eLitigateZE FAQs
GENERAL
What is eLitigateZE?
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— 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
What is different about eLitigateZE?
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.
What are Testimony Tools, and how do I get access to them?
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
Can I use eLitigateZE to collaborate with others on my case team?
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.
How do I create a Case Team?
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.
Do I need to upload exhibits from previous depositions to each new eLitigateZE proceeding?
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.
Do my case exhibit folders include exhibits from opposing counsel?
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.
Is eLitigateZE a separate video conference platform from Zoom?
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.
Is eLitigateZE secure?
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.
How easy is eLitigateZE for a witness to use?
eLitigateZE was designed to enable witnesses to participate in a remote deposition with no training and minimal effort.
Does eLitigateZE require a witness to register?
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.
Does eLitigateZE require opposing counsel to register?
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.
How many participants can attend an eLitigateZE deposition?
eLitigateZE supports up to 500 participants in a single deposition.
Which browsers are compatible with eLitigateZE?
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.
Do I need to use two screens with eLitigateZE?
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.
Can you use two screens with eLitigateZE?
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.
Can I join by telephone? By computer audio?
Yes, you can join by telephone, computer audio, or a combination of computer and dial-in.
Do you have a mobile version of eLitigateZE?
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.
Does each participant need an eLitigateZE account?
No. However, case team members need an eLitigateZE account to upload and introduce exhibits, and to access Testimony Tools.
What do I do if I show up at a remote deposition with documents, but I don't have an account?
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
Can exhibits be uploaded during the deposition?
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.
Can someone else introduce the exhibits for the taking attorney?
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.
How do I pass control to a colleague during a 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."
Can opposing counsel see my documents before they are introduced?
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.
Which exhibit file formats does eLitigateZE support?
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.
Can I stamp exhibits?
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.
Can I stamp my exhibits before the deposition?
You can stamp before the deposition, at the introduction of an exhibit, or after discussing the exhibit, before closing the document.
Who can annotate exhibits?
Annotations can be done by anyone the presenter authorizes, including the witness, or any member of the presenter's team.
Can opposing counsel introduce exhibits during cross-examination?
Yes, opposing counsel can introduce their own documents during cross-examination, or recall exhibits of the taking attorney if granted control by the presenter.
Can the witness scroll through introduced exhibits independently?
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.
Can the taking attorney bring all participants to a particular page in an introduced exhibit?
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.
Can the Exhibit Owner pass control to co-counsel?
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.
What do I do if I enter the wrong exhibit number?
Up until the deposition is ended, the stamp on any exhibit can be deleted and changed to correct a mistake.
Can I retract an introduced exhibit?
Yes, while in-session, you can retract an introduced exhibit using the Retract control found in the "Exhibits List."
What annotation tools are available?
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
How is Screen Share different from live exhibit presentation?
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.
Does eLitigateZE support exhibits that are video clips?
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.
Do I have the ability to share my screen and individual applications?
Yes, you have the ability to share an entire screen, individual applications, and individual browser tabs.
Can I stamp or annotate a Shared Screen exhibit?
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.
What is a “Privacy Shade”?
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
Do we need a videographer to record a deposition?
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.
What happens if two participants talk over each other?
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.
What is the format of the video file?
eLitigateZE creates a high-definition MP4 video file.
POST-DEPOSITION
Can I download a video after the proceeding?
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.
Can I download an audio file of the proceeding?
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.
Can the witness download the exhibits?
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.
Can I download my marked exhibits after the proceeding?
No, as with a traditional deposition, exhibits are provided as ordered through the court reporter or by standing order.
Can opposing counsel download exhibits (marked or unmarked)?
No, exhibits are provided as ordered through the court reporter or by standing order.