Tag: Georgia court reporter

With the unique challenge of working and keeping businesses going during COVID-19, having a remote office has become our new normal but it can still be an unknown, possibly even stressful, factor amid these disruptive and uncertain times.

It’s more important now than ever to keep your mental and emotional well-being in check, as well as that of your employees and staff.

SET SCHEDULES 

Keeping a regular, and realistic, schedule is vital. Plan your day as if you were in the office with a start time, lunch time and quitting time. Make sure you allow technology-free time to pamper yourself, whether that’s reading a book, working on a jigsaw puzzle or a soothing bath.

HAVE A DEDICATED WORK SPACE

You don’t need a room specifically for your home office but find space that is to be your work area during work hours. This can be a corner in your bedroom, living room or on your kitchen table. Tell your family this is your work area during your scheduled work times. After hours, it can go back to its intended use.

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK 

Working from home doesn’t (and shouldn’t) mean parking yourself at your desk 24-7. Your mind and body need breaks throughout the day so be sure to take them, preferably every 30 to 60 minutes. It may be getting up to stretch for a few minutes or getting a glass of water. On phone calls, get in the habit of standing rather than sitting to keep that blood flowing.

BUT WATCH OUT FOR THOSE DISTRACTIONS!

Working from home can be wonderful (saving on gas and travel time with no commute and hey, you don’t even have to wear shoes!) but being at home can lend to a host of distractions. Don’t let your laundry, that Harry Potter marathon or social media impact your productivity.

STAY CONNECTED

That said, social media is a wonderful way to keep in touch, not only with family but also co-workers. The office is not only a place to work but also a method to combat loneliness and isolation. Working from home, especially for extroverts, can create anxiety. So check in with your co-workers, not just to discuss work-related matters but also fun things, like sharing recipes and family and pet photos.

AND GET FRESH AIR

Fresh air and sunshine are a necessity. With fewer people driving, and warmer weather upon most of us, getting away from your desk, out the door and into the environment is fundamental. Not only will it invigorate you but will keep your immune system healthy.

SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS

If your workload is lighter than normal, it’s the perfect time to investigate some online courses that will improve your skills, raise the value of your expertise and give you continuing education credit. As a bonus, it also takes your mind off economic worries.

DON’T FORGET YOUR EMPLOYEES

If you’re in management, it’s imperative not to neglect your employees. Understand that they might be feeling anxious, overworked and even isolated. Make yourself available to address any issues they might have. Have regular meetings by video or phone to keep everyone up to date. Let your staff know the best way to reach you with questions or emergencies. Find out if your health plan offers support for insureds who may need it and pass that information along.

Lastly, smile and breathe!

The Atlanta-based 11th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected how CNN and other medial companies demanded the special dismissal provision found in Georgia’s anti-SLAPP statute in a defamation case. The loss of this important appeal will – at the minimum – make it easier to file suit against the media in federal court particularly in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. CNN is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.

The Underlying Case

The appeal to the Eleventh Circuit is the result of several reports on Anderson Cooper 360 in June 2015 on the infant mortality rate for open-heart surgery at St. Mary’s Medical Center – a West Palm Beach, FL hospital. The show claimed St. Mary’s death rates were three times the national average. The reporting sparked defamation lawsuits from the former chief executive at the hospital who was forced to resign as a result of CNN’s report. The executive claimed that CNN made an unfair comparison of hospitals that conduct both open-heart and closed-heart surgeries which, had it been properly made, would have adjusted for risk and changed the death rates.

CNN argued that the plaintiff could not meet the “of and concerning” standard required by a defamation suit because executive was not mentioned by name in the series. CNN also argued an “academic” disagreement that the methodology of how to calculate the mortality rates is a non-actionable opinion. These arguments, however, were placed on the back burner as a result of the standard that the Georgia federal judge must decide whether or not the case should be dismissed. Like other states, Georgia has tried to reduce frivolous First Amendment lawsuits by passing an anti-SLAPP statute. SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation. Under the statute, the plaintiff bears a higher evidentiary burden above and beyond those imposed by the federal rules of civil procedure. Accordingly, the 11th Circuit held the SLAPP statute should not apply. Notably, other federal circuits around the country – including the First, Second, Fifth, and Ninth – have ruled that state SLAPP laws should apply in federal courts.

Defamation Explained

Defamation of character is a term that encompasses any statement that hurts another’s reputation. When this happens in writing, it is referred to as “libel”; when it occurs in verbal form, it is referred to as “slander.” While defamation is not a crime, it is a civil wrong – or a tort. An individual who has been defamed has a private right of action to sue the person (or entity) who did the defaming for monetary damages.

Nevada’s law that governs defamation tries to balance two competing interests: People should be able to speak freely without fear of litigation over each mistake, insult, or disagreement, while a person’s life should not be ruined by lies that are told about them. While defamation is governed by state law, and varies from state to state, a victim of defamation must establish that the statement was published, is false, was injurious, and is unprivileged in order to succeed in a defamation lawsuit. Because the public has the right to criticize them, public officials have less protection from defamation. In addition to proving the four elements previously mentioned, a public official must also prove the defendant acted wit

Ever wanted to further advance the visual presentation of a deposition? Picture in Picture offers the opportunity to add more visual evidence in a deposition, while maintaining professional standards. Having the ability to use the services of Picture in Picture is not only rare, but extremely beneficial for a deposition.

How is it beneficial?

• First and foremost, Picture in Picture demonstrates the capability to show a smaller window of camera time on a regular screen that is typically setup for regular videography services.
• Like standard videography services, Picture in Picture can be done live on the spot.
• It allows the possibility to project an exhibit via an overhead projector while recording the deposition of a witness.
• Lastly, it allows the possibility to show a video while showing the reactions of a witness on the smaller window.

With that in mind, Picture in Picture is a beneficial and productive service to use for a deposition. It provides more visual stimulation for a deposition, which can be useful for the jury.

If you are interested in learning more about EGCR Videography services, click here to discover further information.

Lawsuits do not occur in a vacuum, and they do not unfold in a convenient manner such that everyone simply walks to a nearby location to present their positions.  There is a side to litigation that is nearly as time-consuming and stressful as the matter itself, and that’s managing all of the logistics that relate to a case.  Any attorney who has handled active claims understands that there are innumerable details that need to be handled.  Any mistakes that are made could lead to severe, even irreparable damage to a client’s position.  No one ever wants to deal with the fallout from such a situation.

Fortunately, the world of technology has provided forward-looking professionals with the opportunity to manage all of these ‘behind-the-scenes’ details in a much simpler and more efficient manner.  One of the headaches related to litigation that can now be minimized or even in some senses eliminated with the proper tools is logistics.  Arranging for travel for witnesses to a deposition or taking the time yourself to travel to one is a waste of many different types of resources.  It’s also not easy to have to make sure that a witness is on a plane or on the way in his or her vehicle.

Elizabeth Gallo Court Reporting, LLC has a solution for clients that will deal with this exact scenario.  It’s known as portable web conferencing.  It is just like it sounds – it allows litigators to handle their depositions without having to travel.  The portable web conferencing capability that we provide brings the following benefits to those who make use of this technology:

• Fully interactive interface
• Multi-party capabilities
• Need only a device that can connect to the Internet
• System uniquely tailored to meet the needs of litigators

We’ll also minimize the chance that you encounter any actual glitches when it’s time to depose your witness.  We’ll make sure that everyone involved in the deposition is able to access the portable web conferencing interface via a computer, smartphone or tablet.  We’ll perform a test one day prior to your deposition to make sure that there are no connectivity issues at the deposition location.  We’ll also make sure that our firm provides all of the necessary tech support should something unforeseen arise on the day of the deposition.

This leaves you with a simple choice – you can choose to spend more time and money deposing a witness and endure more stress or you can do the opposite.  The Georgia court reporters at Elizabeth Gallo Court Reporting, LLC have always looked for advantages that can be put to use for our clients, and portable web conferencing is just the latest advancement we are proud to offer those who choose to work with us.  If you’d like to learn more about how we can make all of this happen for you, feel free to contact us today to obtain prompt answers to whatever questions you have.