Blog Category: Court Reporting

As more and more countries in Asia open their borders post-pandemic, Planet Depos was recently able to resume covering in-person depositions in the Philippines. Throughout the pandemic, we conducted remote work in the Philippines, but as restrictions ease, we’re now able to offer more comprehensive solutions to clients involved with international cases, while still providing the same, signature, top-tier service.

As a global court reporting firm, all the legal support services we offer in the U.S. are also available for depositions in the Philippines. Whether you need a stenographer, videographer or technician, or require services such as Realtime streaming, same-day rough drafts or expedited final transcripts, our international team is well-equipped to tackle even the toughest cases.

For this in-person deposition, we sent a court reporter and a videographer, both of whom are part of our PD Asia team. While these team members are not local to the Philippines, they do reside full-time in other nearby Asian countries, so they have extensive experience recording international depositions throughout Southeast Asia.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this particular deposition, due to its locale, was the unique blend of languages. Due to Spanish colonization, many Spanish words have been integrated into the Filipino language, Tagalog. In addition, the Filipino people have developed a blend of English and Tagalog, referred to as “Taglish,” which is widely used in everyday life in the Philippines. These linguistic details added an extra dimension to the deposition, requiring particular attention to ensure accurate documentation of the record. However, any challenges were met with enthusiasm and professionalism by our experienced team.

If you have an upcoming deposition in the Philippines, or anywhere else abroad, we are here to help. In addition to coordinating the logistics of an international case, we can also provide valuable insight regarding country-specific deposition regulations, travel and hotel recommendations, and even traditional dishes to enjoy!

For more information on conducting depositions around the world, check out the latest edition of our International Deposition Guide, or submit an international inquiry online at any time.

As the leader in the global court reporting industry, Planet Depos is always looking to expand its geographical reach. Earlier this year, we conducted an international deposition in Cape Town, South Africa.

“This is the first deposition we’ve done in Cape Town specifically, although we did some depositions in Johannesburg a number of years ago,” says Meredith Weisel, senior scheduling manager. “While depositions in South Africa are few and far between, there is always the potential for more!”

International Realtime Court Reporter Ana Gallegos and Videographer Joseph Viner traveled from Europe to South Africa to attend the deposition in person, while Technician Linda Fleet attended remotely via Zoom. Gallegos has been reporting for over 30 years, spending the last half decade focused exclusively on international work.

“My last five years of international work have been the most challenging and exciting in my career,” says Gallegos. “It is always an adventure, but it’s imperative to work with an agency like Planet Depos who understands the challenges of working around the world. I have complete trust that my jobs with PD will run smoothly, my videographer will be very professional and I will never have to worry about anything other than my transcripts.”

While we don’t currently have any local liaisons in South Africa like we do in other countries, like Japan and South Korea, our international team is committed to doing any research necessary to help prepare court reporters and other staff as much as possible. This ensures we’re able to offer our impeccable, best-in-class service no matter where a deposition takes place!

“The international team arranged for all required resources and services, while gathering necessary information and details from the client to make sure the deposition ran smoothly,” says Weisel. “Our tech support team arranged and distributed the Zoom meeting link for the remote participants and our videographer set-up the Zoom connection on-site in South Africa while another technician facilitated things remotely.”

So how does this differ from standard, domestic depositions? In short, it really doesn’t.

“We can make anything happen with depositions taking place internationally, just like we can with depositions in the U.S.,” says Weisel. “Whether you need a reporter, videographer, interpreter or technician, we can make it happen! It will just require a bit more travel, that’s all.”

Do you have an upcoming international deposition? Schedule online with us and let us Make It Happen for you!

The final transcript is critically important to attorneys. It is the very reason you hire a court reporter for your deposition. The final certified transcript may be used in court to call a witness’ veracity into question, for example. Delivery of the final transcript must be prompt, and it must be accurate. Every court reporter works efficiently toward this goal. Each participant in the deposition can aid in reaching the goal of a timely, accurate transcript. Here is the timeline of what those actions are.

What to do before the deposition:

The legal team should send all prep materials it has available to the court reporter. The more case-specific terminology and proper names the court reporter has prior to the proceeding, the better. This eliminates back-and-forth between the reporter/reporting agency and your team trying to get spellings following the proceeding. Overall, it makes for a quicker, more streamlined process for the reporter, resulting in on-time delivery of your correct final transcript. Prep materials can include such documents as listed below:

• Notices
• Previous transcripts
• Exhibits

Working with the same court reporting agency throughout the entirety of your case does simplify the prep materials task. Your agency will have all the previous transcripts and exhibits in the case and should have all the notices as well. You would then only send any additional materials you determine would be beneficial to the court reporter.

The legal team can help the reporter ensure accuracy by sending spellings of any subject matter-relevant terms and proper names. This comes back to streamlining the process and ensuring accuracy of the final, from the title page, through the appearance page, all the way to the reporter’s certificate.

Every participant should test with a technician prior to every remote deposition. While this does not apply to in-person depositions, this is vital to the efficacy of the remote deposition. Each participant needs to test their internet connection and speed, as well as audio and video. This is also the time for people not as comfortable with remote technology to familiarize themselves with the platform, so they are prepared on the day of the deposition. This eliminates delays and interruptions.

Each participant should also log in early for a remote deposition to do a quick check of audio and video. For in-person depositions, parties should arrive a few minutes early to get situated.

What to do during the deposition:

Give the witness clear instructions. Most people don’t give depositions regularly and will at times slip into conversational speech, so remind them to avoid the tendency. Let them know the court reporter is capturing a verbatim record and outline how to help the reporter do so in an effective manner.

• Wait for the attorney to finish the question before answering
• Listen to the question
• Pause before answering the question to give your attorney a chance to object
• Give verbal answers to questions – reporters cannot take down nods or shakes of the head
• Ask for breaks if you need them so you don’t become flustered and have difficulty focusing on and answering questions

Check in with the court reporter on breaks. Keep in mind the reporter is already working on the transcript on these breaks, so lengthy pleasantries are not necessary. But do ask them if the pace is ok, if they need any additional spellings and other quick housekeeping notes. If you know you or the witness speak very quickly, or quietly, or the matter at hand has a lot of specific, technical terminology, make it a habit to check in with the reporter.  They will definitely appreciate the gesture.

Depositions run smoothly when all parties are prepared. Taking the little bit of extra time to prepare has a big pay-off, as there will be fewer interruptions and/or delays during the deposition and an accurate final transcript delivered on time.

Planet Depos reporters have centuries of experience combined. Whatever the subject matter, they have covered it extensively. To schedule expert coverage of your next proceeding, contact Planet Depos at 888.433.3767 or schedule online.

The U.K. re-opened earlier this year, leaving very few Covid-19 restrictions still in place. What does this mean for U.S. attorneys and their U.K. depositions? In-person depositions are back in the U.K., hybrid depositions are now easier to schedule, and fully remote depositions remain an option, as they always have been. Here are the details on depositions in the U.K. post-Covid.

Is prior permission required to conduct a deposition in the U.K.?

No. The U.K. is a party to The Hague Evidence Convention, but they do not require prior permission to depose a willing witness. Nor do they impose requirements/restrictions regarding where depositions may be held.

Where can you reserve a conference room?

Reserving space for your deposition is as straightforward as it was through early 2020. Tell your court reporting firm the city, specifying if one area is more convenient than another, and they will reserve the optimal space. Should the location have any health or safety-related guidelines, your court reporting firm will communicate them to all parties attending in person.

Are court reporters attending depositions in person?

Yes. Court reporters have been attending in-person depositions for a while in the U.K. This is excellent news as it is always ideal to have the court reporter present with the witness, particularly if the deposition is interpreted.

Pre-Covid, U.K. court reporters would book very quickly, and far in advance. These expert stenographers are in high demand throughout the U.K., and they keep full calendars. Keep in mind that they do also travel quite often to cover depositions and arbitrations throughout the rest of Europe. Though the schedule is not yet back to pre-Covid tightness, work is steadily increasing for U.K. reporters. You should schedule your deposition coverage as early as possible to ensure you have a reporter.

Could a U.S. reporter travel to the U.K. for the deposition?

No. The U.K. has very strict protections in place for their court reporters. Any non-U.K. citizen stenographer entering the country with stenography equipment runs the risk of detainment and confiscation of their professional equipment. You will need to schedule a U.K. court reporter for any depositions taking place in the U.K. Your international court reporting agency should make this quite easy, but as mentioned previously, it is best to schedule as far in advance as possible.

Where should the interpreter be?

The interpreter should always be in the presence of the witness if feasible. This ensures accurate interpretation and a more seamless deposition, with fewer interruptions to repeat information for clarification. The U.K. is a truly diverse nation, speaking many languages, and there is an interpreter for everyone. Interpreters, like court reporters, tend to be busy because they are in high demand. As soon as you determine an interpreter is required, let your court reporting agency know the language and dialect so they can book your interpreter.

Should the videographer be with the witness?

Ideally, the reporter, videographer and interpreter will all be in the same location as the witness. As Covid has demonstrated, it is possible to record quality video with a remote videographer. The court reporting agency can make it happen for you in the U.K. whichever way you prefer. Videographers also keep tight schedules, so if you opt for an in-person videographer, you will want to reserve your videographer as early as you can.

What are the travel requirements for U.S. citizens flying into the U.K.?

If you wish to attend a U.K. deposition in person, getting there will be as easy as international travel gets. The United Kingdom makes an appealing destination for many reasons, including low-key entry requirements.

• Passport must be valid for the duration of your planned stay
• One blank passport page required
• No visa required for U.S. citizens staying less than six months
• No vaccinations required

Remote depositions are and will continue to be a viable option for U.K. depositions.

Should there be no U.K. reporter available, for example, you can schedule a U.S. court reporter to attend remotely. Parties will need to agree beforehand to stipulate that the reporter, though not in the presence of the witness, may administer the oath. They will also need to agree to waive objections to the validity of the deposition due to the remote administration of the oath. A remote deposition is an option for those with health concerns as well. With the advances in remote technology over the past two years, international remote depositions have come a long way.

It is good to have options, and flexibility is improving with international depositions. As international travel increases so will in-person international depositions. Partner with a court reporting agency with real global presence to guarantee expert coverage of all the details of your case. Coordinating international depositions requires finesse. The international court reporting firm has the expertise, as well as reporters, videographers, and interpreters living all around the world to keep your case moving forward, wherever it takes you.

Planet Depos has been covering international depositions for over a decade. We have reporting professionals living throughout the world with experience in all case matters. For more information or to schedule your international depositions, contact Planet Depos International at international@planetdepos.com. You can also schedule international depositions online.

Korea has recently made it possible for U.S. attorneys to hold in-person depositions once again. Visitors from the U.S. and other visa-exempt countries can enter Korea with no quarantine period, provided they meet certain criteria. The criteria were relaxed somewhat in April, making it much easier for U.S. attorneys to enter Korea for depositions.

Here is what you need to know:

There is no visa requirement for U.S. citizens. Korea is part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP). In short, this program enables U.S. citizens to visit Korea with no visa for up to 90 days or less if traveling for tourism, business meetings, conference attendance, or a family visit. On reciprocity, Korean citizens can visit the U.S. for the same reasons without a visa. This means U.S. attorneys do not need a visa to enter Korea for the purpose of taking depositions.

Visa-free travelers do need an ETA. What is an ETA? An ETA is an electronic travel authorization. This particular ETA is referred to as the K-ETA, for Korea. The requirements are straightforward.

• Travelers must apply for their K-ETA at least 24 hours before boarding their flight to Korea.
  • When applying, have handy:
    • Your passport – you will need to enter your passport number
    • Your email address so you can receive notification of K-ETA status
    • Your credit/debit card to pay the $10 application fee
    • A photo of your face
  • The K-ETA is required in order to receive a boarding pass.
  • The K-ETA is valid for a period of two years.
  • The K-ETA exempts visitors from submitting an arrival card, expediting the entry immigration process.

The K-ETA site does provide a very helpful FAQ page, should you have additional questions regarding the process.

Quarantine guidelines have changed. As of April 1^st, even those who were vaccinated outside of Korea can forgo quarantine. To be exempt from quarantine, the below requirements must be met:

• The traveler must be fully vaccinated.
  • Fully vaccinated is defined as having received all recommended doses of the WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine, +14 days.
  • The exemption lasts 180 days from vaccination date.
  • If it has been more than 180 days since full vaccination, the traveler must receive a booster.
• The traveler must enter their vaccination history into Q-CODE, the quarantine information pre-entry system.
• The traveler must take a total of three (3) COVID-19 tests.
  • They must take a PCR Test no sooner than 48 hours before departure from the U.S.
  • They must take a second PCR Test within 24 hours of arrival in Korea.
  • They must take a Rapid Test within six to seven days of arrival in Korea.

Some pre-travel steps remain the same. It is recommended you subscribe to Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which keeps you in the know on safety and security. STEP also helps the U.S. Embassy, as well as family, to get in touch with you should there be an emergency abroad. You should look up any travel advisories for your destination as well, which the U.S. Department of State provides on their site.

Planet Depos has been covering depositions around the world for over a decade. There is a Planet Depos court reporting team living in Korea, as well as other Planet Depos teams throughout Asia, including several interpreters with abundant IP experience. For more information on scheduling your in-person (or remote) depositions in Korea, contact Planet Depos International Scheduling at 888.433.3767 or international@planetdepos.com. You can even schedule your international depositions online.

The legal world is a stressful place. Paperwork, deadlines, details, confidential information, anxious clients – this and more is enough to stress out anyone, even seasoned attorneys, paralegals and support staff. Tight deadlines and reams of paperwork are unavoidable in the legal world, however. Many legal professionals do their best to power through, with no stress management plan in place.

Ignored workplace stress has very real side effects on your health – none of them positive. Stress often results in poor diet choices, such as a fast-food habit, too much caffeine, sugar, etc. Stress can result in physical pain and worse. The real, physical effects of stress include:

• Headache
• Muscle tension and aches
• Extreme fatigue
• Poor sleep or insomnia
• Irritability

These discomforts can drive people to further unhealthy choices, like tobacco use, or zoning out in front of the tv, adding fuel to the fire. Ultimately, unchecked stress can lead to serious health issues, e.g., high blood pressure, obesity, and even heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States. Stress need not lead to such dire results, however. Stress is a fact of life to be taken seriously and dealt with appropriately.

There are many healthy tactics you can use to manage stress. Here is a short list of suggestions.

• Take breaks. These can be very short if deadlines dictate!
  • Do a lap around the office/home/neighborhood. This provides both a quick mental break and movement for a little endorphin push.
  • Stretch! A couple minutes of stretching can make a big difference in your mood.
  • Look out a window and take a few deep breaths, maybe give your neck a little stretch, or just take your time drinking some water.
  • Go outside for a few minutes with a cup of coffee. Enjoy fresh air and quiet.

Different studies suggest different intervals, so figure out what works for you and your workload and start taking little breaks to refresh. Don’t waste the break scrolling on your phone. Rest your eyes and avoid unpleasant news notifications, etc.

• Move more. Work and technology have made us a very sedentary society, unfortunately. Sitting too long is no good for your health, so get up! There are many different types of exercise, so there is bound to be at least one you will enjoy. Some activities are especially good for working up a sweat and dissolving daily stresses. These include:
  • Dancing! Who doesn’t enjoy dancing? Maybe not in front of other people, but most of us love to dance. Turn up your favorite music and break out your best moves.
  • Walking is fantastic low-impact cardio work. It is also a great time to organize your thoughts, work out a problem, or just unplug and enjoy nature.
  • Kickboxing is a great way to “attack” stress. Literally punch and kick it out. Kickboxing also requires coordination and focus, so you’re distracted from daily worries and get a real mental break while engaging in a healthy activity.
  • Team sports! Grab a friend for a tennis match, make a regular date with some buddies for basketball, whatever game you and yours like. You get to be active and enjoy the company of your friends, a surefire way to melt anxiety and calories at the same time.
  • Yoga requires a lot of focus and encourages deep breathing, both good for stress relief, as you are focusing on your posture rather than your problems, and deep breathing has a very calming effect. Yoga also stretches your muscles, releasing tension you may be holding in your neck, shoulders, low back and hips, areas stress loves to creep into and torment.
• Talk to someone. Stress can be overwhelming, and any human can relate. Talk to a trusted friend. Release some of the pent-up frustration. They may have advice or just a good ear and sympathetic word. They may be able to see if you need to talk to someone else, like a professional who can help you better cope. Again, stress should not be treated lightly, and it’s ok to need extra help!
• Sleep. Stress is an exhausting phenomenon. Don’t let it wear you down and weaken your immune system. Get some rest.
• Do something you love. Hobbies are beneficial. They are an opportunity to get some “me time” and an instant mood boost. It is never too late to discover a new hobby to love. Learning a new activity relieves stress by providing another healthy distraction and the feeling of accomplishment as you master a musical instrument, for example, or see your vegetable garden’s first harvest!

Stress is a frustrating element of work. It has benefits, in that it gives you an adrenalin kick that can spur you to meet your deadlines or put in the extra effort and give a terrific presentation. However, stress can very quickly lead to severe consequences, if not properly managed. The past two years have been particularly stressful for many, reminding all of us of the need to take all aspects of health seriously. Take the time to tackle your stress and feel the weight lift off your shoulders. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Planet Depos has been taking the stress out of depositions for a decade and counting. For more tips and information on all topics court reporting, from international depositions to remote deposition videography, check out the PD Blog. To schedule your next proceeding with no worries, contact Planet Depos at schedulenow@planetdepos.com, or schedule online.