This publication is the result of a joint project between the Federal Judicial Center and the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. It describes the substantive and procedural considerations that may arise when lawyers bring electronic equipment to the courtroom or use court-provided equipment for displaying or playing evidentiary exhibits or illustrative aids during trial. It draws upon the expertise of judges who work in courtrooms equipped with technology, law professors who teach trial advocacy and evidence, and practitioners who have trial experience using technology in civil and criminal cases. It collects practical experience and expert judgments, but does not purport to test these observations empirically or analyze case law. Although various forms of courtroom technology have been around since the 1970s, and model courtrooms equipped with technology began appearing in law schools in 1990, little scientific research has been done in the field and relatively little case law exists.

This guide is part of a larger Federal Judicial Center project examining the impact of technology on the adversary process. The central objective of the guide is to make it easier for judges and parties to benefit from courtroom technology without unduly complicating the pretrial and trial processes and without tilting the playing field. It comes with a CD-ROM that contains the entire text of the book for easy searching, reference, or excerpting, and includes examples of the kinds of exhibits that may raise objections as to transitions, animations, color, sound, and special effects.