Multimedia in Legal Proceedings

From the day a client walks through the door, the focus is to obtain a favorable result. As an advocate, you must demonstrate to whomever is deciding your case the strength of your position and the weakness of your opponent’s case. To prove your case, you need to persuade the factfinder using witnesses and exhibits that demonstrate the merits of your case.

One of the most effective and important methods of persuading the factfinder is through the use of multimedia aids. Seeing and hearing is believing. Our society, including judges, expects to be entertained and taught through multimedia. The preparation of multimedia visual presentations can be calculated to be persuasive of a particular position and to assist in convincing the trier of fact to reach a decision in your client’s favor. Visual aids summarize, supplement and assist in conveying your message to the trier of fact.

Common sense and a substantial amount of research dollars demonstrate that advertisements, TV ads, and movies all stimulate and persuade us. Millions of dollars are spent on advertising campaigns to convince us to purchase services or products. The latest visual techniques ? including color patterns ? can be observed on TV on a daily basis. When you see commercial ads, use your imagination to see if they can be applied to a case. For example, the show "60 Minutes" uses persuasive techniques to highlight documentary evidence to influence you.

The rest of the world expects presentations that provide multi-sensory stimulus to learn and decide the merits of products and services, why not disputes? There are many important benefits to using computer technology in your case during legal proceedings:

Increases juror understanding and the trier of fact remains focused on the case - The trier of fact wants to learn and be involved in the presentation of the case. The trier of fact wants a visual presentation. It brings a case to life. It provides variety, keeps them interested, and increases their understanding of the factual and legal issues in a case.

Controlling the flow of your case - Presenting digitally allows you to control the pace and flow of your case. You have the capability to rapidly present successive documents to a witness during examination and not be interrupted by paper shuffling with the witness or jury. For example, it is much easier to present a direct examination of your witnesses, since they can see beforehand on the computer monitor highlighted portions of documents that they will be testifying about.

Simplifying complex issues - Demonstrative evidence can simplify voluminous and confusing facts for the benefit of a jury. The old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” definitely applies in all of your legal proceedings. Properly used, technology with graphics and other multimedia can simplify the issues and provide the tool for jurors to understand your case.  Visit  us at http://bizimage.net