Tips for Better Presenting Photographs in Court

Well-presented photographs are powerful tools for litigators. In this post, I’ll share some samples that show how we’ve helped litigators use photographs in court, along with a number of tips for getting the most from your photographs in litigation.

A Sample Blow-Up Board of Photographs

(Click on the images in this post to enlarge them for better viewing.)

The sample above illustrates several of our tips at once, in particular:

Tip 1: Use many photographs to tell a visual story. In planning for the use of photographs, think broadly about using many images that set a scene for the jury rather than simply focusing on photographs that are essential to the elements of your case. Images help jurors understand and retain information. If you’re talking about a company in opening, then show pictures of its offices and logo. If you refer to a machine, show a picture of that machine. These visual elements help keep your jurors engaged.

Tip 2: Accompany photographs with maps and diagrams to provide context. The board above illustrates how a site map can be used with photographs to provide important context. (more…)