Assistant DA Kathryn Powers’ thought had prepared an airtight rape case. She had the victim’s testimony that he’d attacked her only 30 minutes after her bus arrived in Atlanta, and the defendant had a long criminal record. But mid-day on Monday June 18, 2012, presiding Judge Matthew Simmons told her that she’d have to clear one more hurdle by 9 am Wednesday. To prove a lack of consent, she’d have to bring Dr. Brandon Schoolie to the stand to testify about his analysis of the x-rays showing the victim’s broken wrist. The quick turnaround would have been easy enough except that the trial was in Clayton County, Georgia and Dr. Schoolie was in Pittsburgh.

Powers colleague, Investigator Ty Walls, contacted NextGen Reporting on Tuesday morning. “I’d been told that NextGen could solve our problem.” By the next morning, NextGen established a live feed from Dr. Schoolie’s firewall-protected hospital to the Clayton County courtroom. Investigator Walls, a twenty-year veteran, understood the challenge. “This was the first time we’d ever tried a live feed into a courtroom, and there was so little time to prepare.”

NextGen created a secure Internet video link between the hospital and the courtroom using its proprietary techniques and Internet video technology. NextGen created a HIPPA-compliant video feed with military-grade security and worked with the court’s IT liaison to project Dr. Schoolie’s image onto a screen in the courtroom. Judge Simmons, ADA Powers, and defense counsel all had opportunity to ask questions of Dr. Schoolie before the jury.

Dr. Schoolie offered brief but compelling testimony. He showed the jury how the victim’s wrist had been broken during the attack, cementing ADA Powers’ argument. That afternoon, she wrote, “It was a huge success this morning. The testimony is the only evidence of force for the rape that we have. Thanks again!” Investigator Walls added, “I’m smiling ear to ear. It worked perfectly. The quality of the video was like he was there with us.”

From depositions to courtrooms, NextGen provides a full range of services which enable attorneys to boost their effectiveness and provide additional value to their clients. In addition to all traditional court reporting services, NextGen offers a unique telepresence solution that enables remote attorneys, claims adjustors, and clients to participate in depositions with ease from their desktops and home offices. As a benefit of this service, NextGen provides a free video of the deposition through its secure repository.

NextGen Reporting

Founded by David Noteware, Esq., NextGen Reporting provides solutions that help solve the litigation workflow challenges faced by attorneys and their clients. With superior customer service and technology, NextGen offers attorneys, court reporters and their clients a streamlined and improved process with significant cost savings. To learn more, visit NextGenReporting.com.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 24th, 2012 at 4:28 pm and is filed under Company News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.