By Derek Miller
The COVID-19 pandemic moving into its second year. Many of our nation’s courts are now implementing virtual or hybrid trials to help move the backlog of cases to resolution. Other litigation processes, such as depositions, mock trials, and focus groups have also gone virtual.
One of the many trial advocacy skills required of a litigator is the timing and flow of their opening statements, witness examinations, and closing arguments. New technology certainly is affecting that timing and flow since the move to virtual trials. Dependent variables like internet bandwidth, the ability to communicate with your team during these remote events, and the platform itself -which is often operated by a trial technical staff member, not the attorney- are all driving the need for virtual trial flexibility.
Trial technology operators must recognize the timing, flow, and direction of the attorney. They must also be ready to deliver in a way that does not interrupt or delay the event any more than necessary. We all know that trial is fluid. The need for virtual trial flexibility at a moment’s notice is a requirement, not something that is merely nice to have.
TRIAL DIRECTOR, our leading trial presentation software, lets you stage the exhibits so they can be prepared in advance of displaying. Do you use multiple monitors? You’ll get greater control for when, and how, things are displayed on the presentation monitor.
Which Presentation Mode to Use in TRIAL DIRECTOR for Enhanced Fluidity?
You can run presentation preview in one of two modes: user-controlled mode or mirror mode.
With the mirror mode, your two screens display the same information.
In the user-controlled mode your two screens are independent. This lets you stage the exhibits on the preview screen before moving to presentation. With this mode, you can preview the evidence, and stage the display by using zoom, annotation, or area placement tools. When the evidence is ready and allowed to be presented, you simply need to click the present button. Your active presentation monitor then receives the preview.
Virtual Trial Technology Success Stories
Meet Ted Brooks, a veteran trial presentation consultant with Litigation-Tech San Francisco. One way he uses the presentation preview is to preset complex document views. As an example, he sometimes needs to display two pages, while highlighting different details on each. The flexibility of TRIAL DIRECTOR lets him zoom in to show the last paragraph at the bottom of the first one, while zooming in to show the first paragraph at the top of the last one. Both with different words highlighted.
Brooks also likes the fact that only the preview monitor shows the toolbar and exhibit actions. It leaves his presentation monitor free of distraction.
Another veteran trial presentation consultant, Rob Rosenberg, with RCS-Legal, Hartland, Wis., uses the presentation preview. This mode lets him review exhibits prior to displaying them. When the attorney asks Rob, “Can we display the previous document?” he brings it up with two quick clicks of the mouse.
Using the Right Trial Presentation Technology Is Necessary in the Virtual Courtroom
Trial is fluid. Consequently, adjustments to displaying evidence and the timing of the display can be key elements in winning your cases. This is why you need trial presentation technology that’s practical and easy-to-use tools. It’s necessary in today’s courtrooms, both on-site and virtual.
While trial technology has been around for a long time, it’s ideal to present and communicate case evidence in our new virtual environment.
Learn More about TRIAL DIRECTOR
Our market-leading trial presentation tool, TRIAL DIRECTOR can help you deliver impactful presentations even during virtual or hybrid trials. Learn more.
