If you have ever been required to go to court as either the plaintiff or defendant, then you know how stressful it can be. It can be especially hard if you are required to give testimony that recounts your version of events, because when a lot of people are looking at you it’s common to get very nervous and tense. One of the best advancements in technology for courtrooms is the advent of legal video services, which can record video testimonies to be presented during court. Legal video depositions offer a huge advantage over traditional stenographic transcripts because they are more likely to keep a jury’s attention for a longer time, and they are also often more accurate.
About eight in 10 judges are familiar with the new technology that uses legal video services to record depositions, but still there is work that needs to be done so that everyone has access to the technology. Several studies have shown that after only 12 hours, a person retains only 10% of the information they learned by listening to a statement. This is a huge problem when it comes to cases where people are trying to make judgements based on spoken testimony, so using legal video services is great because retention rates can jump six to eight times as much when people are presented with information in both visual and listening formats at the same time.
If you are wondering what depositions are and how they work with the new technology, keep reading to learn some of the basic facts you should know before you go in for a deposition. Even if you don’t have to give testimony but you know someone who does, you should definitely learn everything you can so you can be educated on the topic.
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1. You should review your statement first, by yourself
When someone provides testimony, even if it is via video and it is not actually in a courtroom, they have a legal obligation to tell the truth. This information will be used to determine the fate of a trial and it is critical that you recount everything you know as accurately as possible. Make sure your statement is not influenced by anyone, including the plaintiff, defendant or your lawyer. Don’t change anything to try to alter the outcome of the trial, because you could get in a lot of trouble if you are caught lying to the court.
2. Find a deposition reporter whom you trust
When you are giving your testimony and it is being filmed, it will probably only be you and the court reporter. You should find someone who you really trust because if you don’t know them well it can be really hard and nerve wracking on the day you go in to speak.
3. Get a copy of your statement
You want to make sure that you get your own copy of the statement you gave. This includes the video and a written recording of everything you said. You should review it completely before submitting it to the court, because you want to know that it is totally accurate.
Have you ever participated in a legal deposition and have any advice you would like to share with others? What would you say to someone who is nervous and has tons of deposition questions but doesn’t know where to go for answers? If you have any thoughts, we would love to hear from you so please join the discussion by leaving a comment below!
