Court Reporting and Depositions in Finland

Allowing enough time (roughly between 4-6 weeks is ideal) for scheduling depositions overseas is extremely important because of the logistics associated with the scheduling and planning processes. However, with teams living on-the-ground throughout Europe, we are often able to cover last-minute requests.

Counsel will determine whether their witness is willing to be deposed. If so, both parties can agree to stipulate the oath and begin the process of setting up the deposition.

Finland is a party to The Hague Evidence Convention. Prior approval for taking the deposition of a willing witness is not required. If you need assistance, contact the Planet Depos International Scheduling Department.

For specific information, please consult the U.S. State Department for Judicial Assistance.

1. Select the deposition services needed:
   • U.S.-trained court reporter
   • U.S.-trained legal videographer
   • Any language interpreter
2. What is the location of the deposition in Finland?
   • Do you need Planet Depos to reserve a conference room for you?
3. If not participating in person, do you require videoconferencing services? (If not, please skip to the next item on the checklist).
   • Do you need a location in Finland?
   • Will you need a location in the United States?
   • Can you attend from your firm’s videoconference suite?
   • Ask about Planet Depos’ Mobile Videoconferencing capabilities!
   • Document Production
   • Do you need assistance with exhibit printing?
4. Select your deposition date
   • Start time
   • End time
5. Visa Restrictions:
   • There is no visa required for travel to Finland at this time; however, your passport must be valid for 90 days beyond your intended date of departure. It is highly recommended that you have at least 6-months’ validity past the point of your return to the U.S. on your passport for travel to any European country. For more information, please consult the U.S. State Department or contact Planet Depos’ International Scheduling Department.
6. Make travel arrangements
   • Flight
   • Lodging
     • Contact Planet Depos for information about corporate discounts with our partner hotels
   • Car rental
7. Send a protective order to Planet Depos for representatives to sign (if applicable)
8. Have you filled out the Planet Depos Standing Order Form? It’s an easy process that takes less than 60 seconds and will let us know:
   • Transcript turnaround time (regular or expedited)
   • Who should receive the rough ASCII and final transcript
   • The number of realtime laptops that are needed
   • Preferred video format (DVD, MPEG1, Loaded DVD, Synchronized Viewer)
9. Send out Notice of Deposition to all counsel, your witness, and Planet Depos
10. Send prep materials to Planet Depos for reporter’s deposition preparation:
    • Notice of deposition
    • Complaint
    • Subpoena
    • Previous transcript(s)
    • Word index
11. Obtain emergency contact information for Planet Depos representatives
12. Provide emergency contact information for counsel

Travel safely to Finland and contact Planet Depos with any questions once you’ve arrived!

Did you know? The official name of Finland is “Republic of Finland.”

With teams living on the ground in Europe, Planet Depos offers 24/7 assistance for all of your deposition needs in Finland. Our teams have been covering depositions in Finland for over 15 years, and are therefore considered one of the leading experts in anything pertaining to covering depositions there. We will be more than happy to share this expertise and guide you through the scheduling process, travel and document assistance to ensure successful depositions in Finland.

Entry Requirements for Finland

There are no special visas (tourist or business) required to enter Finland for a stay of less than 90 days. A valid passport is required, showing at least 90 days validity post departure date from Finland. Planet Depos does recommend traveling with at least 6 months validity post departure date on your passport, however. You will need 2 blank visa pages to visit Finland. You will also need to check any countries you pass through to determine if a separate transit visa is required, as there are not many direct flights to Finland from the U.S.

For more information, you can also contact the Finnish Embassy (3301 Massachusetts Ave NW Washington DC 20008)

Finnish Embassy

Flying to Finland

There are three major international airports in Finland:

• Helsinki Malmi Airport (HEM) – Helsinki (Helsinki Malmi Airport)
• Helsinki Vantaa Airport (HEL) – Helsinki (Helsinki Vantaa Airport)
• Tampere-Pirkkala Airport (TMP) – Pirkkala (Tampere Airport)

Airlines offering flights to Finland from the US include:

• US Airways (www.usairways.com)
• Finnair (www.finnair.com)
• American Airlines (www.americanairlines.com)
• Lufthansa (www.lufthansa.com)

Travel in Finland

For updated travel alerts and information, please visit the State Department’s webpage at:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/Judicial-Assistance-Country-Information/Finland.html

Staying in Finland

There are several locations for taking depositions in Finland. For example, Helsinki offers several luxurious hotels to choose from for your lodging and conference room needs. We are happy to assist with your conference room needs and hotel recommendations.

Medical Information for Finland

Medical facilities and staff are excellent in Finland, and English is commonly spoken by medical personnel. For medical information in Finland, please visit:

U.S. Embassy – Finland

For updated health information, including health travel alerts and required immunizations, please visit Finland specific websites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at:

CDC – Finland

Money Matters

Finland, like most of Europe, uses the Euro for its currency. All major international credit and debit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs are found in every town, even the smaller villages.

For up-to-date information on the local conversion rate, please visit a reputable currency converter website such as http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/ which also offers an app for smartphones.

Weather

Summer days are long and warm. The sun is still shining at 10 pm! Some sections of Finland are never dark in the summer, but rather go from twilight to daylight. Summers give way to “ruska” when the forests turn red, orange, and gold. Temperatures are cool and colors are vibrant. Winters are snowy and long. Snow starts falling in November and doesn’t stop until May. The climate in Finland is dry, however, so the cold isn’t as biting as the damp cold of central Europe. Sections of Finland go without daylight for 1-2 months during wintertime! There are hours of twilight around noon. Springs are short and still chilly.

Interesting Fact about Finland
Finns are the world’s biggest coffee drinkers, consuming approximately 26.5 lbs of coffee a year.