How to Book a Video Deposition with the John Glenn Hall Company
• Put John Glenn Hall in the notice list. This not essential, but it helps.

• Book your depo with your favorite court reporter firm. (Tell them you want the John Glenn Hall Company for video)

• Fax the depo notice to me at (208) 345-5629. You can email it in PDF format, too. johnthevideoman@jghco.com

• On either the same day or on the following day I confirm your booking by faxing back (or emailing back) to you a page of the notice. When I do that, the job is booked.

• If you amended or cancel the depo, please let me know with a new fax or email.

Territory Covered
Five (and sometimes more) fully equipped videographers are ready to accept depo jobs in

• Southern Idaho
From Rexburg to Sun Valley to Payette to Grangeville.

• Eastern Oregon
All the way over to Baker City

• Northern Nevada
Jackpot area.

Rates and Services

Credit and Terms

Got Rules?
• John The Video Man and his video associates will read into the record during the deposition whatever you and/or your jurisdiction requires.
• Idaho attorneys have decided to do this themselves using the following script. The following script insures that the deposition complies with Idaho Rule 30(b)4.

Click on the above to see the Idaho Read On sheet.

 

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Sleeping John The Video Man
Alert Responsive Attentive

The famous Sleeping John The Video Man picture. Ask for his business card.

Tips and Suggestions
• Videographers arrive at the depo location at least 45 minutes early to set and test equipment. If you schedule a depo for 8:00 AM at an office that opens its door at 8:00 AM, please expect a delay. Think doctor's office.

• If you schedule a depo at a doctor's office and the doctor's receptionist tells the videographer to "take a seat", please expect a delay. It would be wonderful, if a doctor depo notice included the words "Please admit the videographer to set up equipment 45 minutes before the depo starts. Please provide a room large enough for a minimum of six people."

• If the videographer is not on location 45 minutes early, something has gone wrong. Start calling. Don't wait.

• Idaho rules have nothing for the videographer to say except "On the Record" and "Off the Record". Please see the above Got Rules section. Just let the videographer know what your jurisdiction's rules require. We are all happy to help you comply.

• If your deposition is telephonic, don't expect the location to have a speaker phone. Check ahead.

Broadcasting Live Depo Video Over the Internet
This is the new big idea and it works just like watching TV. It's not video teleconferencing, where you get to talk back. In December 2005, 114 people watched one of the depos live over the internet.

Who would watch a depo over the internet on a computer screen?

• Associate attorneys and co-counsel who want to keep up, but don't want the time and money expense of attending the depo.

• Paralegals who need to know and phone in comments and facts to the examiner attending the depo.

• Secretaries who want to know how the depo is progressing for scheduling purposes or setting up conference calls during the breaks.

• Clients.

• Experts who need to know the depo content.

• Idaho attorneys are just beginning to address what rules might apply to this technology.

• Check into the details of depo broadcasting by visiting my broadcasting site with the humorous name of

www.WithOurClothesOn.com

Editing the Video Deposition for Trial
Getting The Judge to Rule
• It's wonderful if the judge will rule on the transcript days before the trial begins. Plenty of time to do the video editing. If I recorded the video and you can see an edit coming during trial, then let me know early. I can get the video into my computer days in advance. This can save precious time the night before you need the edit done.

• However, it's typical that the judge will rule during the trial which makes editing very urgent. "We need it tomorrow!" OK.

What I Need to Get Started
• Here is what I need to edit your depo.
(1) The depo video tapes and
(2) The transcript.

The Depo Video Tapes
If I recorded the video and if I have delivered the video tapes to you, then please return the tapes to me. Not the DVDs that you may have also received, but the video tapes. Now, you may not have received video tapes. In that case please provide the DVDs. I will capture the video into my editing computer. This process takes as long to do as it takes to play the tapes. Real time.

The Depo Transcript
• Please provide to me a copy of the transcript showing what comes out. You may use a pen to draw lines and make notes and/or you can use a highlighter. The transcript may show a clear and orderly conversation, but the video may show everyone talking over each other. I'l do the best that I can using my judgment.
• Your can runner deliver the transcript to me at my office, or you can fax the entire transcript to me or you can scan and email the transcript to me. Remember: highlighting may not fax or scan well. Don't leave me wondering. Delivering only the transcript pages that show the editing is wrong. I need the entire transcript. The judge may issue a page and line number ruling. Send that along to me, too.
• As I work along with the transcript during the editing, I will Initial "JGH" each point where I made an edit. This confirmation will show you that I have attended to your edit marks. I may also write in a note or two to explain what I did.

What You Get Back
• I will edit the depo and make a DVD copy and a VHS copy. The VHS tape is a back up to the court's DVD player either not being there when you need it or not working at all.
• You get the transcript back showing where I made the edits and any notes that I have left.

Panic Mode: Rule on the Fly
Sometimes nothing seems work out well. You have to show the video and there was no time to get it edited. That's when we show the video the jury and the judge Rules on the Fly. This is not fun, but I have done it several times. All the judges that I have worked with get into it and make it work.

Setting Up
I come into the court with my video equipment. I connect my video equipment to the court's video system. They don't like this because they never imagined this would have to be done. But, it can be done and we get it done. Sometimes the court has no video equipment. We bring in what we need.

Getting Started
When the time comes, I begin playing the unedited video. I follow along with the transcript on my lap. Before the trial I have looked ahead to all the objections and motions to strike and made a plan.

The Judge Rules
When the video gets to the point where someone on the tape says "Objection", I pause the video. The attorneys in the court room can now argue the objection and the judge can rule right then and there. If I hear the judge say "Overruled" then I play the video on through. If I hear "Sustained", then I disconnect the court system from my video equipment to make court's screens go black and silent. I have headphones and a small TV monitor to help me quietly advance through the transcript to the new start point. I reconnect the court system and hit Play. We're off to the next ruling.

Page Last Updated: 09/27/2007