Sorry for the lack of posts this week; I had a class certification hearing that consumed my time. The hearing gave me an opportunity to use my iPhone and iPad in court, and as expected they were very useful.
First, I had an occasion to use my iPhone when I objected to an opponent's question. While arguing the issue at the bench, I knew that there was an applicable article in the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, but I could not remember the number or the language of the article. Thanks to Matt Miller's La. Code of Civil Procedure app, while I was at the bench and my opponent was arguing, I was able to quickly fire up the app on my iPhone, tap the search button, type the word "expert", scroll through the hits and then find the article applicable to my objection so that when it was my time to respond to my opponent, I could cite and quote chapter and verse of the applicable rule. Apps like this which contain the state and federal rules and statutes are incredibly useful to have in the courtroom.
Second, an issue came up during witness testimony on which I had drafted some questions in the past, but I had deleted them from my cross examination outline because I didn't think it would be an issue. I turned on the Personal Hotspot feature on my iPhone so that it would share the 3G connection with my iPad 2, and then I used the LogMeIn app on my iPad to connect to my computer in my office. I was then able to access my document management system and find the old draft of my outline and e-mail it to myself. Then I just used the Mail app on my iPad to see the questions as a Word attachment and see which exhibits I had previously selected to support that line of questioning. In a perfect world, I would have already had all of this with me in the courtroom, but of course in real life you sometimes realize in court that there is something back in the office that you can use. In the past, I might have tried to send an e-mail to someone back in my office, but it would have been difficult to describe what I was looking for even though I knew exactly how to find it myself. With the iPhone and iPad, I could act just like I was sitting in my office even though I was instead sitting in the courtroom.
Third, an issue came up before court in the morning that required some quick legal research. I used the Fastcase app on my iPad to quickly find the cases so I knew what to cite to the court.
Fourth, I had a ton of important documents in my case stored as PDF files in GoodReader on my iPad. It turned out that I only needed a few of those documents, but of course you want to have all of them with you because you never know which one will be important. With the files in digital format, they don't take up physical space and there is no reason not to have all of them with you. When I needed to quickly view a document or search for text in a deposition, it was a cinch to do so using GoodReader. I have yet to post a formal review of the GoodReader app on the iPad, but it is one of my favorite iPad apps.
I could have done much of this with a laptop computer, but one thing I don't like about using a laptop in court is that when your screen is propped up, it adds a slight barrier between you and the judge/jury, and also opens up the possibility of someone behind you in the audience seeing what you are doing. (I realize that you can use a privacy filter on your screen to reduce this risk, but I don't like how they make the screen darker.) Because the iPad lies flat on the desk (or at a slight angle if I prop it up slightly using the Apple Smart Cover), you don't have any of these problems. Plus the iPad — even with a bluetooth keyboard — is much lighter and thinner than a laptop, taking up less space in my briefcase so I can carry other items.
There are some things that I could have done with my iPhone and iPad but did not do. For example, I often take notes on my iPad using a stylus and the Note Taker HD app, but so far I have only done that when watching a hearing or trial. When I am the one in the hot seat, I still prefer to use a legal pad and a pen. I also didn't use the Keynote app on my iPad 2 to connect to the court's display system and use slides; instead my demonstratives were on traditional boards on a tripod easel, which just made more sense for the demonstratives that I was using.
I'm sure that all of us have used an iPhone in court to check e-mails, but I love that the iPhone and iPad are so powerful that they can become indispensible aids in court that help you to make your case.
