There used to be a time when all the witness testimonies
were noted down word-by-word by the court reporters during a disposition. The
problem with depositions usually is that many a times the witness is at a distant
geographical location from the actual trial. In these situation the witness might
not willing to travel all the way due to travel expenses or other scheduling
issues.
The evolution of video technology has changed the basic
functionality of many courtroom procedures, depositions being one of them.
Videos have brought a whole new picture of how depositions take place. It has
solved the travelling constraints that previously held many important witnesses
back to give their testimonies. Witnesses who cannot be physically present at
the actual trial due to scheduling issues or the travelling expenses can now
give their depositions via video which is presented to the judge.
It is a common saying
that, “A picture is worth a thousand words”; so imagine the impact a whole
moving video of pictures will have. Video depositions have the added advantage
of giving a clearer picture to the jury. It is human nature than what we see
and hear has more impact on us than just reading something from a piece of paper.
Every little movement, the body language, the facial
expressions, blink of an eye, every pause taken to answer and even every minute
hesitation is captured by the video camera proving a much clear picture in
front of the jury. An added advantage of using videos for depositions is that
the witness cannot alter or change his testimony even a little bit once the
testimony is recorded. These testimonies are then stored in DVDs or blue-ray
Disks which are a much improved and advanced way of storage.
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