Technology is increasing everywhere, including in the legal field and when offering testimony at a trial. Attorneys use video depositions when they want key witnesses in front of a court but the witnesses are unable to give live testimony. A video deposition allows an expert witness to present their professional perspective or a fact witness their story. Videos can show all of the nuanced body language and demeanor cues that a written affidavit or deposition transcript alone cannot convey. This effective use of technology serves the courts and the interested parties well.
The most effective arguments to a jury tell a story that resonates. By painting a picture of what happened, attorneys can bring jurors to their side and thus they will view the case from their client’s perspective. Witness testimony and artifacts are important pieces to this puzzle, but imagery is another crucial way to build a successful case.
Many legal professionals are aware of the importance of doing research before selecting members of a jury. That’s why jury focus groups are so beneficial prior to voir dire preparation. Importantly, it can be just as beneficial talking to jurors after a trial has concluded. Specifically, debriefing jurors after a trial can help both jurors gain closure on a case as well as help lawyers by providing valuable feedback and suggestions that can be utilized in future cases. Here is how debriefing the jurors works and why it’s can be so important.
With today’s reliance on technology in nearly every situation, it makes sense to use it in the courtroom, too. In fact, if you try to ignore the benefits of trial technology, you might be hurting your case, as your trial presentation will likely have less impact if it lacks visual aids like images and videos. Jurors are like consumers, they buy with their eyes. If you don’t want to miss out on the many advantages of using the latest technology in the courtroom, take a look at the role a trial presentation consultant could play in your case.
Court reporters offer an invaluable service to lawyers who often rely on the depositions they produce to build their case. Once you have partnered with a court reporter, there are many ways you can assist them to make the process accurate and efficient for everyone involved.
You use technology on a daily basis, whether to email and call clients or to read the latest news updates online. So if you aren’t using it in the courtroom, you’re missing out on many benefits. Trial technology can serve as a great asset to your case if used appropriately. If you’re interested in having a bigger impact on your audience in a shorter amount of time, here is how trial technology can help.
Congratulations to our very own Lee Diamondstein, Vice President of Strategic Accounts at Magna Legal Services, for his nomination for the Subcommittee Chair of the ABA Mass Torts Subcommittee on Experts and Evidence. In this role, Lee will be involved with participating in monthly committee calls, contributing to newsletter and website articles, supporting programming activities, and assisting in the recruitment of new members.
These days, most legal professionals use some form of technology in the courtroom. But if you haven’t yet used trial graphics to support your legal arguments, you’re missing out on the many benefits that come with presenting images and videos at trial. If you have spent countless hours researching for your case (which is just one of the many roles of a criminal defense attorney) then you want your findings and evidence to be presented in the best possible way. This means that when you display all the things you’ve found in the research, the jury will take the evidence on board much easier than if you were to present it in any other way. If you are a trial lawyer or any other legal professional that is interested in bolstering your cases with the use of technology, take a look at what trial graphics are and how you can start using them in the courtroom.
Research is a major part of any lawsuit, as having accurate facts on your side can make or break your case. So it stands to reason that the more information you can find out about a person, the better. When you consider that the vast majority of U.S. adults have a social media account — with 79 percent of internet users being on Facebook alone — it makes sense to look online for information you might not already have. If you don’t have the time or expertise to do this yourself, you can hire a company to perform social media surveillance for you. Here’s how this process works and ways it can benefit you.
Law firms spend hours doing research long before the average trial or deposition, but one detail that is often missed is witness preparation, an essential element of depositions and trials. After all, the impression a witness makes on the jurors is important, as it can affect their final decision on the case. This is not a good thing when the impression the jurors have is negative. Most witnesses have little or no experience testifying and training. Fortunately, witness preparation is available. This type of training strives to make sure witnesses are properly prepared for trial and deposition testimony. Here’s what you need to know about the importance of witness preparation and how Magna Legal Services can help with it.
Testimony Preparation
A major aspect of preparing witnesses is ensuring they feel ready to testify. At Magna Legal Services, consultants understand the common challenges that witnesses typically deal with before and during the testimony. The goal is to help them overcome these issues by teaching them how to avoid behaviors that may give jurors a negative impression so they feel comfortable and confident as they testify during a case.
This starts with making sure they fully understand the purpose of their testimony, including the context and themes surrounding it. The consultants at Magna Legal Services offer tools and tips to help them answer the cross-examination questions they’ll hear in court. They can also use videotape feedback to show witnesses how to become more effective at getting their message across. This witness preparation training can put them at ease while improving jury perception.
Jury Perception
One of the factors that can have a big impact on the outcome of the trial is jury perception, and this can be influenced in various ways. For example, many jurors focus on the perceived motive of the witness. If they believe the motive for testifying is to simply get the truth out, they’ll look favorably on the witness. However, if they think there’s an ulterior motive, the testimony may actually hurt the case because the jurors have a negative perception of the witness involved. Magna Legal Services can work with witnesses to make sure they come across as credible and confident in their testimony.
Since Magna’s consultants are experts at leveraging jury perceptions, they’re committed to working with witnesses to improve the odds of the jurors seeing them in a positive light. Magna Legal Services has done numerous studies and focus groups to determine which factors can improve jury perception of witnesses, and the consultants know how to train them to ensure they show those positive traits. They’re happy to work with witnesses to correct their behaviors when necessary before the trial or deposition.
Other Advantages of Being an Effective Witness
In general, few people are comfortable getting up in front of people and talking, especially when they have to explain what they saw or heard during a crime. This can be nerve-wracking for anyone, especially those who grasp how much their testimony matters to the case. This is why Magna Legal Services spends so much time and effort preparing witnesses for testimony.
Witness Preperation Sessions
Magna’s consultants can provide witnesses with the tools they need to effectively answer the often aggressive cross-examination questions. They work with witnesses to reduce negative behaviors they might not even know they have, such as talking too fast, mumbling, staring down at the floor, grimacing, shifting their eyes and more. Many people are not aware they have these habits, and even when they are, they don’t realize how the jury judges them as a result.
Overall, the consultants at Magna Legal Services have the knowledge necessary to improve the language, style and general demeanor of witnesses so they are prepared to offer their testimony and improve jury perception along the way. Not only does the training make witnesses more likely to be effective at the trial or deposition, but it also helps them feel more confident before getting in front of the jury. The more prepared and comfortable witnesses feel, the more likely they will help a case. This can put you at ease as you prepare your case for trial, and it can also give some peace of mind to your client and anyone else working on the case with you. Also, Magna can have frank conversations with a witness that the attorney may not feel comfortable having with his own client.
Witness preparation is vital before any trial or deposition, especially when the results hinge on the witness testimony. Receive a complimentary case consultation to see how our consultants can help your case!
