Investigating the impact of advanced technology on trials: the courtroom as a classroom

Advanced technology has made a dramatic entry into courtrooms across the United States. Lawyers and judges who are experienced in the use of technology believe it lends credibility to the presenter and otherwise makes for a more effective presentation and a greater likelihood of success in a trial. However, the support for these views is largely anecdotal. We believe that courtrooms are classrooms where judges and jurors learn the facts of a case under the guidance of attorneys and that the learning process may be enhanced through the use of advanced technology. This paper reports a study that begins the difficult task of systematically investigating the uses of technology as a means of influencing a courtroom learning experience