This article is 5 things court reporters want you to know. These things are sure to aid in the litigation process and assist your court reporter in having fewer interruptions and a cleaner transcript.
1. Special Circumstances
Be sure to let your court reporters know in advance if there are any special circumstances to the deposition beforehand, such as if it is going to be video or real-time or If there will be a need for rough drafts or expedited transcripts. This alone can save time and make the overall deposition run as smooth as possible for all parties involved.
2. Arguments and mumblers
Always try to avoid speaking at the same time as someone else. Although things get heated and arguments are bound to break out every now and then, it is crucial to maintain your composure during the deposition, especially if it is a video deposition because absolutely everything is on the record and put in the transcript. It is also important to keep in mind that mumbling, interrupting or speaking at the same time is almost impossible to keep track of and becomes difficult to understand what is being said and by whom. So let’s keep it clean and where the important facts make it on the record.
3. Assigning exhibit markers
We ask that you pause for just a moment or two when marking exhibits. As skilled as court reporters are, they cannot mark exhibits and type at the same time.
4. 3 seconds between each question
Taking a small pause between questions can greatly help your court reporter catch up and will prevent later interruptions. The last thing we want is to slow things down or throw off the momentum with having to interrupt for clarification.
5. Take small breaks
Avoid burnout by taking small breaks so everyone can maintain their endurance throughout the day. A long day with little time taken for breaks can actually affect the integrity of the transcript.
Thank you for reading our blog and keep Phoenix Deposition Services in mind for your next deposition.
