VIDEOCONFERENCING LEGAL SERVICES

 

Can you use videoconferencing for witness testimony?

The majority of law courts around the world are now aware of and open to the use of videoconferencing, but not all.  If you intend to have witness give evidence to the court in this manner you always need to contact the court’s permission (usually the clerk of the court).  How easy this is depends on which country you are in.

In many cases the decision to allow will be made based upon the availability and importance of a witness.  Thus should a key witness be based just too far from the court or be unable to travel due to visa, health or financial restrictions, the court will often allow VC depositions. In addition, the sensitivity of the case may affect the agreement to allow videoconferencing.  Defendant arraignment, witness testimony, expert testimony, victim hearings and especially cases involving domestic abuse, child molestation, sexual battery have all been allowed by the majority of courts, especially in the US, UK, Central Europe, India and Australasia.

This means that expert witnesses may be employed by lawyers regardless of which continent they are in, thereby opening the case to additional resources.  As courts in one country have no subpoena power over foreign witnesses, a videoconference is often the only way in which they will secure a witness.

For more information about the situation in each country follow the links below.

USA

UK

Australia

New Zealand
India

Malaysia