Technology in the Courtroom

Evidence Progression

These courtrooms are equipped with three tiers of TVs/monitors where content/evidence can be displayed. The three tiers are selected by the clerk and at the request and approval of the attorneys and judge respectively. The tiers are listed below, and they encompass what TVs/monitors will display content or evidence when that specific tier is selected.

Auxiliary Source Selection

The left and right attorney tables are set up with an HDMI cable each to be used as an input source for your laptop. The HDMI cable at each table can be used to connect your Windows-based laptop to the TVs and monitors in the courtroom. There are three available inputs. The left attorney, right attorney, and lectern (which is used as the document camera).

1. To connect your laptop to the system, it is required that you have a device with an HDMI output (apple devices have mixed reliability). This is the only way to display video or play an audio clip in the courtroom.
2. On each attorney's table there is an HDMI cable wrapped around the monitor mounted at the back of the table.
3. Use the HDMI cable and plug it into the HDMI output on your device.
4. When ready to present, ask the judge or clerk to select your source (either "Left Attorney" or "Right Attorney") and ask them to select where you would like to publish. Tier 1, 2 or 3.

NOTE: When a device has been published or when a source is changed, the screen may take approximately 5 seconds to display content.

NOTE: It is important to remember if you are going to connect your computer to our courtroom AV system to display images, video, or audio, on the courtroom displays during a trial, you may want to ensure you have disabled your computer's notifications such as email alerts or alerts about joining unknow network. Otherwise, you may be bombarded with visual notifications on screen that obstruct the evidence you are trying to display.

NOTE: When using your computer to play an audio clip, or video clip which has audio, it is important to turn your computer's volume all the way up. The clerk and judge have their own audio controls which adjust the volume of the audio in the courtroom.

Document Camera

The document camera is located inside the podium for courtrooms 2 and 6 and on the AV cart between counsel tables in courtrooms 3 & 4. This allows attorneys to present documents and objects as exhibits on the TVs and monitors throughout the courtroom. You can also use the document camera as an easel of sorts by placing a blank page under the camera and drawing on the page. This page can later be submitted as evidence.

1. To use the Elmo document camera, press the power button to turn it on. ‘On’ will be indicated by a blue LED above the power button.
2. Next, ask the Judge or the clerk to select “lectern” as the source followed by pressing ‘publish.’
3. Place your document on the surface below the document camera.
4. To adjust the zoom, use black dial on the base of the document camera near the document camera’s screen. Either rotating it left or right to zoom in or out.
5. Note: There is a dial near the camera lens that you can rotate to adjust zoom.
6. To adjust the focus, button labeled “AF” in the center of the zoom wheel. This will auto focus the document you want to display.
7. Note: there is a button near the camera lens that you can also press.

Other features of the Elmo

NOTE: The Elmo will take a moment to focus on the image you place under the camera. Once you place the image, give it a minute to focus. If you keep moving the paper, the focus time will be longer.

NOTE: Traditional laser pointers do not work on any of the TV screens or monitors in the courtroom. However, the clerk can provide you with a smart laser pointer that will work on all screens in the courtroom simultaneously. This is not a traditional 'laser' and therefore only works on the screens in the courtroom.