Additional Information
Making the Record - A Guide for Attorneys
Utilize the tips in this guide to ensure the best possible record is made of your proceedings, both in court and in pretrial discovery matters.
Top 10 Reasons to Use Daily Copy
1. Opening statements can be compared to the transcript to demonstrate that you have proved (or opponents have not proved) the case promised to be presented at the beginning of trial.
2. Counsel can use the transcript to cross-examine witnesses, to highlight discrepancies in testimony, or to reiterate testimony helpful to one’s case.
3. The transcript can be shared with fact witnesses and experts, saving the cost of having them sit through the trial, paying their hourly fees and expenses; i.e., hotels, rental cars, taxis, meals, trips home for the weekend.
4. Disputed points occurring during trial, as well as any disagreements that arise as to the appropriate jury charge, can be quickly and easily resolved by simply checking the transcript.
5. Counsel and legal assistants can use the transcript to be sure everything they intended to cover during the trial, including exhibits admitted, actually made it into the record.
6. Closing arguments can be more effectively prepared and presented by review and use of the transcript -- and if allowed by the judge -- allowing citation to page and line numbers to highlight points made during the trial, as well as using the actual testimony shown on overhead projector or poster board before the judge and jury.
7. Questions from the jury during their deliberations regarding testimony of witnesses can be quickly and easily answered by reference to the transcript.
8. If the outcome is appealed, the benefit of daily copy increases exponentially with the length of the trial, because no matter which side wins on appeal, the payment of judgment and/or removal of an outstanding lien is achieved much quicker.
9. In civil cases, if both sides agree to split the cost of daily copy, each pays only $4.40 per page, the same rate they would pay if they waited to order a regular transcript to take up on appeal, but without the benefit of having used the transcript daily during trial.
10. Even if only one side orders daily copy, the savings realized from not having to pay the interest that runs pending appeal more than covers the cost of daily copy.