By Zach Dalton

LexisNexis Courtroom Cast (formerly AudioCaseFiles) is a valuable resource available to Georgia State law students for free. Students can sign up for the site using their Georgia State email address.

Courtroom Cast provides students with access to audio and video of real court cases containing concepts learned in class. This can facilitate a deeper understanding of how concepts come together when representing a client.

Audio Versions of Cases

The site contains audio versions of selected cases from your casebooks. To access these audio files, one must scroll down to the bottom of the page, select the proper subject under the heading of “Browse Audio by Casebook,” and then choose the casebook which is being used for your class. You can listen to the cases using your favorite audio program or by downloading the MP3 to your chosen digital audio device. Unlike having a computer read the text of the opinion, these use real people and are much easier to listen to. These audio versions can be very helpful for those who have a significant commute each day. This can also be helpful for those who just get tired of reading so many pages each week.

Courtroom Training Videos

Upper level students will appreciate the courtroom training videos. These cover a variety of topics, such as trial advocacy, rules of evidence, and appellate advocacy. The videos break these different skills down into manageable sections and provide commentary and analysis to improve one’s ability to better represent a client.

The site also contains videos of complete trials, including many from Georgia. If you were ever interested in how a trial proceeds while in the courtroom, this could be very helpful. Individual sections of the trials are also able to be viewed. This could allow you to watch a specific section (ex. opening statements) in dozens of trials if you are having difficulty in that specific area.

LexisNexis Courtroom Cast is another of the many free resources available to Georgia State Law students. Go to the site and give it a try.