Remote meetings remain prevalent as we approach two years into the pandemic, so it’s safe to say we’ve all been a part of at least a few legal proceedings that have been postponed or rescheduled due to technical issues. For McCloskey & Associates, the in-house videographers at St. Petersburg Conference Center, we have multiple videographers recording Zoom depositions every day, and we see it all the time.
While it would be wonderful if we lived in a world where everyone had equal internet and technology access, the reality is that some witnesses may not have reliable internet in their home, or may be elderly and not technically savvy, or may just be having a bad technology day.
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- Yes, we’ve actually had witnesses appear from their cars.
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- With one of our videographer-friendly walls as a backdrop, the image looks professional and clean.
Whenever possible we encourage our clients (both attorneys and reporting agencies) to send their witnesses to our location to minimize the chance of technical difficulties. Our office features dual failsafe internet, we always use a hardwired connection to offer the strongest possible signal, and our rooms have plenty of plain, neutral-colored wall space that is videographer-friendly. We offer these services to give our clients the best chance at a smooth, stress-free proceeding, because the alternative is hectic, stressful, and expensive for everyone involved:
Attorneys and paralegals: A deposition that starts late and goes over due to technical issues takes time out of the attorney’s day and may force their paralegal to rearrange their schedule last-minute. If a deposition has to be rescheduled, finding a date when all parties are available can be time-consuming and may delay progress on the case entirely.
Court reporters, videographers, and interpreters: We may have turned jobs away if our schedule is full. When a deposition is cancelled because of the witness’s poor reception, we most likely will not receive another job for that day, and we lose out on the job we turned down. We lose money, but it also ends up costing the attorney money in appearance fees. Everyone walks away inconvenienced, and nothing gets done.
Expert witnesses: Internet issues become most expensive when deposing expert witnesses, who charge for their time. An expert witness with a poor connection can result in a costly cancellation and rescheduling at worst, and a grainy, sub-par trial video at best.
We set up the technology so all of the attorneys and even the court reporter can be remote if necessary.
Everyone’s time is valuable, and a bad connection can be costly, stressful, and disheartening. Let SPCC take that weight off your shoulders by handling your technology for you, and providing your witness with a clean, quiet, private room and a secure internet connection.
Through the end of December, we are offering free Zoom with a room booking. Send your witness to us, and we’ll take care of the technology.
Contact us today to see how we can help you.