Video Deposition: Dos and Don’ts You Should Know

By: Jilio-Ryan | Posted in: Court Reporters in California Video Deposition

Video depositions have become invaluable tools for attorneys and courts alike. During COVID, many attorneys turned to video depositions as a last resort. What they found was that, when used correctly, it would actually save time and money as well as make their jobs much easier.

Videotaped depositions allow juries to hear from witnesses who may not be able to attend court. This saves money on witness fees, travel costs, and many other fees. While their actions may be written into the deposition by the court reporter, nothing is better than seeing them firsthand.

What Are Video Deposition Dos and Don’ts?

While video deposition is highly beneficial, it’s important to learn specific dos and don’ts to make it effective.

Dos of Video Deposition

There are several things you should do before deposing a witness.

• Prepare your witness – Provide all of the instructions the witness will need before you start the deposition. You don’t want to interrupt the deposition process to provide additional instructions.
• Have professional equipment on hand – Having professional equipment will ensure high-quality videos. Quality equipment offers clear images and crisp audio.
• Hire a professional court reporter – Hiring a professional court reporter ensures you get an accurate, high-quality transcript for the video of the deposition.
• Create an accurate transcript for the video – This makes it easy to find certain areas in the video and transcript much easier.

Don’ts of Video Deposition

If you want a quality tape of your deposition, these are things you should avoid.

• Don’t use sub-quality equipment – Don’t take chances with cheap equipment. Video depositions are legal tools that are meant to be used in court. They need to be high-quality and as reliable as possible.
• Don’t hire an inexperienced court reporter – Don’t try to cut costs with an inexperienced court reporter. The results will not be what you want and may cost you more in the long run.
• Don’t try to do it yourself – Attempting to do it yourself can also cause problems. You may be good with your home video camera, but it’s not the same type of equipment, and there is much more at stake.

Hire a Professional Court Reporting Company

These online deposition dos and don’ts can save you both time and money. However, when you are tasked with performing a video deposition, hire a professional court reporter. This guarantees that your deposition will turn out perfect and ready to be used in court. At Jilio-Ryan Court Reporters, we understand how important it is to have a perfect video deposition for your case. Contact us today to learn more about our video depositions services.