[blindLaw] Note-taking in Courtrooms

Brian Unitt BrianUnitt at holsteinlaw.com
Sun Feb 18 20:20:53 UTC 2024 

Hi Julie,

I first learned Slate and stylus in fourth grade using standard braille paper. I hated it as the brute force required made it noisy and slow. Later on when I was in college I got tired of recording lectures and decided to give the slate another try. I used notebook paper instead of the 100lb braille paper. It made all the difference. You might be having a similar issue using index cards. Grab a legal pad and give that a try. You might be surprised at the speed you can get. The notes don't last forever, but they certainly last at least through the end of the semester. When I was cleaning out my desk when closing my old firm a couple years ago, I found files of case notes from the '80s and '90s that were still readable.

Brian
Brian C. Unitt
Certified Specialist in Appellate Law
By the State Bar of California

Law Office of Brian C. Unitt
6185 Magnolia Ave, PMB 40
Riverside, CA 92506 
P: 951-682-7030
E: brianunitt at holsteinlaw.com
Visit my Website

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-----Original Message-----
From: BlindLaw <blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Julie A. Orozco via BlindLaw
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2024 9:56 AM
To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Julie A. Orozco <kaybaycar at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [blindLaw] Note-taking in Courtrooms

I don't have courtroom experience yet, but whenever I needed to take notes on something happening in real time in law school, I always used my Braille Note Touch. I do, however, always keep a slate and stylus and some index cards in my purse just in case. Maybe it wouldn't really be all that beneficial to me, since I learned how to use it later in life and am very slow at it, but I can't ever imagine being in a situation where I need to take notes and cannot do so at all.

I only wish there was a silent Braille writer we could bring into court proceedings. Hard copy Braille has always been easier and faster for me, and that doesn't depend on tech that might break down without notice. Sadly, I don't think that will ever happen, but it would certainly be the best.

Julie


On 2/17/24, Brian Unitt via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
>
> I do use the scratchpad feature of my Focus 40 Blue for some court 
> hearings, but with age the battery is not as dependable. Your mention 
> of the BrailleNote brought back memories of when I had a PacMate. I 
> did get a lot of use out of it in court until it wore out. Once going 
> through security at the court of appeal in Orange County the CHP 
> officer didn't fwant to allow it through. (Either he thought it was a 
> bomb or just prohibited tech.) I explained it was what I used for my 
> notes for oral argument, and he said he would have to check with the 
> presiding justice. The PJ, having I am sure no idea what the officer 
> was talking about allowed it, and for some reason moved my case to the 
> top of the calendar. When I got to the lectern he asked if needed time 
> to set up my equipment. I flipped the switch and told him I was ready 
> to go. Another time years earlier in the same court I was using slate 
> and stylus, and the CHP didn't want to allow the stylus through 
> security. Who knew you could commit mayhem with such a diminuitive 
> tool. I explained that I needed it to do my job and showed him how it worked. He dubiously let it through.
>
> One other story about the PacMate. I had to appear before the same 
> judge three weeks in a row trying to finalize an order approving 
> compromise of a minor's PI case. At the end of the third hearing the 
> judge asked if I would stick around after the hearing because he neeed 
> to ask me something. I did, and he told me the court staff had been 
> asking about the device I was using and what it did. I explained it 
> (knowing full well it the was the judge himself who was wondering). 
> Those teachable moments are such a great antidote to the usual refrain of "I can't imagine how you do what you do."
>
> Brian
> Brian C. Unitt
> Certified Specialist in Appellate Law
> By the State Bar of California
>
> Law Office of Brian C. Unitt
> 6185 Magnolia Ave, PMB 40
> Riverside, CA 92506
> P: 951-682-7030
> E: brianunitt at holsteinlaw.com
> Visit my Website
>
> NOTICE:  This communication is intended for the use of the individual 
> or entity to which it is addressed and may contain attorney/client 
> information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from 
> disclosure under applicable law.  If the reader of this communication 
> is not the intended recipient or the employee or agent responsible for 
> delivering this communication to the intended recipient, you are 
> hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of 
> this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this 
> communication in error, please notify us immediately by reply email or 
> by telephone and immediately delete this communication and all its attachments.
>
> Confidentiality Disclaimer
> This email is confidential and intended solely for the use of the
> individual(s) to whom it is addressed. The information contained in 
> this message may be privileged and confidential and protected from disclosure.
> If you are not the author's intended recipient, be advised that you 
> have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, 
> forwarding, printing, or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. 
> If you have received this email in error please delete all copies, 
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: BlindLaw <blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Aser 
> Tolentino via BlindLaw
> Sent: Friday, February 16, 2024 5:56 PM
> To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Aser Tolentino <agtolentino at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [blindLaw] Note-taking in Courtrooms
>
> I would go with a Mantis personally. When I spent a lot of time 
> actually in court as opposed to doing law in motion remotely, I used a BrailleNote.
>
>> On Feb 16, 2024, at 3:59 PM, Audrey Farnum via BlindLaw 
>> <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> I agree with Brian that a slate and stylus is a great option if 
>> you’re fast enough with it. I’m not that fast so I use the text 
>> editor on  a Braille display in the courtroom For notes on the fly. I 
>> recently got a Mantis Q40 and it’s really been working well with  my workflow.
>>
>> Audrey T. Farnum
>> President
>> National Federation of the Blind Oklahoma 405-445-0610, NFBOK Main 
>> 405-590-6110, Cell president at nfbok.org www.nfbok.org Live the life 
>> you want.
>>
>>> On Feb 16, 2024, at 4:25 PM, Brian Unitt via BlindLaw 
>>> <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> Slate and stylus on either legal pad paper or printer paper. It's 
>>> fast, relatively quiet, and no fear of power/battery failure or 
>>> connectivity problems.
>>>
>>> Brian
>>> Brian C. Unitt
>>> Certified Specialist in Appellate Law By the State Bar of California
>>>
>>> Law Office of Brian C. Unitt
>>> 6185 Magnolia Ave, PMB 40
>>> Riverside, CA 92506
>>> P: 951-682-7030
>>> E: brianunitt at holsteinlaw.com
>>> Visit my Website
>>>
>>> NOTICE:  This communication is intended for the use of the 
>>> individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain 
>>> attorney/client information that is privileged, confidential and 
>>> exempt from disclosure under applicable law.  If the reader of this 
>>> communication is not the intended recipient or the employee or agent 
>>> responsible for delivering this communication to the intended 
>>> recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, 
>>> distribution or copying of this communication is strictly 
>>> prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, 
>>> please notify us immediately by reply email or by telephone and immediately delete this communication and all its attachments.
>>>
>>> Confidentiality Disclaimer
>>> This email is confidential and intended solely for the use of the
>>> individual(s) to whom it is addressed. The information contained in 
>>> this message may be privileged and confidential and protected from 
>>> disclosure.
>>> If you are not the author's intended recipient, be advised that you 
>>> have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, 
>>> forwarding, printing, or copying of this email is strictly 
>>> prohibited. If you have received this email in error please delete 
>>> all copies, both electronic and printed, and contact the author immediately.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: BlindLaw <blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Thomas 
>>> Dukeman via BlindLaw
>>> Sent: Friday, February 16, 2024 1:53 PM
>>> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' <BlindLaw at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: Thomas Dukeman <ThomasDukeman at outlook.com>
>>> Subject: [blindLaw] Note-taking in Courtrooms
>>>
>>>
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I was wondering if anyone has good tips on taking notes while being 
>>> blind and in a courtroom? I know that there is taking notes 
>>> electronically I guess, but what else could be used to take down 
>>> information and review it later?
>>>
>>> Thank you all for your time,
>>> Thomas Dukeman
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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--
Julie A. Orozco
MM Vocal Performance, 2015; American University Washington College of Law, JD Candidate 2023

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