United States District Court, Central District of California
Services

Subject: Section: Last Updated:
Clerk's Office ServicesElectronic Evidence Presenter - General Information 11/17/2009

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE (VISUAL) PRESENTER

The United States District Court for the Central District of California has evidence presenters available for attorneys to use while in trial or evidentiary hearings. This technology is a video capture system that can be used to project the images of exhibits (documents, photographs, negatives, objects, x-rays, fingerprints, transparencies, etc.) to one or more monitors permitting the judge, attorneys, witnesses and jury to view the images at the same time. It also allows the operator to zoom in and highlight the most critical areas of the exhibit in detail. Some of the other features, which are not available in all courthouses or courtrooms, include an electronic pen (pointmaker) which allows the operator and/or witness to make different colored electronic pencil marks on the projected image and to photocopy such an image; a touch screen for the monitor located by the witness stand, allowing the witness to "write" in different colors on the projected image on the screen by using his or her finger as a writing instrument (the second pointmaker,) a monitor attached to the visual presenter, allowing the operator to view the presented image at close-range and the ability of counsel to present evidence via a laptop computer. Please be aware that the Electronic Evidence (Visual) Presenter does not have the capability to handle audio tapes.

General Information Concerning the Equipment

A complete evidence presenter unit consists of the following equipment:

Western Division
  • One 50" plasma. (additional plasma is available upon request)
  • Four 15" LCD monitors. (one monitor for each counsel table, one monitor for the judge and one monitor for the witness box)
  • One Visual Presenter and DVD/VCR (the presenter and the VCR remain on the cart; the cart is placed on the side of the lectern closest to the jury with the Electronic Evidence (Visual) Presenter side positioned closest to the counsel table);
  • Cut-off box (for the judge's bench; it is connected to the two 50" plasmas).
Southern Division
  • One 36" CRT monitor and an additional 46" plasma mounted on a wall next to the Jury box.
  • Four 15" LCD monitors (one monitor for each counsel table, one monitor for the judge and one monitor for the witness box).
  • One Visual Presenter and VCR/DVD (the presenter and the VCR/DVD remain on the cart; the cart is placed on the side of the lectern closest to the jury with the Electronic Evidence (Visual) Presenter side positioned closest to the counsel table).
  • Cut-off box (for the judge's bench; it is connected to the two 36" monitors).
  • The Santa Ana Courthouse system also allows attorneys to use a laptop computer for presentation of evidence using PowerPoint or other presentation software. Attorneys shall provide their own technical assistance in preparing the laptop evidence presentation. The Court is not responsible for troubleshooting compatibility problems.
  • Due to the sophisticated internal wiring for the Electronic Evidence (Visual) Presenter equipment in the Santa Ana Courthouse, attorneys are advised not to bring in their own visual presenter equipment but to use the equipment made available by the Court.
  • The Santa Ana Courthouse system has two pointmakers, one connected to the visual presenter by the lectern and the other built-in to the witness monitor.
  • The two pointmakers are extremely sensitive and should be used with care.
Eastern Division
  • Four 15" LCD monitors, (one monitor for each counsel table, one monitor for the judge and one monitor for the witness box.) Each courtroom also contains a visual presenter with DVD/VCR capabilities. The visual presenters are located next to the lecterns on a table to the left. The DVD/VCR's are located on the shelf under the lectern.
  • The District Judge courtrooms are equipped with a 42" plasma screen which is transported on it own cart. The monitor remains on the cart which is placed at the end of the jury box.
  • The Riverside Courthouse system allows attorneys to use a laptop computer for presentation of evidence using Powerpoint or other presentation software. Attorneys shall provide their own technical assistance in preparing the laptop evidence presentation. The Court is not responsible for troubleshooting compatibility problems.
  • Please contact the courtroom deputy to schedule a test of any documents, objects or videos on the Electronic Evidence (Visual) Presenter for audio/visual clarity prior to any court hearing.
For your convenience, the Electronic Evidence (Visual) Presenter will be set up in and removed from the courtroom by the IT department of the district court. Due to the sensitivity of the equipment, it is advised that none of the equipment to be moved or unplugged once it is set up; please contact the appropriate reservationist for assistance.

The Electronic Evidence (Visual) Presenter operator is the only individual who controls the technical aspects of what appears on all of the monitors (i.e., clarity of text, size of picture.) However, the cut-off box allows the judge to control what evidence on the Electronic Evidence (Visual) Presenter the jury will be allowed to view. The witnesses, jury and attorneys only have control over the sound and picture clarity of their own monitor. It is advisable to confer with the judge as to what documents will be shown on the equipment prior to their display.

In the event the equipment malfunctions, do not attempt to troubleshoot the problem, but inform the courtroom deputy so that they may contact the IT department.

Please contact the courtroom deputy to schedule a test of any documents, objects or videos on the Electronic Evidence (Visual) Presenter for audio/visual clarity prior to any court hearing.