JUDGE ROBERT HOLMES BELL'S COURTROOM

The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan has recently installed an electronic evidence presentation system in the courtroom of Judge Robert Holmes Bell, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

This evidence presentation system allows for the display of evidence throughout the courtroom on various monitors located at the bench, the witness stand, the lectern, the evidence presentation cart, the jury box, the counsel tables and the gallery. This innovative technology will eliminate the cumbersome process of handling paper evidence.

Counsel planning to use the equipment are encouraged to contact court staff well in advance of their court proceeding to inquire about training and practice sessions. Practice sessions and testing of the equipment must occur prior to the day of a scheduled court appearance, as the courtroom and court staff will not be available for that purpose on the day of the proceeding.
 

If you do not have a proceeding scheduled in the near future, but are interested in attending a training session, please review our Training Calendar for upcoming training sessions.

The Court strongly encourages counsel to take advantage of the benefits of this equipment.


The courtroom contains the following equipment:

• Evidence Presentation Cart, containing:

  • Evidence Camera

  • VCR

  • Auxiliary Connections

  • Control Panel

  • Microphone

• Counsel Tables, containing:

  • Monitors

  • Microphones

  • PC Connection

  • Auxiliary Connections

  • Internet Access (upon request)

• Lectern. The lectern is mobile and equipped with an annotation monitor, work space and a microphone.

• Witness Stand. The witness stand is equipped with:

  • Annotation Monitor

  • PC Connection

  • Auxiliary Connections

  • Microphone

• Jury Box.   Eight monitors are installed in the Jury box allowing the Jury to view anything being displayed.

• Gallery. Two large screen mobile monitors are available to allow spectators to see evidence being presented during a court proceeding.

• Hearing Assistance System. Wireless headphones are available for use by the hearing impaired, or for language interpretation.

• A cordless hand-held microphone and a cordless lapel microphone are available.
   

• A color video printer is available in the courtroom should counsel wish to print a displayed image for admission into evidence.
   

• Evidence Presentation Software. To make effective use of the evidence presentation system, counsel may want to consider purchasing a presentation software package. The court does not endorse any particular software package, but offers the following information for your reference.
   

  • Publishing/Graphic Software

  • Evidence Presentation Software

   

• The court has prepared a checklist for counsel’s reference when considering use of the electronic evidence presentation system.

Contact Judge Bell’s Court Reporter, Kevin Gaugier at:  (616) 456-6133 or contact us at:  Courtroom Technology Information