15 Sep Streaming video could make courtrooms into Internet conference calls
MADISON, Wis. — Sonic Foundry, a provider of rich-media systems and software, is deploying its Mediasite technology to record courtroom proceedings, the company has announced.
Sonic Foundry and media services provider BxVideo are teaming up to power Courtroom Connect’s new Virtual Law Viewer system for the communication of legal proceedings. ;By combining ten Sonic Foundry MediaSite presentation recorders with the BxVideo RMXPRES hosting services, VLV will be able to provide real-time coverage of trials to attorneys and journalists.
The VLV works by synchronizing video of witnesses, the real-time transcript from the court reporter, snapshots of electronic evidence, and audio recordings from the courtroom in an online viewer securely accessed via a computer over the Internet. Designed as a proprietary service for law firms, it uses real-time streaming for the viewing of courtroom proceedings and digital evidence over a secure network connection.
“[The] VLV service is particularly valuable to litigators who increasingly use a wide variety of digitized collateral while presenting their case, including photographs, maps, e-mails, PowerPoint slides and video,” said James Dias, vice president of marketing and sales for Sonic Foundry.
During one trial, which lasted nearly five months, the defense team used VLV to allow attorneys from three offices throughout the country to view and participate in the numerous daily court proceedings. Attorneys in remote locations were provided with secure, Web-based access to the audio and video of witness testimony and cross-examination, all synchronized with the visual evidence presented and real-time transcripts. The off-site attorneys were able to provide advice and commentary via e-mail and instant messaging to the trial team.
“VLV … allow[s] paralegals and other law professionals working behind the scenes to see and hear in real time exactly what’s occurring in the courtroom, and respond quickly and accordingly in terms of documents to produce or issues to research,” said Louis Goldberg, president of Courtroom Connect. “By mirroring the courtroom experience remotely, it also enables attorneys in satellite offices to monitor the proceedings without the time, costs and hassles of traveling to the courthouse.”