Michigan's Courtroom Technology Partner
More than a decade of trial experience. A mobile office built for high-stakes litigation. A simple philosophy: preparation matters.
More than a decade of trial experience. A mobile office built for high-stakes litigation. A simple philosophy: preparation matters.
Our Story
Schmitzer Video & Trial Services, LLC provides professional legal video and courtroom technology support for attorneys, law firms, and litigation teams throughout Michigan and beyond.
Founded by John Schmitzer II with more than a decade in legal video depositions, trial presentation, deposition services, and courtroom technology support, the company is built on three principles: preparation matters, presentation matters, and helping clients feel supported in high-stakes moments matters most.
We serve both defense and plaintiff litigation teams: the same preparation, the same standards, the same calm.
Preparing a deposition room
At the control station
Founder
John founded the company after more than a decade inside the legal video and litigation support industry.
Before launching, he worked at Bienenstock Court Reporting & Video and US Legal Support as a videographer, trial technologist, and Video Team Leader, coordinating videographers across the Midwest. He is known for a calm, prepared, highly professional presence.
He brings a mobile office into every trial: backup systems, duplicate hardware, mobile internet, printing and scanning, and organized exhibit workflows.
“Be prepared. Stay professional. Make the attorney's job easier.”
John Schmitzer II, Founder
Career
From film school to founder: the experience behind every engagement.
2011–2012
Video/Film graduate. Outstanding Technical Performance Award, 2012.
2014–2016
Videographer & trial technologist.
2016–2023
Videographer, trial technologist & Video Team Leader.
2023–Present
Founder. Based in St. Clair Shores, MI.
Tools & Platforms
Fluent across the platforms litigation teams rely on.
On Cue
Trial Director 6.8
Zoom
Live Litigation
WebEx
TMPEG Video Masterworks
Adobe Suite
SyncUploader
TimeCoder Pro 6
Depoview
E-Transcript Viewer
MicroDicom DICOM Viewer
In Their Words
Professional
Prepared
Personable
Reliable
Calm Under Pressure
Detail-Oriented
Responsive
Efficient
Testimonials
Defense and plaintiff teams across Michigan.
John is calm, prepared, and invisible in the best way. The technology simply works, every deposition, every trial day.
Laura Johnson, Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge
From remote witnesses to courtroom playback, everything ran without a hitch. I never had to think about the equipment once.
Farah Israel, Kitch Attorneys & Counselors
The most reliable trial technician we have worked with. Redundant systems meant we never lost a minute of courtroom time.
Eric Ramar, Ottenwess Law, PLC
I have worked with John in depositions and trials and have found his work to be consistently professional, accurate and highly effective in supporting my case presentation.
J.R. Poll, Attorney
Tell us about your case. We'll bring the technology, the preparation, and the calm.