Remote Depositions Done Right: A Paralegal’s Checklist

Remote depositions have become routine, but a smooth one still depends on preparation. When the technology fails, it eats the record and the schedule. This checklist keeps a remote proceeding as reliable as an in-person one.

Before the Day

• Confirm the platform and circulate the secure link only to authorized participants.
• Ask the agency to provide a dedicated technical host, not just a reporter, so someone owns the exhibits, breakout rooms, and connection.
• Pre-mark exhibits and send them to the host in advance so they can be introduced cleanly on the record.
• Verify each participant has a stable connection, a working camera, and a quiet space.

During the Deposition

• Let the host manage screen shares and exhibit display so counsel can focus entirely on the witness.
• Use realtime if lead and second chair need to read the record together from different locations.
• Keep a plan for a dropped connection: a phone bridge, a short recess protocol, and the host's direct line.

After the Record Closes

Confirm the delivery timeline for the certified transcript and video, and make sure everything lands in your firm's repository where co-counsel can find it. A searchable repository means you are not chasing an exhibit weeks later when a partner asks for it.

The Common Thread

Every item above comes down to one principle: the litigation team should never troubleshoot technology on the record. A dedicated host and a prepared agency make a remote deposition indistinguishable from an in-person one in quality, which is how Marbury Court Reporting runs every remote proceeding.