A written transcript can be more difficult for a judge and jury to consume, so videoing your depositions can be beneficial if you plan to use the testimony in court.
2. The video can be used for trial preparation.
It often takes a team of legal representatives to prepare a case for trial. Having each member of your legal team present during a deposition might not be feasible, so having a legal videographer record the proceedings gives key staff members the opportunity to watch each deposition in its entirety.
The video transcripts created by taping your depositions can be utilized to help keep all staff members working on a particular case access to the information they need to help prepare the case for trial.
3. A video transcript can provide more information than a written one.
While having a written transcript of your depositions is important, these transcripts cannot capture all of the information presented during a deposition. The vocal inflections and body language used by the individual being deposed are lost in a written transcript, and these elements can often provide insight into the accuracy of the information the individual is providing.
A video recording allows you to spot inconsistencies between body language and the spoken word, and gives you the opportunity to accurately review the information given during a deposition.
Once you are able to see the benefits that a video transcript can provide, it becomes easy to justify the expense of hiring a legal videographer to capture your firm's depositions in the future.
Share13 July 2017
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