Video Conferencing

The Court has the ability to provide video conferencing in all courtrooms and in two conference rooms. The Office of Courtroom Technology and Audio Visual Services currently provides ISDN based conferencing, but does not support IP based protocols.

Priority is given to matters pending in the Southern District, but Courtroom Technology/AV Services can provide assistance in matters pending in other District Courts depending on availability.

For further information and scheduling, please contact the Office of Courtroom Technology/AV Services (212) 805-0134.

Electronic Evidence Presentation

Electronic Evidence Presentation allows for the display of trial presentations by computer, utilizing a combination of hardware and software such as Verdict Systems Sanction™, and Microsoft PowerPoint™. The hardware includes multiple flat panel monitors, LCD projectors and Document cameras.

The court has two courtrooms with integrated evidence presentation systems, Courtroom 12D which is assigned to Judge Kaplan and Courtroom 26A (scheduled to be completed in July 2006). In all remaining courtrooms, Courtroom Technology can provide mobile systems with varying degrees of complexity and customization.

A basic installation consists of a LCD Projector, Document Camera and Screen. Custom installations can include individual monitors for the judge, witness and counsel with the ability to electronically publish material to the witness and jury. All systems are subject to availability and custom installations are extremely limited.

Courtroom Technology staff will install the equipment and instruct you in its operation. The Court cannot provide operators during the course of any proceeding.

Authorization to bring in AV equipment and/or a third party vendor must be granted by Chambers. Only one installation is permitted in a courtroom. It will be necessary for all parties to cooperate and share equipment. This applies to equipment provided by the court as well as by a third party commercial vendor. All equipment and/or parties must pass through court security.

For scheduling of matters with Judge Kaplan, please contact Mr. Mohan of Judge Kaplan's chambers at (212) 805-0104.

To schedule courtroom technology services in all courtrooms other than Judge Kaplan's, please contact the Office of Courtroom Technology/ AV Services at (212) 805-0134.

Electronic Court Recording (ECR)

ECR is the electronic/audio recording of a court proceeding in lieu of a court reporter. If a party requests a transcript, then the audio recording is forwarded to a commercial transcription service that will produce a transcript. The transcription service certifies that the transcript is a true and accurate rendering of the official court audio recording.

A transcript is not produced unless a party requests a transcript through Courtroom Technology/AV Services. The transcript is delivered directly to the ordering party from the transcriber, and it is not distributed through the court. A request for a transcript may be made in person or by telephone and must include the following information:

• Caption
• Docket number
• Date of proceeding
• Name of presiding Judge/Magistrate
• Contact Info – including name and e-mail address of the ordering party, firm’s name, address and phone number.

The current ECR rates are as follows:

The following Magistrate Judges use ECR for the majority of their civil proceedings:  Magistrate Dolinger, Magistrate Eaton, Magistrate Ellis, Magistrate Fox, Magistrate Francis, Magistrate Freeman, Magistrate Gorenstein, Magistrate Katz, Magistrate Maas and Magistrate Pitman. The following Judges use ECR for civil proceedings on a more limited basis: Judge Crotty, Judge Rakoff, Judge Swain and Judge Stein.

Criminal proceedings before Magistrate Judges are electronically recorded.  However, it is the policy of the Court that a guilty plea in criminal felony cases is to be recorded by a court reporter.

If a Judge or Magistrate Judge is not listed above, then the matter was recorded by a court reporter, or not at all.  Please be aware that for some proceedings a record may not be made, e.g. pretrial conferences. If the proceeding was recorded by a court reporter, please refer to the Court Reporting page for instructions.

Contact the Courtroom Technology office for an electronic/audio court recording (ECR). Please be certain that you are presenting the transcript request to the correct office as the rate at which the transcription service charges is determined by the date the request is received.