E1 See. Hear. Speak.

Some state courts are progressive and forward thinking regarding technology, while others have just begun awakening to the need. But technology in the courts is evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. Its relative stability is a positive note for courts that don’t want to upgrade technology every year, but it does make it challenging to pinpoint pivotal courtroom technology trends.

Still, I see movement in two areas: the use of technology in law firms, and how costs affect technology demand.

Technology is, more and more, being used by attorneys wanting to present better in court. The demand for this type of technology feeds on itself. When up against court opponents who are using technology effectively, lawyers using traditional methods quickly see the value in the technology’s speed, enhanced communication, and clarity. So I foresee a growing demand, especially for portable presentation systems, like ExhibitOne’s TrialView Express. Lawyers can use this system in a courtroom not yet equipped with technology, or right in their law offices to hold mock trials, or even to do general presentations within their firms.

Regarding technology costs, I expect some technology items (e.g. amplifiers, switches, controllers) to increase along the consumer price index curve. But costs for display technologies (e.g. LCD, plasma, and projection) should continue to decrease as demand grows. In turn, lower prices raise the demand for courtroom technology, and allows more flexibility in system design.

Some high-end technology can create "sticker shock," so we've accommodated several courts with tight budgets by re-engineering our TrialView system design. A couple of years ago, for example, there was no way we could use plasma display screens in a price conscious court. But today prices are low enough that we can.

ExhibitOne Corporation is an in-court presentation technologies provider www.exhibitone.com