AGCV Member's Code of Ethics

The AGCV Code of Ethics outlines the standards that help guide our Membership to personal and professional integrity. Each and every Member is required to comply with the following:

Duty of Service

All services provided to parties, peripheral service providers, and other clients must be provided in a competent, profession manner. All service requests must be carried out in a timely fashion and represent quality industry standards. No service should be accepted until full proficiency has been established.

Be Truthful

Members shall not produce a legal video document or certificate that the Member believes is false, deceptive, or fraudulent.

Understanding Rules and Regulations

The Member will keep current on all laws, rules, statutes, practices, and requirements of video recording testimony under oath, as well as other forms of legal videography and photography. This includes Rules of Civil Procedure and Rules of Evidence in all jurisdictions of practice.

Conflict of Interest

The Member shall not engage in services or commissions that might or knowingly develop into a conflict of interest. Should a conflict of interest arise the ensuing requestor should be immediately notified and the service request must be denied, unless an agreement by the initial requesting party can be made.

Proper Professional Representation

The Member must act professionally and ethically in all situations. The Member must not represent themselves as holding Certifications that they do not currently hold.

Impartial Witness

The Member shall act as an impartial witness when taking testimony under oath and not profit or gain from any deposition video apart from the fee agreed upon with their client to produce it or to produce authorized duplication of it. The Member shall act as a disinterested third party and not provide unauthorized advice or services during the video recording of a deposition.

Release of Information and Confidentiality

The Member shall respect the privacy of each party and witness to a suit and not divulge or use personal or proprietary information disclosed during the execution of a deposition, video recording, or court proceeding to any other party, individual, or entity without the consent of the client or as directed by court order.

Redundant Archival

The Member must maintain a file of every deposition taken indefinitely or when authorized in writing to destroy same by the client. The Member must also provide redundant back up of all audio, video, and photographic files of commissioned acquisitions or case data the Member have been ordered to maintain custody of.

Provide Appropriate Paperwork

The Member shall provide appropriate paperwork to attorneys, courts, and peripheral service providers. The Member shall provide a certificate of authenticity with every copy or original video recorded that was taken during a deposition. The Member shall maintain all notes and records as set out by applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Do Not Willfully Create Bias

The Member will record each deponent without deliberately creating bias through recording techniques.

Accepting and Presenting Gifts, Entertainment, and Favors

The Member is prohibited from accepting and/or presenting gifts in exchange for legal services or other services relating to the development of a case or claim. Members must not engage in practices of exchange of favors for services.

Use of AGCV Materials

Members must not use the AGCV’s identification, stationery, supplies, and equipment for personal or political matters.

Compliance and Reporting

Any Member that believes another Member is not complying with the above Code of Ethics must notify the American Guild of Court Videographers as soon as possible. Any Member that believes a non-member is using materials created American Guild of Court Videographers without authorization or as set out above must notify the AGCV as soon as possible.