iPads in the Hands of Your Judge and Jurors

Civil jurors in a Los Angeles court are using special iPads to review admitted trial exhibits during the trial. A news story on KPCC, Southern California Public Radio, discusses this experiment and other advances in courtroom technology. Reporter Erika Aguilar interviewed me for the story.

As I observed in the KPCC interview, I expect to see more iPads in coming years in the hands of judges, attorneys and jurors. The iPad is a great, easy-to-use tool for presenting and consuming content (which is exactly what happens in courts).

My partner, Morgan Smith, has written many posts about iPads, and their advantages for attorneys. The iPad allows an attorney to easily control a slide presentation projected onto a courtroom screen for the judge or jury. Using an app such as TrialPad or Trial Director for iPad allows an attorney to present documents, deposition video and other evidence on the screen.

Custom iPad apps are becoming easier to build as well. The Los Angeles courtroom uses a very simple app with links to exhibits that become unlocked as the exhibit is admitted into evidence. More sophisticated apps are possible too. For example, the video below shows a proof-of-concept app that I created for navigating a patent in ways to make the patent easier to understand. In one of the sections of the iPad app, you can view labeled figures of the patent drawing placed along side scrollable text that explains the figures.

Please give us a call to discuss how an iPad or other legal technology could enhance your next court appearance.

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