LegalTech – Do-It-Yourself Trial Presentation for Under $1,200 (Part 1)

Today’s youngest jurors were born in 1994. Bill Clinton was president, Rodney King’s civil trial concluded with a verdict of $3.8 million, and Star Trek: Generations was in the theaters (the handoff movie from the original series to The Next Generation). These people are considered Generation Y or Generation Z, depending on who you talk to. The technological milestones that occurred in the next few years helped to define this generation. At age 1 the White House launched a webpage; at age 4 the search engine Google Beta was released; at age 5 MySpace came onto the scene; at age 7 the iPod and Wikipedia began their rise; at age 14 Facebook had over 100 million users; at age 16 YouTube had over 2 billion video plays per day; and in their eighteenth year there will be well over 8 trillion text messages sent.

All of this is to say that your youngest jurors are plugged in. They have grown up with smartphones, video games, blockbuster movies, and on-demand video content. They receive much of their information in visual electronic form, often preferring texts, e-mails and blogs to telephone conversations. Many of these jurors have never even read a newspaper, or thumbed a phonebook. As lawyers, we must connect with these jurors, and that means giving them information in a format that they can recognize, understand, and use. They don’t want a lecture—they want to be involved in your case.

So it’s time to turn in the easel. Here’s what you need to create a dynamic, electronic trial presentation for under twelve hundred bucks—probably less, because you may already have some of the tools.

Hardware                    

Laptop Computer  Cost: $450.00
A laptop is the storage device for presentations at trial. It will plug directly into the digital projector. The specifications of a laptop computer are beyond the scope of this article, but as with all technology, buyers should consider the purpose of the purchase. Is it going to serve as an attorney’s primary computer? Is it to be used only for presentations? What software will be downloaded onto it? Will it be compatible with software used in the office? Local computer store salespeople can provide guidance on the type of computer best suited to particular purposes.  When purchasing a new computer, be sure to find out if you can get software (like Microsoft Office 2010) included or at a discount.  Most computers will include at least a basic version of the presentation software you need, whether PowerPoint (Microsoft) or Keynote (Apple).

Projector  Cost: $350.00
The projector is the mechanism that transmits the computer’s image to the projector screen. It will plug into the computer, typically with a RGB cable or a USB cable (which will be included with the projector). It can also transmit an image from a document camera (like an modern overhead projector). Projectors range in price from $350 to about $2,000. Three good brands are Optoma, Epson and ViewSonic. Any new projector should have a minimum of 2,500 lumens (which is quickly becoming the minimum), and should be XGA (as opposed to VGA) or higher. Lumens indicate the total amount of light a bulb is capable of generating. More lumens means the jury will be able to see the presentation, even in a well-lit courtroom. XGA denotes a resolution of 1024 x 768 (whereas VGA denotes 640 x 480). Resolution is the number of individual dots used to create an image, and it is expressed as the number of horizontal picture elements (“pixels”) by the number of vertical pixels. A higher resolution indicates a better picture quality. Of less concern is the type of projector: DLP (Digital Light Processors) versus LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). As a general rule, DLP projectors are better for displaying video (i.e., deposition clips), and LCD projectors produce a sharper image.

Aspect ratio is also a consideration. It is the relationship between the width and height of an image. Most projectors have 4:3 (standard), whereas some have 16:9 (widescreen), and many are capable of both. Finally, many projectors include speakers, which can be useful if playing deposition clips.

Some modern projectors even have a USB port and are capable of displaying images and even PowerPoint presentations without a laptop computer.  Before you go this route, do consult with a technician to ensure that the projector can play any video deposition clips you might need, and PowerPoint slide animation.

Projector Screen  Cost: $100.00 to $350.00
The screen is what the jury will look at during the presentation. The main considerations in any screen purchase are size and portability. Find a screen that folds up easily for transport, and assembles easily. New models simply rise pneumatically from a tubular aluminum case to the desired height (i.e., the Draper RoadWarrior). The size of the screen will depend on the available space and layout of the courtroom, but a width of 72 to 80 inches is standard.

My preference is for a screen that uses a tripod.  These screens are easier to set up in smaller courtrooms, and can be placed at an angle in the gallery for better viewing by the judge and jury.

Coming Wednesday, August 8: Part II – Software.

About the Author
John J. Cord (John Cord Law, LLC) graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law. He concentrates his practice on automobile negligence, medical malpractice and workers' compensation.  He provides a wide range of technological services to law firms, including blogging and trial presentation.  Find his firm on Facebook and Twitter.