The 2020 Courtroom AV Checklist

Each technology brings new features and enhancements, starting from a digital HD platform is the first step needed in your courtroom’s AV architecture.

Traditional courtroom proceedings required all participants to be in attendance in the courtroom. Today’s courtroom needs to securely reach remote participants at a moment’s notice on their mobile device. Modern AV technology is not only uncomplicated and more affordable to operate but provides higher video resolution and audio clarity than ever before. In the courtroom environment, all these conversations and connections need to be recorded, distributed around the room clearly, and done so without the involvement of on-hand IT services.

Is my courtroom ready for language interpretation?

In the United States, all courtroom hearings are in English, but not all participants in this process are English proficient. JAVS digital core technology brings interpreters from any language into the courtroom using phone and video. Since JAVS is built from the ground up with video in mind, the remote interpreters not only hear but see the non-verbal communications in the courtroom that can guarantee quality delivery of language interpretation services. If it is happening in a JAVS courtroom, you know the audio is being recorded with the highest quality possible, ensuring you have provided a qualified interpreter for any target language.

Will my courtroom allow litigants to bring their own devices and easily connect to my AV system?

It is an ever-changing world. Mobile and personal computing devices are everywhere, capturing real-life events at any time. As trials progress, the evidence presented may need to be played to the court and jury from one of these devices. JAVS’s digital core technology sets the infrastructure necessary to allow these personal technologies into the courtroom’s AV system while giving filibuster control to any judicial officials. With the JAVS digital core in place, as technology advances, your courtroom is ready to take on the next wave of digital devices.

Does my courtroom allow all jury members to see and hear all presented evidence?

Projection screens, when used, need to be placed in appropriate locations so all jury members can see with equal effort. Flat-panel displays can help magnify minuscule details in photographs when used with the right visualizer. With recorded evidence, a court rarely has control over the quality of the audio presented, so additional concern needs to be placed around the intelligibly of all presented audio by having a sound reinforcement system that can deliver enough audio gain before sound feedback. Not only do courts need help planning for these technologies in their room, but they also need to have intuitive controls for their administration and quest users. JAVS has been providing a presentation system to courts for more than 35 years. Let our experience help you reach your courtroom’s technology goals.

Does my courtroom provide enough sound reinforcement so that participants do not need to strain their voice to be heard?

The technologies and understanding of sound reinforcement systems have come a long way in the past decade. Digital audio processing platforms provide unparalleled clarity and intelligibility for all participants in the courtroom. These newer technologies are especially necessary when using your courtroom to leverage video conferencing and evidence presentations. A good rule of thumb is to have as many speakers as there are ceiling lights in your courtroom. Sound from speakers disperses and covers an area much like light. Making sure your speakers are sized appropriately, are placed for consistent coverage, and that there are enough in the first place is the first step to increasing your courtroom’s speech intelligibility.

Does my video conferencing technology allow for remote participants to see whoever is speaking?

Often integrators will bring in a video conferencing unit with a PTZ camera. Watching this camera in action track the speaking participant in the courtroom for broadcast to the far end is neat to experience. But the video output while tracking the conversation from a PTZ camera can be nauseating to the remote participant. JAVS digital core provides multiple, affordable cameras to cover key areas of the room. Rather than eating up all your resolution with a quad view, we give a nature switched video feed to capture all the action as if a director was calling the shots. 

Does your courtroom announce to all participants that recording has started or stopped?

Your courtroom’s audio system needs to announce the starting and stopping of recording. This is for assurance to the operator of the courtroom recording system that they are, in fact, recording and to meet requirements for ADA compliance for participants with visual impairments. Not everyone can see red or see digital clocks that indicate recording. Having a spoken announcement ensures all in attendance know that the court is in session and on the record.

Federal law mandates ADA (American with Disabilities Act) compliance is required for courtrooms, even though they may not have a public address system. JAVS’s digital core ensures that all audio being recorded can also deliver to attendees requiring the use of assistive listening systems. Studies show that almost 25% of all Americans over the age of 12 have hearing loss. There is no doubt some of these people are entering your courtrooms today.

Is my courtroom AV managed from a single, intuitive control screen?

Today’s intuitive control screens simplify the use of the different technologies a courtroom requires to operate. In the past, poor resolution or soft buttons were used to control the equipment in the room. Modern touch screen interfaces use their surface as the control and can be designed to be intuitive. Furthermore, they are adaptable and can scale as new technologies are brought into the room.

Can my courtroom record the audio-video of my court’s proceedings, including video conferencing and evidence presentations?

As courtrooms add on technology for presentation or conferencing connectivity, it is essential to make sure those technologies can be interfaced with your courtrooms’ existing AV technology. For more than 35 years, JAVS has been helping courts integrate all their AV needs into a single, easy to manage workflow. A JAVS system allows for one point of contact and support for all your courtroom AV needs. Additionally, now that you have a JAVS digital core solution, you are ready to bring on the latest video conferencing and evidence presentation solutions.

Can my courtroom’s testimony be transmitted to overflow rooms with the courthouse?

For high profile cases or matters that require sensitivity around the nature of a witness, overflow rooms will be used. Whether you want to broadcast from your chambers or your courtroom, JAVS digital core provides an audio-video program feed that is easy for remote participants to view. Our understanding of how courts operate and that the need for an overflow room may be needed ‘on the fly’ are why our solutions are built to be scalable and easy to operate.              

Can my courtroom connect to users on their mobile devices through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts?

Video conferencing has moved from expensive, specialized hardware to easily accessible mobile devices and web conferencing platforms. Courtrooms can now add participants to a web conference with an email invite if the user has the appropriate installed app on their mobile phone or a PC with internet connectivity. Not only do these platforms work with point-to-point calls, but multi-party calls are also easy to create on the fly if needed. If your organization has to invest in one of these platforms or needs help to determine which one is right for you, JAVS can help put together the solution to meet your courtroom AV, and recording needs best.

Can my courtroom provide ADA services for participants with hearing impairments?

Courtrooms have federally mandated instructions for providing assistive listening systems, especially if they are already offering any sound reinforcement system. Many public address systems were installed long before these guidelines were established, and they lack the assistive listening technology, or they are not provisioned well enough to provide this service. JAVS digital core technology makes sure crystal-clear audio is being delivered to participants with hearing impairments but also prevents free discussion during bench conferences, and sidebars are not broadcast to the assistive listening system.

Does my courtroom’s daily calendar import into my digital recording system from my case management system automatically?

JAVS digital recording solutions utilize an API to allow courtrooms and their IT professionals to integrate calendaring systems into the JAVS recording components. Now that all cases are entered automatically into the system, each case can easily be distinguished from the others. Rather than having one sizeable five-hour recording with dozens of cases in it, there can now be dozens of individual records, each named by their case ID. These records make retrieval much more accessible and prevent inadvertent delivery of other matters to interested parties requesting recordings. Additionally, the API will allow users to locate JAVS record sessions from their caser management interface.

Do you have a “Design-Build” Contractor that can listen to your court’s judicial officers and deliver? Would you like to?

Design-build allows for one contract to deliver a unified flow of products and services from the initial concept to the completion of the project. This alternative allows for a streamlined process and helps to guarantee the delivery of projects on time, more fully-featured, and within budget. 

While each technology brings new features and enhancements, starting from a digital HD platform is the first step needed in your courtroom’s AV architecture.

Traditional courtroom proceedings required all participants to be in attendance in the courtroom. Today’s courtroom needs to securely reach remote participants at a moment’s notice on their mobile device. Modern AV technology is not only less complex and more affordable to operate but provides higher video resolution and audio clarity than ever before. In the courtroom environment, all these conversations and connections need to be recorded, distributed around the room clearly, and done so without the involvement of on-hand IT services.

Contact JAVS today to see and hear how easy it is to have the courtroom of the future today.

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