New from Prevail: Picture-in-Picture for Enhanced Deposition Strategy

Picture this: You’re deep into a deposition, reviewing a crucial document while the deponent answers questions. Your focus is on the exhibit, annotating sections according to what the deponent says. But what’s happening on the other side of the screen? Did they hesitate? Shift in their seat? Those subtle reactions—often more telling than words—can slip by unnoticed when your eyes are focused on other things.

Prevail solves this problem with our Picture-in-Picture (PiP) feature in Session Review. It allows attorneys to review deponent reactions after the fact, ensuring that no critical nonverbal cues are missed. This post-session analysis empowers attorneys to create compelling video clips for trial preparation and assess moments that may have gone unnoticed during the live session.

The Strategic Advantage of Visual Cues

Nonverbal cues can speak volumes in a deposition. A quick glance away, a furrowed brow, or a slight hesitation before answering—these small, seemingly insignificant actions often tell a deeper story. Body language and facial expressions can often reveal emotions, uncertainty, and even deception. 

Focusing solely on exhibits during questioning can cause attorneys to miss critical visual information. According to Courtroom Sciences, experienced litigators emphasize the importance of maintaining visual contact with deponents to detect inconsistencies, discomfort, or confidence shifts. For example, a witness who appears overly confident while responding verbally, but shows visible discomfort when confronted with a document, may indicate that something doesn’t add up. These subtle tells can reveal inconsistencies that strengthen a case.

Research published in the National Library of Medicine also highlights how facial expressions often betray emotions that words attempt to conceal. When attorneys can closely observe deponent reactions after a session, they’re in a stronger position to assess credibility, challenge testimony, and authenticate documents. Visual cues add an extra layer of analysis that written transcripts simply can’t capture.

How Picture-in-Picture Works

After a remote deposition, users can easily toggle between PiP, full-screen document review, and participant viewing modes in Session Review. This enables attorneys to review witnesses' reactions to exhibits and create their own picture-in-picture clips for trial preparation, all without leaving the Prevail platform. Plus, all exhibits can be found in the Briefcase module, giving attorneys easy access to the presented files. This intuitive setup keeps critical information right at your fingertips.

Watch the full walkthrough of the PiP feature below.

Practical Picture-in-Picture Applications

Catching a witness’s hesitation or shift in demeanor at just the right moment is pivotal. With PiP in Session Review, attorneys can track these subtle cues, making it easier to verify testimony during their post-session analysis. 

Take document authentication. When reviewing the deposition post-session, an attorney can watch for hesitation, eye movement, or discomfort—signals that something might be off. If a witness hesitated before confirming a signature or looked uneasy when shown an unexpected exhibit, it could warrant deeper scrutiny.

Impeachment is another area where PiP proves invaluable. If a deponent confidently stated one thing but reacted visibly when confronted with prior testimony, attorneys can pinpoint contradictions and use that insight to strengthen their case.

The feature also enhances expert witness examinations. When presenting technical data or reports, attorneys can assess an expert’s confidence—or lack thereof—while explaining their conclusions. A moment of hesitation or nervous glance can convey uncertainty, giving opposing counsel an opportunity to probe further.

Finally, these critical moments don’t have to be lost in the shuffle. With Prevail, attorneys can export video clips of key reactions to use in trial preparation, ensuring they have compelling visual evidence when and where it matters most.

Picture-in-Picture: A Strategic Feature

Legal success often hinges on catching the most minor details. With Prevail’s Picture-in-Picture feature in Session Review, attorneys can thoroughly analyze the deponent’s nonverbal cues, ensuring that no critical reaction goes unnoticed. This added layer of insight helps authenticate documents, expose inconsistencies, and assess witness credibility—giving attorneys a distinct strategic advantage.

As part of Prevail’s mission to modernize legal practice through innovative technology, PiP empowers attorneys to approach every deposition with greater confidence and control. Ready to experience the Prevail difference? Book a demo today.