Ad Litem Consulting, Inc.

Ad Litem Consulting, Inc.
Technical Standards
   Includes:
     - Load Files
     - Cost Codes
     - Quotes
     - For Vendors
     - For Firms

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Read about litigation tech strategies and best practices for the case and firm.
Litigation Support Department
Includes:
   - Budget Spreadsheet
   - Needs Assesment
   - Case Technology Plan
   - Task and Check Lists
   - Member's Area Access

    

Homepage

Intro
Acknowledgements
License
Preface
1.00 Introduction
1.01 For Vendors
1.02 For Firms
1.03 How to Use This Document
2.00 Business Standards
2.01 Outgoing Media Kit
2.02 Cost Codes for Litigation Support
2.03 Request for Quotes ("RFQs")
2.04 Quotes
2.05 Weekly Updates
2.06 Color Blindness
2.07 Quality Control
2.08 Required Test Load
3.00 Technical Standards
3.01 Media Labels
3.02 File, Folder and Volume Naming
3.03 CD Content and Organization
3.04 Organization of Sub-Folders
3.05 Bates Schemes
3.06 Data Files
3.07 Database Conventions
3.08 Native Files
3.09 Project Specifications Document
3.10 Bibliographical Coding Manual
3.11 Image Format
3.12 OCR
3.13 Slip-Sheets or Unitization Rules
3.14 Video
3.15 Synchronization
3.16 Transcripts
3.17 Delivery Media
4.00 Software Specific Requirements
4.01 Casesoft Suite
4.02 IPRO
4.03 Dataflight's Concordance and Opticon
4.04 Image Capture Engineering
4.05 Summation
4.06 iCONECT
4.07 inData TrialDirector
4.nn Additional Titles to Follow
5.00 Examples of What Not To Do
5.01 Media Labels
5.02 File / Folder / Volume Name Conventions
5.03 Database
5.04 Media Content
5.05 Load Files
5.06 OCR
5.07 Opticon Load Files
5.08 Image Format
5.09 Transcripts
5.10 General Errors / Issues
5.11 Real Experiences


3.16 Transcripts - Technical Standards


While there are a wide range of court reporters and companies in the marketplace, every professional should be able to provide their product in one of our accepted formats. The goal is to minimize the amount of time required by law firm staff to make transcripts usable by the legal team.

The vendor should never add their company information to the header or footer.

File Format
The Firm uses [ Enter Application Name ] for transcript management (e.g. LiveNote, Summation, Sanction, etc.) The following formats are our accepted formats, in order of preferences (most to least):

1. _______________________________; 
2. _________________________________;
3. _______________________________;
4. _________________________________;
5. _______________________________;
6. _________________________________;

Many court reporters deliver transcripts as an executable E-Transcript. These are acceptable, so long as the “.exe” file can export to a preferred format, as outlined above.

Media (Delivery Format)
While transcripts are very small in file size, the floppy is slowly disappearing from the PC landscape. In fact, the floppy is an option on some models of computer and laptops. Today, a CD or DVD burner comes standard on the majority of PCs and laptops. An external CD burner costs ~$50. A blank CD costs about $0.10 when bought en masse. Further, no one and no magnet can accidentally modify or delete the court reporter’s work.

The following are our accepted formats, in order of preference (most to least):
1. CD or DVD;
2. 3.5” floppy disk;

Delivery via email is acceptable as a stopgap measure for emergencies or for delivery of a draft version before delivery of the final. All transcripts require a final CD, DVD or floppy.

Labels
The Firm has a vast library of transcripts. While every transcript is loaded into software for actual use, it is critical that the delivery media be easy to identify for inventory purposes. The Firm requests that the following information appear on all transcript media deliveries:

  1. Vendor name
  2. Vendor address
  3. Vendor phone
  4. Vendor email or web site
  5. Names of deponents
  6. Dates of depositions
  7. Times of depositions

Quality and Production Errors
Errors may result in outright rejection of product, reduction in payment due to internal technical time spent to reformat a transcript for import or a simple request for resubmission of product. The decision may be a factor of time and attorney discretion.

©2006 Ad Litem Consulting, Inc. - Litigation Support Services