Depositions
The most common use of video in the legal profession today is the video recording of depositions. Southern Legal Media uses professional video equipment to record all of our legal videography services. We feel if a witness is important enough to be called live at trail but cannot attend for any number of reasons, the best choice is a video-taped deposition. None of the other media offers the capability of effectively presenting as many communication cues for the unavailable witness as the video recorded deposition. The best way to impeach a witness is with videotaped testimony. The jury can see the demeanor and body language of the witness, instead of simply hearing the testimony read aloud from the transcript. Videotaped testimony can help the jury gauge the witness’s credibility. American Guild of Court Videography is the leading organization in the United States to certify legal videographers through an extensive training that details the needs and requirements for complying with the Federal rules of evidence in the United States.
Only through the “magic” of video can the judge and jury be taken to all corners of the earth, if necessary to obtain the most accurate and reliable evidence. Video eliminates the onfines of time and space. A video deposition can demonstrate exactly what happened to the plaintiff that caused the filing of the complaint.
As a member of the American Guild of Court Videographers, each member must follow the AGCV code of ethics which are:
1. The AGCV certified legal videographer is, in fact, acting as an officer of the court when taking testimony under oath (depositions) and shall conduct themselves in a professional, honest, fair, and unbiased manner.
2. Members shall act as an impartial witness when taking a deponents testimony and not profit from any transaction requiring the recording of testimony under oath apart from the fee agreed upon with their client to produce it and authorized duplications.
3. Members shall not execute a false or incomplete document or transaction that the member believes is false, deceptive or fradualent.
4. Members shall adhere to the rules of law over the dictates or expectations of any person or entity.
5. Members shall act as a disinterested third party and not provide unauthorized advice or services during or after recording a deposition.
6. Member shall provide a certificate of authenticity with every original video recording which was taken during a deposition.
7. Member will maintain a paper file of every deposition taken for a minimum of 5 years or when authorized to destroy.
8. Member shall respect the privacy of each party to a suit and not divulge or use personal or proprietary information disclosed during the execution of recording a deposition to any other party.
9. Member will record each deponent without deliberately or inadvertently producing any negative or positive bias.
10. Member will keep current on all laws, rules, statutes, practices and requirements of the video recording of depositions.