Visual Digital Aids
Introduction - Multimedia
Cutting edge multimedia trials are becoming commonplace. With the overwhelming evidence establishing that people are influenced dramatically by the use of multimedia, we will continue to see significant increases in its use by legal professionals in a variety of legal forums. As one attorney who participated in a paperless multimedia trial stated, “In my opinion, it is legal malpractice not to use an in-court presentation system if the opposing side is using one!” Why did the late Honorable Carl Rubin, federal judge for the Southern District of Ohio, The Honorable Roger Strand, and the late Honorable Richard Bilby, federal judges for the District of Arizona, encourage the use of computers in their courtrooms? They all think that the use of computers enhances the jury’s understanding of the case, results in significant timesavings, and prevents the paper warehouse effect in their courtroom. What do Brian O’Neil, lead plaintiff’s attorney in the Exxon Valdez case, Michael Manning, lead plaintiff’s attorney in the Keating trials, and Jim Wagner, lead counsel in the Washington Public Power case, all have in common? They all felt they had a definite competitive edge over their adversaries by presenting their documents, video depositions and other digitized case evidence during trial in a multimedia format. |