Interactive Realtime
A step above realtime is interactive realtime. The court reporter is still producing the realtime transcription, but in addition to that, the court reporter cables directly to your computer, providing Counsel with hands-on access to the realtime testimony which will appear on your own computer screen. The “feed” that is emanating from the stenographic machine can go to your laptop and to as many recipients as needed. This feed delivers text for display on your own computer screen which is separate and apart from everyone else.
What does this mean for you? Well in addition to the benefits of regular realtime, now you are able to privately interact with the testimony in real time on your own laptop in a deposition. Eliminate the need for note taking by utilizing the highlight and annotation capabilities of the software to make notations that will be exclusive to you; catch every time the witness sticks his foot in his mouth and use his own words to help you frame new questions.
Carefully review questions or answers as needed, retrieve a particular answer – and while the deposition is still in progress – pause your screen and instantly revisit a crucial phrase. Interactive Realtime allows you to re-examine phrases of importance without drawing attention to your strategy, and in essence gives you the power to use any portion of the testimony for cross-examination, witness preparation, and trial presentations.
The use of realtime technology results in giving you the opportunity to focus your attention and your eyes on the witness’ demeanor, body language and all the other things taking place at deposition. Things like subtle coaching perhaps, elbow signals and most importantly all the body language expressed by both the witness and attending attorneys.
Interactive Realtime is the perfect remedy to the problems experienced by the hearing-impaired witness in the deposition setting.
To see a Realtime Deposition in action, watch this short Deposition Demo (requires Flash plugin).
It is important to remember that the Code of Civil Procedure mandates language that needs to be used in noticing realtime depositions. Go to CCP 2025.220 (5) (scroll down to 2025.220 (5)) or download the language of CCP 2025.220 (5).