Tip the Scales

A Small Price to Pay

Can you put a price on victory in court? No. But you CAN spend hundreds of thousands of dollars trying a case. Let’s face it….Litigation is expensive. A competent attorney is not cheap; plus court fees, document preparation, expert testimony, etc. It all adds up. Even the most frugal of counselors cannot avoid these fees. Services are rendered and monies are paid. Clients just notice the outcome of the case. A favorable judgment is always worth the price.

No one wants to throw money away, so it’s natural to be selective about where your litigation dollars are going. In an effort to be thrifty, some counselors are neglecting to provide juries the proper audio/visual stimulation they require, which in turn deprives the client of effective counsel. Unfortunately, there are HUGE misconceptions about the cost effectiveness of Multimedia Trial Presentations.

MISCONCEPTION #1: Trial Presentation is prohibitively expensive.
The average trial attorney charges $350/hour and most experts charge a $1000’s per day for their services and testimony. A fully trained Digital Consultant can create and deliver brilliant larger-than-life video presentations at a fraction of those costs. Presentations incorporate demonstrative evidence including but not limited to documents, photos, video deposition testimony, physical locations, computer animations. Images are displayed on large monitors and/or projector screens to maximize jurors’ comprehension and retention (not to mention the added bonus of keeping them awake)! Do you think most jurors would prefer to watch a movie or go to a lecture?

MISCONCEPTION #2 Trial Presentations can complicate the trial

Actually, Multimedia Trial Presentations will make for a smooth, more efficient trial. Having exhibits scanned into a laptop allows for paperless proceedings. Instead of digging in boxes and shuffling through exhibits binders, attorneys can quickly access any document, photo, or video as easily as they would access an email on their blackberry. Jurors rely on technology just as much as attorneys. The vast majority of the information we process throughout the day comes in the form of video. Most of us get our news, weather and entertainment from the television. We do our work and communicate with friends via the internet and cell phones. Jurors expect to get the facts of a case the same way! Trial presentations allows jurors to view information in an efficiently and powerfully.

MISCONCEPTION #3 Trial Presentation is an advantage and jurors will vote for the “underdog”
Why on earth would a juror penalize you for demonstrating the evidence is a clear and concise manner that they can understand?? It just doesn’t make any sense. Jurors welcome presentations that appealed to the senses. Most jurors don’t have a legal training of any kind and are likely to lose patience with an attorney who insists on reading from a transcript and drawing diagrams on an easel. I know I would.
Justice is not free. Trials are expensive no matter which way you slice it. If you find yourself in court, you might as well get your money’s worth. The fact of the matter is this: an attorney can put together his own presentation at an excess of $300/hour with limited experience and resources –OR- you can hire a University educated, trained and certified digital litigation specialist to create an impressive and effective presentation that will have your jury talking long after the verdict is read.