TrialBook 32 - Feb/Mar '98

TrialBook 32

Gigatron Software Corpora-tion's TrialBook 32 is litigation support software featuring five tools: 1) Case Explorer, 2) Transcript Viewer, 3) Intelligent Notepad, 4) Paralegal Reporting and 5) Exhibit Manager. Intelligent Notepad is a context-sensitive electronic legal pad that allows you to attach annotations and voice notes to your transcripts.

Cases are set up, and the other tools are accessed from the Case Explorer screen that resembles Windows 95's Explorer. Folders for cases and clients are set up in this view. In the left frame, your folders appear hierarchically under your install directory. A typical case will contain a folder with the client's name, a sub-folder for the case name(s), a sub-folder(s) to hold exhibits and other documents, and a sub-folder(s) for transcripts. The tree hierarchy can be expanded and collapsed to focus on the case or cases in question. Highlighting a folder in the left frame displays the contents of the folder in the right frame. The bottom frame, which can be hidden, contains a context-sensitive database keeping track of things like document identification numbers, or whether an exhibit has been admitted into evidence. Your most frequently used folders can be dragged under the menu bar for one-click access. The program automatically gives you one-click access to your Microsoft Office programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Ex-change and Internet Explorer. The programs to scan documents into your folders and to start the Transcript Viewer are invoked from Case Explorer. TWAIN-compliant scanners are supported. Exhibits, transcripts and other objects can be dragged from folder to folder. Right mouse button functionality is well thought out in all of the tools. Program functions can also be accessed through a wizard mode that leads you through the program's operations.

The Transcript Viewer allows the viewing, marking and notating of real-time transcription from a court reporter at a hearing or deposition. The transcript can be saved to hard disk, although most likely the transcript on disk will have to be purchased from the court reporter. If the transcript is purchased on disk, it can be loaded to preserve all of the markings and notations made during the real-time transcription. This is one of the program's most exciting features for litigators. The program comes with pre-defined issue codes such as "b" for background, "c" for cross-examination and "o" for objection, and you can define your own codes. Issue coding can be automated to insert a code every time a particular word is encountered including in real-time. Navigation is joyously easy and logical. Lines marked with issue codes are highlighted; the codes appear in the left margin. A highlight follows the live transcription as it scrolls down the screen. If you make a note, the scrolling stops to allow you to concentrate on your note. When you press the "end" key, you return to the real-time transcription highlight. Pressing the "home" key twice takes you to the beginning of the transcript. A very versatile "find" command (which keeps track of previous find requests that can be clicked instead of re-typed) can also be invoked from the Transcript Viewer.

The StenoCAT, Case-View, ASCII, Amicus, and Page Image formats are currently supported, with plans to expand to other formats. If you plan to use this software at a deposition or hearing, make sure your court reporter's software can supply output in one of these formats. Most of the configuration necessary for the real-time transcription is accomplished in the court reporter's software; setup in TrialBook 32 is quick and straightforward. Since the connection is established through serial ports or on a network, you should always allow extra time before the hearing or deposition to test the communications setup.

After the deposition, your issue codes can be used to create a paralegal report just by picking the issue codes you want included. Paralegal reports are opened into your word-processing program. Support for the Microsoft Intellimouse Wheel is not yet supported except, of course, when you access other programs through TrialBook 32 (such as your word processing program) which do support the wheel.

The Exhibit Manager is another blessing for litigators. Exhibits can be annotated in every manner imaginable including voice annotations. You can create highlights, pointers with descriptive text, arrows, lines, boxes and the like, which can be printed with the exhibit. All work seamlessly, and can be customized. This means that you can use the program to create transparencies for overhead projection or slide shows, as well as blowups on paper limited only by the size and resolution of your printer. The annotations are incorporated as objects and can be added and deleted without affecting the original exhibit.

The program is a great tool for litigators and their staff.

Gigatron Software Corporation
(800) 909-9199
www.gsclion.com
Windows 95, NT

$975, available for a limited time for $525

Reviewed by Steve Schmidt, attorney, Singer, Smith & Williams, Albuquerque, N.M.

Feb/Mar '98 Issue