Guide to Remote Deposition Preparation

Ryan Reporting’s Guide to Remote Deposition Preparation

While litigation support firms across the nation have offered videoconferencing services for many years, due to our current global situation, more and more attorneys are learning about the benefits of remote depositions. In a normal situation, remote depositions are great for attorneys who don’t want to spend time or money on traveling for a case. In these unique times, remote depositions are perfect for keeping everyone safe and healthy from the comfort of their homes.

Just like for in-person depositions, attorneys must take steps to prepare their clients for remote depositions in order to make everyone as comfortable as possible. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when preparing for your remote deposition.

Beforehand

When preparing for your deposition, make sure everyone is on the same page before you hop on the call.

Get all parties– including the opposing counsel and witnesses– to agree to conducting a deposition via videoconference.
Contact your favorite Central Florida court reporters and let them know you’d like a court reporting service for their videconference. They will set up the service and distribute the link to all parties involved.
Email any documents and exhibits to your court reporter and other participants. During a meeting, you can screenshare the documents as well.
Remember to report on record that the deposition is being conducted remotely and that the oath will be administered remotely.

Technical Tips

The remote deposition will only be successful if everyone has technology that can handle the demands of the work. Make sure your technology is up to date beforehand. This includes:

Having a good external webcam or a device with a built-in webcam.
Having high-speed internet in your location.
Turning off notifications on your videoconferencing device to avoid stream interruption.
Closing any browser windows and programs you do not need to avoid lag and/or interruption.
If a problem arises when testing your computer audio, call the number provided by the videoconferencing platform to still be a part of the deposition.