Blog Category: Court Reporting

Halloween is fast approaching, meaning zany costumes, yummy treats, Linus awaiting the Great Pumpkin, and horror stories! All attorneys, paralegals, and court reporters have a few of these. Read on for some humorous horror stories from the deposition room!

In the not-too-distant past, Planet Depos’  reporter and videographer from Japan arrived at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, ready to cover the deposition. The attorneys had hired their own Mandarin interpreter from Taiwan. As he wasn’t a resident of Japan, he needed a deposition visa; he didn’t have one, and was denied entry to the Embassy, leaving them without an interpreter. Fortunately, the story doesn’t end here and turns out not to be so terrifying after all. The reporter and videographer managed to locate a Mandarin interpreter who was a Japanese resident (no deposition visa needed!) and arrived to cover the deposition, though the proceedings were delayed by a few hours.

The same reporter who was at the Embassy for the interpreter debacle related above encountered a different kind of horror at a hearing involving an economist. This Ph.D. witness repeatedly used the term “heteroscedasticity,”  a circumstance in which the variability of a variable is unequal across the range of values of a second variable that predicts it — for any of you who might not know this off the top of your head. The reporter actually broke her poker face, to the amusement of the attorneys present, whom she could hear giggling at her confused expression.

Lastly, we have a cautionary tale courtesy of an attorney friend of mine down in Louisville, KY. Her office received both an electronic and hard copy of a transcript from a small local court reporting agency. The transcript was produced with incorrect line numbers… in the hard copy only. This is spooky enough, but it gets worse. The law firm didn’t catch the discrepancy and cited in their motion the electronic copy which had the correct line numbers. Opposing Counsel filed a motion pointing out the citations made no sense, which was true, based on the hard copy. Needless to say, the judge was exasperated by the whole ordeal and, unfortunately, my friend’s firm lost the motion. The moral to the story here is to schedule coverage with a best-in-class court reporting agency and avoid these kinds of bizarre mishaps.

The best-in-class reporting agency makes the scheduling process a snap, ensures that a professional, prompt reporter and qualified videographer cover your proceedings and deliver an accurate transcript and high-definition video on time. They can reserve the location on your behalf, take the hassle out of confidential portions, assist with exhibits, international travel requirements, and more. This is the agency that goes the extra mile to eliminate scary surprises!

For more information or to schedule with Planet Depos, call 888.433.3767 or email schedulenow@planetdepos.com or international@planetdepos.com to reserve coverage.

In my freshman year in college, Philosophy 101 was a required course. I tolerated Socrates and Plato, but Aristotle was someone I could actually read and enjoy. Mind you, I didn’t pore over his Nicomachean Ethics as I do annually with Gone With The Wind, but I could at least read it and know what he was saying, whereas Plato left me aggravated and wondering why the man couldn’t just say what he meant in plain language. Anyway, the big thing I took away from the class was this: it is man’s natural end to be happy. Now, people define happiness in many ways, but without getting too deep into philosophy (sorry, Dr. Cuddeback!), let’s focus on happiness in the professional realm.

There is a sense of personal satisfaction that comes from a job well done, whatever your field of employment. For a professor, it may be seeing a student finally grasp the subject matter! For a paralegal, it could be finally securing a conference room for a deposition or strategy meeting. But what really makes a paralegal (and his/her attorneys) happy in the office? How about a professional , punctual court reporter showing up to the depo and setting up for a prompt start, providing realtime if requested, as well as a rough shortly after the conclusion? How about easy online access to the final transcript, video, invoice, and calendar to schedule and manage upcoming depositions, ensuring continuous coverage by best-in-class reporters and videographers? In short, the court reporting agency should make you happy by making the whole process just a little bit easier for you.

Aristotle came to the conclusion that man’s happiness lies in the contemplation of the highest truth(s). Whether or not legal professionals want to spend their free time pursuing such lofty endeavors, I don’t know, but working with the right reporter could just free up some extra time to do so! If contemplating the highest truth isn’t your thing, use the spare time to work on your golf swing, go on a hike, nap! Time is precious and having more of it is enough to make anyone happy.

Time is of the essence when working on your case as well, which makes a promptly-delivered and accurate transcript absolutely necessary. Any original exhibits provided to the reporter should be speedily returned. It also means quick turn-around on the redaction of confidential portions requested after the fact is ideal. Rapid, informative responses to any inquiries you have during the whole process — from scheduling to final delivery — also save you time, enabling you to take the information needed and move on to the next task on your list. Prompt, pleasant customer service is not easy to find, so when you find it in a court reporting agency, stick with them, as that is definitely something to be happy about!

For a happy deposition experience, from the first contact to schedule to the delivery of the last transcript and video, contact Planet Depos at 888.433.3767, schedulenow@planetdepos.com or for international depositions, international@planetdepos.com.

Over the weekend, I took myself to the Great Frederick Fair to see and hear the incomparable Vince Gill. I had wanted to see him for years, and I was not disappointed! He played all his hits, engaging his audience with his easy rapport and mesmerizing us with his voice and guitar skills. The man has truly honed his craft, and together with his band, knows how to put on a great show. They had us on our feet and clamoring for several encores, which they were gracious enough to give. The next day I was still marveling at their talent and playing Vince’s albums all day long. I found myself reflecting on the skill a band of musicians must have to play together harmoniously, supporting their lead. Their role is to enhance the main event without stealing the show. This is no easy feat! It got me thinking, this is exactly what court reporters do for attorneys every day.

Just like a skilled guitarist, pianist, or any musician, for that matter, realtime reporters hone their craft to reduce errors and increase the ease with which they work. It takes a lot of practice to reach the level of a maestro! All this effort pays off when they go on the record (the court reporter’s stage), and they can perform with confidence and precision. This means a clear realtime record to aid counsel as they move through the deposition. The benefits of realtime to attorneys are tremendous, not the least of which is the ability to instantly flag testimony for followup! The reporter’s fine-tuning of their skill also means an immediate rough draft at the deposition’s conclusion and an immaculate final transcript available shortly after the deposition. Reporters can deliver the final transcript an expedited basis — without sacrificing quality. This is all to your client’s benefit, as you have an accurate, clean record of the proceedings to aid in your preparations for the next step in the case.

Equally important, like weathered musicians after years of touring and dealing with audiences of all kinds, reporters are not easily fazed. As neutral parties to the proceedings, reporters can keep a poker face and diligently continue their work with even the most bizarre disruptions. This is a remarkable discipline reflecting true professionalism, not to mention amazing focus.

Reporters provide invaluable support to legal professionals by turning in pristine transcripts in a timely manner, handling exhibits, and assisting with other logistical details when needed. With the well-rehearsed, professional court reporter behind you, a deposition will go smoothly, with the transcript (and video, if applicable) delivered on time according to your standing order if you have one. To ensure coverage by the best available court reporting professionals, turn to an agency known for just that. You will likely find yourself clamoring for encore after encore.

To schedule coverage for your next deposition, contact Planet Depos Scheduling at schedulenow@planetdepos.com or Planet Depos International Scheduling at international@planetdepos.com.

By Suzanne Quinson

A recent blog highlighted the benefit of designating confidential portions while at the deposition. Portions designated as such are redacted at no cost. So, depending on the size of the case and the extent of the confidential information, this can result in a significant cost savings to your client! There are times when portions are not designated as confidential at the deposition, however, and need to be designated as such after the fact.

With attorneys and their paralegals juggling so many details and deadlines, efficiency and accuracy is vital when a court reporting agency produces the transcripts. This applies to any revisions requested after the final has been produced. A clean, accurate transcript with all appropriate designations included must be received on time to avoid delays in the schedule.

As a neutral party to the proceedings, the court reporting agency will honor requests to designate confidential portions after the fact, as long as all parties are in agreement. Simply email your request to the agency’s Production Department, with opposing counsel copied and confirming their agreement to the designations and portions to be so classified. You will promptly receive new files containing the updated confidential portions, allowing you to keep the work on your case moving in a timely fashion. The files in your online repository are updated as well, with the previous versions removed to avoid confusion.

Partnering with an agency that appreciates the time sensitivity of these matters saves you exactly that: time! Let them take care of logistical details such as conference room reservations, videoconference bookings, and interpreter reservations. At Planet Depos, you can even schedule online, as well as view and manage your calendar, transcript and video files through the online repository.

For more information on services or to schedule, contact Planet Depos at 888.433.3767, schedulenow@planetdepos.com or international@planetdepos.com.

By Julia Alicandri

The National Court Reporters Association recently launched its 2016-2017 ‘Take Note’ Challenge. The competition started on August 8^th and will run through February 18^th, 2017. The friendly challenge invites state court reporting associations and individuals to help spread the word about careers in court reporting and captioning. Career fairs and realtime demonstrations at high schools are just two examples of how to join in on the challenge. Anyone that is participating in an event that showcases court reporting or captioning can register the event on the National Committee of State Associations (NCSA) registration site and will be automatically entered in the contest. There are multiple prizes, and the prizes are tiered. The grand prize is a free registration to the 2017 NCRA Convention & Expo in July 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a part of the campaign, the NCRA also launched the second phase of the ‘Take Note’ Campaign, ‘Fresh Perspectives,’ which includes the distribution of newly designed rack cards to appeal to high school students, individuals in the middle of changing careers, college students who are redirecting, as well as veterans.

NCSA, which is sponsoring the challenge now for the third year, expects the 2016-2017 ‘Take Note’ Challenge to be the biggest one yet. The competition also calls on state associations to celebrate the 2017 Court Reporting & Captioning Week slated for February 11 – 18^, 2017. “This past year has been phenomenal, being a part of showcasing our profession, talking to so many students, and showing our millennials how to write at the speed of sound,” said Erminia Uviedo, RMR, CRR, a freelance reporter from San Antonio, Texas, and the winner of last year’s NCSA ‘Take Note’ Challenge. Erminia continued, “Seeing interested students, who are so amazed and fascinated by watching a court reporter or captioner writing realtime, brings such a rewarding and accomplished feeling as a court reporter. Our profession must continue to make appearances in schools because we must dispel the myth that the profession is obsolete and put it front and center in every way possible, especially with media coverage.”.

Along with showcasing this promising career, competitors are also encouraged to post on social media using the hashtag #crTakeNote. To learn more about the ‘Take Note’ Campaign, including ways you can help spread the word, visit the NCRA website.

With all the hype leading into the NCRA Convention last month, it’s now time to reflect on the events and digest all those seminars. We reached out to a few attendees and asked for their takeaways, and here’s what they had to say:

• Lisa M. Barrett, RPR, CRR, CRC, CSR – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Attending the convention gives me such inspiration to keep the efforts of our small organization here in Ontario going. There is strength in numbers! There is an unbelievable amount of pride and professionalism that you see amongst the large group at the convention, and I feel that is my favorite part. People are interested and wanting to learn more, always, at any age, in our profession.
  • I attended a seminar on Protecting the Profession. There was a very important message to be taken away from that seminar: “Stop complaining and start doing!” The “doing” was realtime. The importance of being able to offer realtime and rough drafts to legal professionals is the ONLY thing that will ultimately set us apart from ER. We must be ready to provide free realtime to judges and do pro bono work to pique the interest of members of the bar and bench. That’s all there is to it. No one is going to save our jobs for us; we need to save our own jobs!
• Maren M. Fawcett, RPR, CRR – Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
  • I attended the NCRA Convention in Chicago this year and really enjoyed Mark Kislingbury’s macros seminar. He is always delightful, and I am always struck by his genius and quick thinking while writing realtime. When a macro doesn’t exist, he invents it and gets programmers to implement it. Amazing! I already used several macros from the writer, but some of the find and replace macros will make my realtime feeds even better. Even though I read the article in the JCR, having Mark highlight some of his shortcuts live brought the macros suggestions in Eclipse to life. It is amazing that we can use software for years and not realize some of the capabilities.
  • I encourage anyone on the fence about attending a state association or the national convention to put it on the calendar and make it happen. Not only were all the seminars educational, but meeting and networking with reporters from around the country helps us realize we have a team of reporters from many, many different states striving to be the best guardians of the record possible. Sometimes we are isolated because we aren’t in an office environment, and scheduling meetings for lunch or social hours, especially for freelancers, can be difficult. Attending a convention gives you the opportunity to see old friends from your own state, as well as meet new colleagues from all over the country and Canada. I even met a reporter from the UK. We all strive to be the best we can be in a silent profession. Attending a convention allows you to socialize and get your 5,000 words per day out, saving your spouse or significant other the earful!

As you can see from the testimonials, we get out what we put into our profession. The opportunities afforded at a convention, be it on the national or state level, cannot be matched by doing an online book report or summarizing an online article. Our colleagues challenge us each and every day to be the very best we can be.

Vendor training at NCRA 2016 Convention in action. Image from NCRA Facebook page.

Has your enthusiasm for your career path become stagnant simply because you are busy working? It’s your responsibility to yourself, to your fellow reporters, to the future of our profession, that you make the time to plan and attend a convention. There’s an educational seminar for most every issue facing reporters today. Do you fully know your software and all the magnificent tools and tricks it possesses to make your workflow seamless and efficient? Have you considered taking a weekend out of your hectic schedule to attend vendor training on your software to enhance your productivity? There are a multitude of individual seminars at these conventions to share all the secrets reporters from around the country and across the globe have perfected. Your only requirement – participate!

Beyond the educational experience, the networking with your fellow reporters at a convention is unlike any other. While you’ve been busy at home working throughout the year, so have your reporter friends. Coming together at a convention lets us share our experiences in a way that helps us return home feeling revived, refreshed, and ready to get back to making the record.

Here are just a few upcoming events:

• September 16-17, 2016: Maryland Court Reporters Association Annual Convention, the Osprey Point Retreat & Conference Center, Royal Oak, MD 21662
• September 29 – October 1, 2016: StenoCAT Users Network Fall Convention, Anaheim, CA
• October 1-2, 2016: The Certified Court Reporters Association of New Jersey, Atlantic City, NJ
• October 14-16, 2016: New York State Court Reporters Association Convention, White Plains, NY
• March 31 – April 2, 2017: Pennsylvania Court Reporters Association Annual Convention, Lancaster, PA
• July 20-23, 2017: NCRA Annual Convention & Expo, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV

Mark your calendar now and start planning!