Since I have been a court reporter for 25-plus years (I won’t admit to exactly how many) I often think about what qualities define a great court reporter. This is a list I have come up with. Please feel free to add anything I have omitted.

1. Always arrive one-half hour before the start time. Don’t make the attorneys worry about whether they have a reporter showing up. It’s also nice to get set up and relax and be able to talk with the attorneys beforehand.
2. Affirm Vs. Sworn – If the witness would rather affirm, rather than be sworn, make sure you know the difference.
3. Interpreter – Make sure you know how to handle the oath for an interpreter and know how to set up the transcript.
4. Be friendly and professional.
5. Shake hands with attorneys. Introduce yourself.
6. Ask the witness what their name is and how to spell it – both the first and the last name.
7. Don’t interrupt the proceedings unless it is necessary; for example, when the witness is mumbling or reading so fast you can’t understand what they are saying or if two people are talking at once. You cannot sit there like a mouse either. You need to take control.
8. Try to get spellings during the breaks and at the end of the deposition.
9. At the end of the deposition, make sure you have all exhibits before the parties leave the room. If you find you are missing an exhibit after everyone has left the room, no one will admit to having it.
10. Make sure you get verbal or written orders from all parties.
11. If the attorney wants to expedite the transcript, ask them when they want it. If they say Monday, ask them if that means Monday morning or afternoon. This will save you a lot of grief later.
12. If you promise something, make sure you deliver on your promise.
13. Give good service.
14. If the transcript is confidential, ask if the attorneys want the entire transcript marked confidential or if they want two separate transcripts. If the whole thing is confidential, find out what language they want on the title page, Attorneys’ Eyes Only, Confidential, etc. Depending on the jurisdiction, there is different language used. Do they want something on the header of each page? Find out exactly what they want.
15. If one attorney wants to split the original, make sure the other party agrees to this while they are both present. Otherwise, you may have a big mess on your hands later on, when the other side doesn’t agree with the billing.
16. If there are a lot of exhibits, ask if they want hard copies. Do not assume. If there is a big blueprint, find out if they want it reproduced in its actual size or whichever way is cheaper. Depending on the case, it can go either way. If the exhibits are in color, always ask if attorneys want color copies or black and white. They are charged more for color copies, so they should be given a choice.
17. If you receive a message from your office to call an attorney or a secretary, do it as soon as possible.
18. Make sure you account for everyone in the room so you can include them in your appearances.
19. Stay current with your technology. Know how to use timers, in case the attorney wants you to keep track of the accumulated deposition time.
20. Become a realtime reporter.
21. Practice your skills so that you can always read back efficiently and accurately.

These are some things that come to mind when I think of what makes a great court reporter. I’m sure some of you can add some items to my list, so I look forward to hearing what makes you a great court reporter! Let us know in the comments!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jane Jones is a court reporter, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Brown & Jones Reporting, Inc. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

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