Opelousas City Court recordings go digital
Oct 10, 2010
Source: Daily World
Author: William Johnson
The Opelousas City Court has gone digital.
Keeping an accurate record of court proceedings
has always been critical. In the beginning were
paper copies, but they could at most record the
high point of a trial.
Then came tape recorders. While they made a
complete recording, accessing an important part of
the testimony was difficult and time consuming.
City Court Judge Vanessa Harris said the new digital
recording technology not only solves that problem,
but brings with it a host of other advantages.
Harris has been interested in upgrading the system
for years but couldn’t do so until this year, when the
Louisiana Legislature authorized the transition for
courts at her level.
Court Administrator LaVonya Malveaux said for the
upgrade she went with the Liberty Express Court
Recording System, which has been in use in the
parish’s 27th Judicial District courts for the past two
years.
She said having the city and parish courts using the
same system will make it easier for the two courts to
share information in an efficient manner.
The Liberty System is a computer-based audio
recording program that will run on almost any
standard Windows-based computer, she said.
In addition to recording everything the judge,
witnesses and others say, the system allows the
court to add bookmarks and text notes.
“The program includes cue points that allow users
to jump to specific points within the recording file,
allowing judges, lawyers and other court officials
the ability to quickly and accurately access any
point within a recording,” Malveaux said.
The system also saves the file to the computer in the
courtroom and the court’s server, saving the cost
and effort of making copies and filing and storing
them in multiple locations.
“After a recording is complete, the file may be saved
as a PDF file with associated notes, cue points and
media. The files can be moved throughout the
network just like any other type of file, allowing
anyone with a computer in the courthouse to listen
to the recordings on their PC,” Malveaux said.
She said the system also allows the court to create
copies of civil court proceedings that can be made
available to the litigants for a fee.
“People needing to listen to a civil hearing now have
the luxury of purchasing a disc for their own use,”
Malveaux said.
The new system has also allowed the city court to
go wireless with its courtroom microphones.
“The wireless configuration will provide portability
and flexibility for the court,” said Malveaux, who
said the system can also be used for many
community meetings, seminars and workshops held
in the courtroom throughout the year.