Taking legal action seems complex to non-legal practitioners. Lawyers abide by established civil procedures to make sure the judge or the jury avoid rushed court decisions and thus effectively protect innocent people’s lives. If you ever wondered how the litigation process goes, here are the four support services that lawyers need to successfully build a case and represent their clients.
Document Discovery and Production
Both physical documents and electronic data relevant to a case are, well, relevant. Lawyers need help with scanning papers, copying, and organizing them for effective trial exhibits. Document discovery and production also involve legal briefs, index tabs, and labels. And electronic media conversion to better consolidate key pieces of documents for a case.
Language Services
Not all resources or pieces of documentary evidence may be in English. TannerCo.com says litigation support services also offer interpretation, transcription, and translation. Since 12 percent of Utah residents speak a language other than English, an expert or eyewitness may need language services in Spanish, German, or Navajo.
Forensic Technology and Consulting
Medical and forensic pieces of evidence can make or break a case. Similarly, deleted files, data movement, and network activity can also help a judge or jury decide if the defendant may be indicted with fraud, harassment, or intellectual property theft. Lawyers highly depend on this service for strengthening their cases.
Deposition and Trial Support
Even without a trial, a deposition alone involves a lot of work. Paralegals and other sources of litigation support take care of video services, transcription, public calendars, and even court reporting if necessary. Even the savviest lawyers need help in completing all these. Efficient and accurate trial support also help attorneys prepare, execute, and win their cases.
While most suits filed in the country may not even reach trial, you need to know these four litigation support services so you’re involved in the negotiated settlements. Ask your lawyer about these, especially if you’re the plaintiff or the complaining party.