Argued From the Couch
Evan posts on a topic which is near and dear to my heart -- "telecommuting!":
Pretty cool. I don't know whether this will become a standard cost-saving practice (or even whether it should) in all cases. People often use teleconference capabilities for limited appearances and even discovery disputes. I imagine the web-based video conference will soon replace those teleconferences. As to whether the internet will turn the conventional office into a dinosaur I have no idea.Below is an excerpt from a recent decision in the case of Ideal Instruments, Inc. v. Rivard Instruments, Inc., a patent case from the Northern District of Iowa. [--- F.Supp.2d ----, 2007 WL 2296407 (N.D. Iowa, August 10, 2007)] In the future we'll think it quaint that this deserved special mention in the court's written opinion. But I'm sure clients will appreciate the cost savings. And imagine trying a federal case while telecommuting!
The court held the Markman hearing in this case on August 3, 2007. The Markman hearing in this case was the first instance in which this court has conducted a hearing using teleconferencing and “webcasts” of the parties' presentations over the internet. The court and the parties found that this procedure was also extremely effective in both presenting the parties' arguments and saving the parties substantial sums in attorney fees and travel costs.
[In a small act of confession, I will note that the bulk of my federal court filings in the past year have been done while sitting at the dining table.]
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