Virtual Reality Faces Daunting Courtroom Realities

Virtual reality could be the next evolution in courtroom presentations, but proponents must resolve uncertainties if it’s to gain a beachhead in the button-downed legal profession.

Leading practitioners and experts interviewed by Bloomberg Law largely embrace the immersive technology and its potential legal applications. But they also acknowledge lingering concerns about logistics, cost, and economic inequities.

Topping the list, three-dimensional graphical presentations with interactivity seem so real to jurors that they may prove unduly persuasive in a legal process built around discerning truth. And people can react very differently to the technology.

Some jurors may lose attention while others may ...