What Is A Deposition?

A deposition is an out-of-the-courtroom interrogation, typically where the witness or deponent will be asked a series of questions about facts and/or events regarding the lawsuit all while the court reporter is present and capturing spoken words and important information to later turn into a transcript.

Why Should I Consider Adding Video?

A typical deposition includes a transcript, which can be effective in court; however, it is difficult for this to convey the deponent’s demeanor during the deposition. For instance, the deponent might not like a question asked and might answer angrily or maybe even get nervous and start fidgeting, take long pauses between the question being asked and answering the question.  Capturing these small details could be major to your case and can be beneficial by allowing the jury to see physical evidence of a particular behavior. Adding video to your case will strengthen its integrity because, although it is not common, court reporters can make mistakes, especially if the deponent is prone to slurring or mumbling or has a strong accent.  Having a video of the deponent’s testimony ensures you have proper evidence and prevents the possibility of the deponent changing their testimony later on. It is also important to note that the transcript does not show long pauses or maybe even stuttering.  Missing these factors could change the whole tone of your case.

Who Do You Hire?

You will want to make sure you hire someone who has professional expertise in legal video and has been trained to work the camera properly. The legal videographer’s job is to make sure they capture the deponent’s testimony and mannerisms.

Here at Durham Court Reporting, we understand that everyone’s deposition is different and will require different specialties. We go above and beyond to make sure everything your deposition might need from a court reporter to a videographer to an interpreter is covered in one place. We look forward to scheduling your next deposition!