The ability to create RealAudio and RealVideo is within the reach of many courts. There are a number of possible applications that would prove cost effective. Perhaps the best example is video conferencing. The expense of attending a meeting could be avoided in some instances if courts had the capability for desktop video conferencing. The newest software has improved the ancillary tools available, such as a white board to mark up documents under review.
Netphone applications are also a direct way to link technology to cost savings.
Internet telephones could be used to avoid long distance phone calls between courts, especially if the calls were made on a predictable schedule. The economics of training are less clear but are still significant. Multimedia can make trial courts function more efficiently by delivering information about frequently asked questions, even if the cost savings is difficult to quantify. In Wisconsin the State Bar has used the Internet for two multimedia projects. The Bar also produced a television show and placed an episode on video at the Web site.