Tech for the Courtroom: How to Boost Jury Retention and Attention
Nowadays, trial judges expect attorneys to make use of technology. Prosecuting a defendant without some sort of tech is quickly becoming the exception to the norm. Whether the tech is video or audio based, it has the potential to sway the case in your favor.
Juror Expectations for Tech in the Courtroom
Though it is unfair, jurors tend to expect and respect the use of tech in the court room. The bottom line is we are becoming a tech-centric society. Just about every juror has a smartphone and uses email so attorneys should embrace the opportunity to use tech in the courtroom. Expect jury members to be tech-savvy, respect their intelligence and use tech prudently.
Types of Courtroom Tech
There are all sorts of tech tools available for attorneys to implement in court. Whether you want to take advantage of trial presentation software or basic software video presentations, you have plenty of options at your disposal. As an example, PowerPoint is commonly used by attorneys in courtrooms across the world. Even attorneys who are tech neanderthals have a general sense of how to use PowerPoint. In some situations, the basic presentation of medical terms, documents, photos and other essential pieces of evidence can be presented in PowerPoint to make a unique impact. However, there is the risk of overusing PowerPoint to the point that the jury feels bombarded with data overload. Use this tech wisely and it will enhance your case rather than prove detrimental to it.
Consider using SharePoint or Dropbox to store/host documents and files your legal team will use. SharePoint allows everyone on your legal team to access, modify, upload and delete documents as appropriate. In fact, SharePoint can even be accessed on mobile devices that can access the internet. You can upload data directly to SharePoint or Dropbox, display the data on a screen with a projector or use the courtroom video input.
Trial presentation software such as Trial Director and Trialpad provide data management, storage and retrieval. This software can also display documents, images, photos and so on. Out of all the trial software options, Trial Director has emerged as one of the most popular.
Find out if the jurisdiction you are to appear in court in is equipped for your tech. If the courtroom is old, it might not be able to meet the demands of video displays mounted to jury boxes and other tech.Â
Plan Ahead to Make the Most of Your Courtroom Tech
Find out if the jurisdiction you are to appear in court in is equipped for your tech. If the courtroom is old, it might not be able to meet the demands of video displays mounted to jury boxes and other tech. Contact the courtroom ahead of time to determine if there are pull-down screens, displays, witness monitors, connections for laptops and so on. This information will shape your preparation for your courtroom experience as well as your overarching legal strategy as you will know exactly how to best present evidence based on the idiosyncrasies of each unique court.
