eLitigateZE FAQs
GENERAL
Esquire eLitigateZE (Zoom Edition) is the familiar Zoom you know, now enhanced with powerful features designed to improve remote depositions, including advanced exhibit management, case team collaboration, and Testimony Tools—providing in-proceeding testimony streaming, instant access to testimony after depositions, and the ability to create testimony clips. With eLitigateZE, you will have access within 1-2 hours after the proceedings to:
- A complimentary ASR rough transcript to download and share
- Online searchable ASR testimony linked to the actual testimony recording
- Audio clip creation tools for downloading and sharing
Additional features include:
- Drag-and-drop exhibit uploading, submission, and presentation capabilities
- Automatic case linking to reuse exhibits across depositions
- Seamless collaboration with attorneys, paralegals, and second chairs
eLitigateZE delivers a seamless remote deposition experience by combining Zoom videoconferencing, case exhibit management, and real-time testimony access in one secure, intuitive platform—eliminating the need to juggle multiple platforms or logins. Purpose-built for attorneys, it enables instant testimony replay during proceedings and provides immediate access to transcripts post-deposition, replicating the ease and efficiency of an in-person deposition all within a single screen.
When an eLitigateZE deposition is scheduled with a digital reporter, you'll automatically receive access to Testimony Tools. These include in-proceeding testimony streaming, access to testimony after depositions, and the ability to create testimony clips.
Within 1-2 hours after the proceeding, you'll also have access to:
- A complimentary ASR rough transcript to download and share
- Online searchable ASR testimony linked to the actual testimony recording
- Audio clip creation tools for downloading and sharing
Yes. eLitigateZE is designed for seamless case team collaboration. Team members can upload, review, annotate, and present on behalf of the entire team. For example, a paralegal team member can log in and upload documents for the taking attorney, or a new attorney can be added to the case and given access to all past and current exhibits, as well as unintroduced team documents. Post-proceeding testimony clips and highlights are automatically shared among all team members.
Esquire will create your case team automatically and on your behalf. If you would like additional members not currently listed, please contact your local scheduling office and provide them with the case name and emails to add to the team. A team member must have registered for an eLitigate account and verified their account by clicking the verification link in the email sent after registration.
No. Once a deposition concludes, eLitigateZE automatically creates a case exhibit folder for that deposition, which is added to current and future deposition proceedings. These exhibits include the stamp and metadata including owner, exhibit number, and date/time of introduction. All previous exhibit folders are read-only and are viewable in the next deposition's Exhibits List. They are accessible for the life of the case. The exhibits are always at your fingertips (and your team's fingertips), so that you can refer to them and make a copy of relevant documents from past proceedings.
Case folders are automatically created with exhibits from a previous deposition and are tailored to the individual or case team. Included in each folder are all introduced exhibits from any attendee for that deposition, as well as any private unshared exhibits owned by you or your team. Private, unshared exhibits in case folders are only accessible to individuals in your case team.
No. eLitigateZE is a purpose-built deposition companion fully integrated with Zoom. It offers an intuitive, all-in-one interface for conducting remote or hybrid proceedings and delivers a superior experience for participants who want videoconferencing and exhibit management on a single screen—with the flexibility to pop out components to a secondary monitor. Participants can also join using a traditional Zoom link if they prefer to use the standard Zoom interface without the enhanced exhibit management features.
Yes. eLitigateZE employs enterprise-grade security measures to protect your proceedings. Media traffic is encrypted using AES-256 end-to-end encryption, ensuring streaming content remains secure even over public networks. The platform is hosted on secure AWS cloud infrastructure with encrypted storage for all case files. Web traffic is secured with TLS 1.2 and protected by Cloudflare's Web Application Firewall against DDoS attacks. Esquire maintains ISO 27001:2022 certification and has completed multiple SOC 2 Type II audits. Additionally, client data is never used to train AI models, and our ASR provider deletes audio data immediately after processing.
eLitigateZE was designed to enable witnesses to participate in a remote deposition with no training and minimal effort.
No, the witness will receive a notification in Zoom prompting them to open eLitigateZE, where they can continue as a guest to view exhibits. Additionally, if exhibits are being presented via screen share rather than the integrated exhibit management tools, the witness doesn't even need to open the eLitigateZE app—they can participate through the standard Zoom interface while viewing shared exhibits.
No, opposing counsel will receive a notification in Zoom prompting them to open eLitigateZE, where they can join as a guest to view introduced exhibits. However, they must create an account to upload their own exhibits or access their team's exhibits. If needed, they have the option to create an account on the fly after initially joining as a guest.
eLitigateZE supports up to 500 participants in a single deposition.
Beyond the Zoom app integration, eLitigateZE is also fully accessible via web browser, allowing you to prepare and organize exhibits before proceedings and access post-proceeding Testimony Tools for reviewing clips and transcripts. eLitigateZE is compatible with the latest versions of Google Chrome, Safari, and Microsoft Edge browsers. For mobile devices, Safari on iOS/iPad and Chrome on Android are supported. Firefox is not currently supported.
No, the platform is fully functional on a single screen without the need for a second. You do have the option of popping out components to a secondary monitor.
Yes, eLitigateZE is a versatile platform that does not restrict you to a single screen. You can easily pop out components to a secondary monitor.
Yes, you can join by telephone, computer audio, or a combination of computer and dial-in.
Yes, eLitigateZE is available on mobile devices through multiple access points. You can access eLitigateZE as a Zoom app directly within the Zoom mobile app on both Android and iOS devices. This allows you to participate in depositions with full exhibit viewing capabilities from your phone or tablet. Additionally, eLitigateZE is fully functional through mobile web browsers—Safari on iOS/iPad and Chrome on Android—providing flexibility to prepare exhibits or review testimony from any mobile device.
No. However, case team members need an eLitigateZE account to upload and introduce exhibits, and to access Testimony Tools.
You can log in as a guest, then click on "Create Account" to register (quickly) in the session. You will be able to upload documents immediately. When the proceeding concludes, you will need to validate the account by responding to an email waiting for you.
EXHIBITS
Exhibits can be uploaded before, during, or after the proceeding. Exhibits uploaded after the proceeding are accessible to the court reporter for inclusion in the final transcript and exhibit package.
While eLitigateZE is simple to use, some attorneys may prefer to have another team member handle exhibits. Any member of a case team can introduce exhibits on behalf of the team during the deposition.
Everyone on your case team has full control of the team's exhibits. No additional permission or steps are required. The presenter can enable opposing counsel to recall an exhibit for cross-examination using "Grant Control."
No, eLitigateZE ensures that all uploaded documents, including the exhibit list itself, are visible only to the individual who uploaded the documents or other members of their Case Team, until the exhibit is introduced.
Uploading exhibits is easy on eLitigateZE. Users can upload any document file type for submission to the court reporter after the proceeding. For in-app presentation, eLitigateZE natively supports PDFs, image files (.png, .jpg), and Microsoft Office formats (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel). Any file types not supported for in-app presentation will automatically prompt you with an option to use screen share for presentation instead.
Yes, exhibit stamping is built into the platform with intuitive controls that make it even easier than applying an exhibit sticker in a same-room deposition. The workflow is further optimized by automatically showing you the last applied stamp label, making exhibit sequencing simple and efficient.
You can stamp before the deposition, at the introduction of an exhibit, or after discussing the exhibit, before closing the document.
Annotations can be done by anyone the presenter authorizes, including the witness, or any member of the presenter's team.
Yes, opposing counsel can introduce their own documents during cross-examination, or recall exhibits of the taking attorney if granted control by the presenter.
Yes, the witness (and the other participants) can scroll independently through the pages of any introduced exhibit, like the experience of receiving a paper copy in a same-room deposition.
Yes, the taking attorney (or team member) can use the "Direct to Page" control to bring all participants to a particular page. This reduces time spent by others (including the witness) scrolling through their copy of the document to find the requested page.
Yes, there may be times when the taking counsel may want to pass control of the questioning to co-counsel. This is possible using the "Grant Control" button to grant control of the exhibit, and to take control of the exhibit back. When the co-counsel has been granted control of an exhibit, they can direct to page, annotate, and direct the witness to annotate.
Up until the deposition is ended, the stamp on any exhibit can be deleted and changed to correct a mistake.
Yes, while in-session, you can retract an introduced exhibit using the Retract control found in the "Exhibits List."
Standard annotations included are freehand drawing, shapes (such as a box or circle), highlight, underline, and strike through, all using colors that indicate whether the presenter or the witness annotated the document. Additionally, a witness may apply their signature or initials to exhibits.
SCREEN SHARING
Screen Share can be used to share the presenter's entire screen, a single application (such as Excel or a video), and even a browser tab. Screen Share permits a view of a screen or application controlled by the presenter.
Yes, all audio and video file types can be uploaded and submitted to the court reporter. However, video and audio files cannot be presented directly in-app and must be shared using Screen Share functionality.
Yes, you have the ability to share an entire screen, individual applications, and individual browser tabs.
No, we currently do not support the application of stamps or annotations on files that were presented using Shared Screen. We recommend first sharing and stamping a placeholder page, presenting using Screen Share, then sending the final file to the court reporter for inclusion in the exhibits.
The Privacy Shade is a tool that blocks the list of uploaded exhibits to prevent sharing your exhibit strategy to opposing counsel. This is useful while sharing your screen or in a same-room hybrid scenario.
VIDEO
A professional (remote) videographer is required to capture the deposition. When a legal videographer is assigned to the job, the videographer manages going off and on the record and monitors the quality of the video.
Our system does not mute or silence other speakers, thus allowing objecting parties to be heard. The reporter should control the room so that participants don't talk over each other. However, each participant's speech is captured in separate audio channels, which allows the post-proceeding transcript to be produced from individual audio files, overcoming the limitation of cross talk.
eLitigateZE creates a high-definition MP4 video file.
SCRIPTSYNC
Available with Testimony Tools, ScriptSync is eLitigateZE's AI-generated speech-to-text testimony review tool. It acts as an assistant to the attorney for instant testimony review purposes during the proceeding and as a back-up recorder for the court reporter for transcription quality assurance after the proceeding. ScriptSync provides an audio live stream that allows for instant replay of the audio during the deposition.
No, ScriptSync is not a replacement for Realtime. ScriptSync is designed as an in-proceeding review tool that cannot be downloaded or exported. The transcribed text is synchronized to the audio, which provides the most accurate representation of what was spoken.
No, ScriptSync does not provide output to a rough transcript. However, if you have access to Testimony Tools, a complimentary ASR rough transcript is available to download 1-2 hours after the proceeding ends.
No. The digital reporter captures the record, which is submitted to our transcription team. A legal transcriptionist or certified stenographic reporter produces a transcript of the proceeding from the audio recording and annotations. Jurisdictional rules guide which type of transcriptionist will be employed on the job.
Yes, ScriptSync is keyword searchable.
Access to ScriptSync is granted based on an order of Testimony Tools.
ScriptSync provides a live audio stream with full playback controls during the deposition. You can use the scrubber to navigate to any past section of the testimony, fast forward or rewind as needed. Additionally, each line of ScriptSync text includes a play button that will start audio playback from that specific point in the stream, making it easy to jump to and review specific moments in the testimony.
The ScriptSync text is about as accurate as mobile phone speech-to-text tools, with accuracy varying based on audio quality and speech patterns. Accuracy improves as the technology improves. The audio playback that accompanies the speech-to-text provides the most accuracy.
POST-DEPOSITION
No. If a video of the deposition was created, it is because one of the parties requested a video record. The video can be ordered through the court reporter or by standing order.
No, as with a traditional deposition, only the court reporter has access to the audio file post-session as a playback for transcript review and correction.
No, only the court reporter has access to the exhibits in eLitigate. As with a traditional deposition, the exhibits are distributed with the transcript based on the transcript order placed with the court reporter.
No, as with a traditional deposition, exhibits are provided as ordered through the court reporter or by standing order.
No, exhibits are provided as ordered through the court reporter or by standing order.
No, a ScriptSync session record does not exist as a single transcript and is not exportable. It is available only as in-session review tool.