Beyond the benefit of having immediate access to the day's deposition testimony, there exist other advantages to interactive realtime that become obvious in the heat of a deposition. Not needing to take notes helps many attorneys pick up the pace of questioning, giving the witnesses less opportunity to hedge, reflect, and rethink. Marking and annotation features make it easier to lock in the witness. Revisiting marked testimony reduces reliance on memory or incomplete notes to help attorneys analyze whether to stand pat, or ask one important final line of questions. Reporting and digesting features let attorneys instantly review all marked and annotated testimony in context.
Some programs can sort the report according to salient issues assigned to each testimony excerpt.
Review may also help deposing attorneys articulate post-break questions. If attorneys have loaded earlier depositions or evidentiary documents into their litigation support software, they can reference them during the proceedings to see how evidence corroborates with the deponent's testimony. William Kayatta, Jr. of Pierce Atwood in Portland, Maine regularly used interactive realtime in taking depositions in the successful defense of a high-profile suit last year between Florida Power and Central Maine Power. It also helped facilitate end of the day sharing of highlights with others working on parallel depositions. Every day more court reporters are embracing the technology and improving their skills to offer the value-added service of realtime transcripts during the deposition or hearing.