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What makes court recording different than recording a wedding, school play or other event? Can’t you just use the same recording approach for all of them? Anyone who’s planned a wedding knows it’s probably not a good idea to hire a real estate videographer for their big day, and the same care should be taken with court recordings. In some instances, courts may only allow certain technologies or pre-approved experts to record proceedings. Legal issues may be at play, and discretion is critical. However, there’s also the issue of quality. There’s no room for do-overs or excuses with court recordings. While it’s unfortunate if the power supply runs dry while filming a friend’s poetry reading, it’s not earth-shattering, but it just might be if it’s a court recording. A recording, whether audio or visual, can become evidence. It may be the only instance in which a deposition is caught, an expert best explains circumstances or a witness takes the stand. There’s zero room for errors, which is why you can’t bring just any recorder into legal proceedings. A Must-Have Checklist A reputable (and perhaps court-approved) court recorder should already have the skills, technology and legal experience a client needs for a flawless experience. However, make sure these items are ticked off your list when shopping around for court recorders: - Backup power supplies: Even the best-planned depositions or other legal meetings can run over. Not only should the actual recording equipment be state-of-the-art, but so should the backup supplies. The recorder should verify that backup power sources and ample outlets are available prior to the recording.
- Seamless editing skills: Editing for clarity is key. A quality audio/video editor can amplify the sounds you want to hear, reduce background noise and adjust video clarity if applicable. In some instances, dead space may need to be edited out, but too much editing can render a recording moot in court. An experienced recorder knows how to strike this balance.
- Legal experience: If recorders are trying to transition from filming tradeshow events to filming courtroom proceedings, that’s great for them — but let someone else be their guinea pig. You deserve a recorder who’s highly skilled in this arena with years of experience. Make sure to ask potential recorders what their skill sets include, how long they’ve been working in the legal setting and perhaps if they’ve worked in a specific courthouse before.
- Fast turnaround: This one should come as no surprise, but it’s a unique demand of legal recorders. While some audio/visual recorders can take weeks or months to deliver a finished product, time is of the essence with legal proceedings. These experts need to be both fast and error-free.
- Flexibility: Have you ever noticed that other types of recorders can often set the schedule, demanding banker’s hours or taking days to respond to questions or requests? There’s no room for that in legal recordings. These recorders are scalable and flexible to meet the sometimes-unique needs of a legal proceeding (such as a witness only being available for a deposition at midnight).
You sometimes only have one shot at a legal recording, so make it count. Use a professional, experienced court recorder.
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