Every attorney who tries cases knows that it is the lawyer who has prepared the most thoroughly who will most likely win the case. While that is often true, the courtroom environment has changed over the years. The attention span of juries is shorter, and that is arguably because digital media is ubiquitous in the modern era. Attorneys who embrace digital media and electronic trial presentations that cater to modern juries may gain an edge over the competition. The following tips will help your modern trial presentation.

Keep it Clean
Clutter is distracting, and just as an attorney would never appear in court without appearing sharply dressed and neat, it is important that the components of your digital trial presentation appear neat and clean, as well. Computers, monitors, hard-drives, and projectors all need to be connected to each other via cables and need power via cords that plug into electric outlets. Be sure to keep your cables bundled together and out of sight of the jury as much as possible to avoid appearing unorganized and cluttered.

Stay in Sight
Prior to your trial presentation, take the time to visit the courtroom in which you will be trying your case. Take note of where the jury box is located, and be sure that the jury will be able to easily view the electronic and digital media that you prepared for trial since a jury cannot be persuaded by evidence that they cannot see. Choose a place in the courtroom that has an unobstructed view from the jury box to display your digital trial presentation.

 

Switch it Up and Go Old School
Just because digital and electronic media are available does not mean that they should be used exclusively. Capturing and holding the attention of a jury is crucial to an attorney’s goal of communicating his or her client’s theory of the case effectively, and switching up the medium can aid in holding a jury’s attention. Writing on a whiteboard or posters, and using other time- tested methods can help break up a presentation and help maintain juror interest.

Do Not Forget Your Backup
Technology and digital media can be powerful tools for communicating your message to a jury, but computers can break, networks can go down, and data can be lost or corrupted. It is important to have backup systems in place to ensure against a dropped laptop, a lost internet connection or a corrupted file. Ensure that all of the files you need for your trial presentation are contained on the computer or hard-drive that you are going to use at trial, and also have a second computer or an external hard drive with copies of all the files you need just in case one fails. Computers are not the only things that fail. The people who operate your technology and run the technical side of your trial presentation can also get sick or become unavailable on the day of trial. Be sure to have a backup person who is familiar with your presentation and the technology used who is available to step in the case of an emergency.

If your firm is in need of experts to run the technical side of your trial presentation in the San Antonio, Texas Area, S.A. Legal Solutions can provide the expertise you need.