Technology is a blessing, and lawyers can now take advantage of it to solve various cases.
Nowadays, technology is part of most industries. It evolved a lot, to the point where everyone is taking advantage of it in one way or another. Just like technology can help with so many aspects of our daily life, it can also help lawyers win cases. Even legal practice started relying on technology a lot, and if a lawyer does not use the tools available, they risk falling behind.
A client’s highest interest is having a lawyer able to win their case. So, if you are in this situation, you will want to get a lawyer who is familiar with the technological world. How exactly can a lawyer win a case using technology, though? This post will showcase a few ways.
- Electronic Filing
Perhaps one of the biggest blessings when it comes to technology in the legal field is being able to file electronically. This aspect has completely changed the way documents are received from a court and how they are filed.
Now, lawyers do not have to go through the trouble of looking through briefcases and cabinets to find the materials they need. Organizing the fillings in a case is easier and much quicker thanks to computers. They have the option to create folders with the client’s name and store all the necessary materials there. Then, they can also separate all the filings into different litigation stages like pre-trial motions, objections, and all of the others.
What’s even better is that attorneys can meet deadlines no matter how strict they are. Also, documents are at a lower risk of getting lost. As a lawyer, you will not misplace documents anymore or store them among hundreds of other papers. They will be stored electronically and will be much easier to find with a simple search.
- Using Social Media to Search for Evidence
Using social media can be a blessing, but for some people, it is a curse, especially if someone else digs until they find controversial things. Lawyers can now use this method to find some incriminatory evidence against the other party.
Some individuals don’t know that it is very easy to access these details and that this information and their privacy settings can make their cases weaker.
In Virginia, where the violent crime rate stood at 208.0 per 100,000 people in 2019, this feature comes in handy. By hiring a Virginia criminal defense attorney, an individual may end up discovering that the other party was posting incriminatory things on their profiles. This could prove that the crime was premeditated or could lead to other discoveries. Social media can truly help solve cases.
- Having Access to Information and Features
Technology has led to the creation of various law programs or tools that keep attorneys up to date. Lawyers can now access specific case-law decisions using a computer. Doing this the traditional way would’ve taken an eternity.
Attorneys can now find what they need faster by using programs such as Westlaw and Lexis Nexis. The programs will allow them to search for different cases. Without using these tools, any lawyer who tries to litigate will have a hard time winning any appeals, drafting motions, or understanding the legal issue.
This is especially true considering that the courts tend to rely on lines and precedents of case-law opinions that demonstrate a legal position’s universal soundness.
As a lawyer, you will find it easy to be able to browse through hundreds of thousands of federal and state opinions. It’ll be just like using Google.
Also, technology gives attorneys access to news, which is important since they have to keep up with the political trends. These can influence litigation, so if lawyers want to increase their chances of winning the case, they need to know what is going on in the country and the world.
- Using the Mobile Phone
The NSA’s “Upstream” program intercepts American citizens’ overseas communications, including text messages and emails. Image via Pxfuel.com (https://www.pxfuel.com/en/free-photo-xpfij). Listed as “free for commercial use.”
Phones are not useful just for calling someone you know. Nowadays, they can also be used by lawyers for taking notes, especially notes related to a case. It can be very useful as the attorney can take notes no matter where they are.
Then, they can go over these notes and think about winning strategies while they are eating, sitting at home, or waiting for the food in a restaurant.
What’s even better is that attorneys can take advantage of the phone’s recording abilities to use the audio later and transcribe it into text. This way, no idea is lost.
- Drafting Documents
Drafting documents is now also possible using technology. One of the most commonly used programs is Microsoft Word. It is also very easy to use. Many attorneys use it to draft documents, mainly because it offers some great templates and tools.
In the past, attorneys had to rely on the traditional ways. They were using word processors, typewriters, and hand-written documents. But now, they can use Microsoft Word to rehash a case-law that was researched already to expound a legal defense’s contours.
This will allow them to generate new material very quickly. The materials can be saved on the hard drive of the computer, so they can keep a record of each case for eternity. What’s better is that they can also go back to these cases and refresh their mind to work on a new issue or appeal.
- Using Cloud Technology
A lawyer can now use the Microsoft One Drive cloud to research case laws. On top of that, if attorneys are traveling to a different city, the whole law firm can use cloud technology to be able to work together.
Final Thoughts
Technology is a blessing, and lawyers can now take advantage of it to solve various cases. Whether you are a lawyer already or plan to become one, it is important to know how technology can save the day or make your job easier. Social media, cloud technology, and law programs are only a few things that can ease your job as an attorney.
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