[blindlaw] Embedded images in cases/other filings

Thu May 2 20:45:13 UTC 2019

This is a really annoying trend in a world where everything is driven by social media conventions. I’m not saying it’s going to be a great solution, but using the image describer functionality in JAWS might be a workaround so long as the picture in question is not too garbled.
Respectfully,
Aser Tolentino, Esq.

> On May 2, 2019, at 13:37, Singh, Nandini via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Ah, I understand. I think when file conversions happen from whatever is the word processor to final PDF or webpage, it could happen that the graphical content is coded in a way that just turns it into numbers and letters from JAWS' perspective. Westlaw, I agree, does not handle the tabular content well, and there is a way to render it into HTML code that JAWS could handle. I could let the Westlaw JAWS specialists know, but it helps if we have a bunch of people writing to them about the issue.
> 
> 
> It may be harder to deal with this in PDFs, because the table may end up looking like an image for JAWS, even though that same document in Word would have a table that JAWS could navigate. I suspect Adobe may have to visit its conversion processes if we were to make any progress on this.
> 
> I am at a loss about screen shots other than gently telling people that it is not a productive format for the team because it is not a productive format for me. After a few emails saying I cannot read this, please describe, people do get the idea at my firm.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Laura Wolk [mailto:laura.wolk at gmail.com] 
> Sent: Thursday, May 2, 2019 4:18 PM
> To: Blind Law Mailing List
> Cc: Singh, Nandini
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Embedded images in cases/other filings
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I'm not sure we are talking about the same thing, exactly.  It's not
> the use of charts etc in the documents that's the problem.  It's the
> fact that, rather than having the actual chart, it is just an embedded
> image.  So Jaws just says "detected object" or, if you're reviewing in
> Westlaw "Image+giant string of numbers."  So, for instance, if you
> were to read the following in a case:
> 
> "Plaintiff alleges that the defendant's actions caused him the
> following damages over the course of the relevant ten-year timeframe:
> Image2618294827328492.
> Plaintiff's calculations, however, are incorrect."
> 
> You have no idea what the actual chart says, or what the purported
> damages were, because it's just a screenshot or an embedded image of
> whatever plaintiff submitted.
> 
> Does that make more sense?
> 
>> On 5/2/19, Singh, Nandini via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> To an extent, yes. I remember taking a legal writing course a few years ago
>> that offered the multi-media approach to brief drafting. Our textbook
>> sampled a brief that had pictures of a monument, with the brief acting as
>> tour guide of the structure. That being said, the important legal points
>> could still be made sans pictures.
>> 
>> I did not encounter too many embedded graphics or images in briefs when I
>> was clerking. The most notable case was a child pornography matter, where
>> the purportedly offending photograph was part of the appendix. I think you
>> are not really talking about these types of briefs though.
>> 
>> At my firm, we have a fairly traditional approach. Motions and briefs are
>> verbal. The main exception would be expert report submissions, which have
>> the entire range of visuals.
>> 
>> The only other time that a table or chart is used in what I think is a
>> productive way occurs in indictments and sentencing reports involving money
>> laundering or structuring criminal offenses. These graphics can be fairly
>> simple to negotiate, as their main purpose is to illustrate date, amount of
>> money, and parties.
>> 
>> I will say, however, for internal work product, people love using proof
>> charts and massive spreadsheets to create chronologies or summaries, i.e.
>> making bulleted lists within a cell of a table. I find it a bit weird, since
>> this gets visually very cluttered based on input from my non-lawyer friends.
>> I am also of the opinion that law is meant to be a literary profession, so
>> all these charts, with their color coding and flow diagrams, may obscure
>> more than clarify.
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: BlindLaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura Wolk
>> via BlindLaw
>> Sent: Thursday, May 2, 2019 1:22 PM
>> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
>> Cc: Laura Wolk
>> Subject: [blindlaw] Embedded images in cases/other filings
>> 
>> Hello all,
>> 
>> I sort of figured it was only a matter of time until this happened,
>> but I've recently noticed a marked uptick in the number of embedded
>> images (unaccompanied by explanations) that have made their way into
>> cases and briefs I have been reading.  These aren't even always purely
>> pictures; they are oftentimes tables or other charts that easily could
>> be rendered in an accessible fashion or easily described in-text.  Has
>> anyone else noticed this?   I think this is going to be a problem of
>> increasing magnitude as the years go by and we should probably jump on
>> it sooner rather than later.
>> 
>> Laura
>> 
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