Video Evidence and Gladstones

Dartforddad

Hi

I'm helping my son with a PCN being persued by Gladstone Solicitors. We were actually due to have the case last week via video but the day before we received an email saying the Court didn't have enough resource and it was being postponed. As part of our Witness Statement we had included three video's that show lack of signage, lighting and various other points. So the Witness Statement was hand delivered to the Court with tested DVD and the same was sent to Gladstones.

This week (after the actual date the hearing would of took place), we have received an email from Gladstones saying they are unable to access the document provided. It then asks us to re-send using an alternative format so they can review the content of the email.

Given it was a posted DVD I'm not sure why they are questioning the format.

The video files are quiter large so not ideal to attach to an email and I cannot see why we might need to go through the process of putting them on some cloud platform because they seem to have an issue with a DVD.

When we put the files on the DVD we tested them at home and on two friends DVD players so we are confident they are fine.

So my questions are:

1. How much onus is on us to sort out what appears to be an IT issue for Gladstones (its costs us time and money to get the video's on DVD already)

2. We have deliberatly not provided an email address to Gladstones so we are a little surprised they used this medium, is this normal. (and how did they get it)

3. Would it be normal to put these say on a cloud storage area. I cannot imagine the court would want this though with telephone cases being the norm at the moment we want to make sure anything key to our defence is accessible.

Thanks

wannadancewithsomebody

place your files as PUBLIC on youtube and send them the links (share button) 

one might also ask , how have they obtained your email address , or rather , gladstones haver sent a note to an unconfirmed email address stating they cannot open a dvd 

or you can "resend" by first class post with proof of posting , with the youtube links 

it is not your job to sort out IT problems , HOWEVER , dvd s have not been fitted as std to office computers for many yrs , and you have posted to gladstones office , not will hearlys cinema room 

nosferatu1001

1) well you're expected to cooperate. But could ask them why they're unable to play a simple dvd 
1a)  not difficult. Just use we transfer. You will also need to let the court have the link so they can confirm it's the same 

2) not difficult of course. Simple trace. 

3) as said you use something that lets them download their own version, NOT a host such as YouTube where you can alter the file after upload 

Dartforddad

Good luck with them altering the video. They had provided a plan showing where signage was but the video shows just one sign which actually doesn't even match the plan.

I work in IT and we strongly advise against file sharing sites as we have seen too many clients click on links and end up being compromised but I suppose its up to Gladstones to check. We Transfer I think deletes the files after 7 days. We do have paid access to dropbox which can hold the files indefinately.

Coupon-mad

I think you have provided the DVD which is a durable medium and cannot be expected to do more.  If it's good enough for the court it's good enough for Gs.

nosferatu1001

You misunderstand. It's about YOU changing the video the link points to. On YouTube this is trivial to do.  

Hence they get something they can download. 

Coupon-mad

I think the OP has done enough if they posted a DVD, nos.

nosferatu1001

I don't. If they're stating they can't access it, in advance of the new hearing date, then you're risking wasted costs if they get a future hearing adjourned due to this.

 DVD could have been scratched, they might be using an older DVD player and the OP didn't write the dvd so it conformed to the correct dvd video book standard,  but didn't notice during testing as their neighbours players are newer and more accepting of discs written as if they're pc format, etc. 

It's utterly trivial to upload to we transfer. 

Dartforddad

It would help if we knew what the Courts deem as acceptable for video evidence formats. Emailing or calling the Courts is almost impossible at the moment as they just seem to bounce you off with resource issues due to Covid.

Its not really a problem to create a link that they should be able to access. I'm probably more concerned thnking about it that when we get a new trial date that the judge cannot access them for whatever reason.

Le_Kirk

The courts will accept a durable medium, therefore a DVD or mem stick.  The court seem to have accepted your DVD.  It is not your problem that the claimant has not equipment with which to view your DVD.  To circumvent your issue, could you supply the video on a memory stick.  It just has to be anything that cannot be altered by you once served on the claimant.

nosferatu1001

Le Kirk - a download link, NOT an online forum, is entirely acceptable. As I think I've said on other threads. 

The court hasn't had a problem, it's the claimant.