In the infancy stage of trial preparation it is important to obtain information on the people involved in the litigation. The Internet provides a multitude of methods by which you can retrieve the most basic to the most detailed information on a plaintiff, expert, witness, or attorney. These sites contain people finders which will produce basic information such as addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses, and will also provide links to other relevant information on that person. These companies charge a fee for each search and will forward the results within days. Another important investigative tool the Internet offers is the ability to retrieve information on the opposing counsel.
Litigators know just how important it is to know exactly whom they are up against.
The Internet provides a multitude of resources by which to gather information on opposing counsel. For further convenience, the profile also provides each attorney's e-mail address for easy communication and links to available, law firm websites. Additionally, most State Bar Associations maintain attorneys' disciplinary records, which are available on their websites. Experts Familiarity with the testimony of the opposition's expert creates an opportunity to impeach that witness, while similar attention to your expert's past testimony enables you to protect your expert from being impeached or discredited . The Internet provides an excellent resource for locating qualified experts in a particular field, and obtaining information for potential impeachment, including information relating to an expert's credentials and former testimony.