Court Reporters

July 2, 2018 By Dawn Houghton

Exercise Tips for Employees with Desk Jobs

It’s often customary to spend eight, sometimes nine hours a day sitting while you’re at work. And by the time your workday comes to a close, you just want to go home and relax. So by default, you end up sitting again either in front of the TV or computer. Medical studies have found that spending seven or more hours sitting can lead to long-term health concerns. It has also been found that physical activity can stimulate the brain, improving memory and thinking skills. At O’Brien & Bails, we think everyone should make it a priority to get out of their chairs and move throughout the workday.

A unique way to incorporate low-impact physical activity into your workday is to hold meetings on the go. A number of employers are encouraging this (when it’s feasible). If you’re part of a small meeting that consists of three or four people, recommend a “walking meeting.” Not only is this creative, different and fun, but it gets you and your co-workers out of your chairs and away from your desks. Walking meetings are a great way to encourage camaraderie while getting some extra steps in and refreshing your brain for the rest of the day. Good blood flow leads to good ideas!

If getting away from your desk is nearly impossible, we all understand time crunches and managing multiple projects, same with tight deadlines, consider in investing in a standing desk. Standing desks have become a rising trend in office settings. It is a way to get you or your employees up on your feet without sacrificing productivity. Many are easily adjustable, so that you can alternate sitting and standing throughout the day. If standing while working is not an option or you are in a long deposition, you can get physical activity in while remaining seated. Simply lift your leg, straighten it out, hold for 5-10 seconds, and then lower it back down without letting your foot touch the floor. Do this simple exercise at least 15 times per leg, a few times per day.

When it comes to physical activity, it is easy to forget about your hands and your wrists. They are one of the most common workplace ailments – especially if you’re typing for 8+ hours like many of our court reporters. The best thing you can do for your hands and wrists is stretching them out regularly. This improves range of motion, and reduces the risk of carpal tunnel and can even protect you from breaks if you fall. An effective and easy stretching exercise is to make a gentle fist, wrapping your thumb across your fingers. Hold the fist for 30 – 60 seconds, and then release and spread your fingers. Repeat with both hands at least four times per day.

We understand that being active when you have a demanding desk job can be challenging. However, there are many ways to implement simple exercises into your daily work routine. Once you start the habit of being more active during your work day, your body and mind will thank you.

November 16, 2016 By Dawn Houghton

Top 10 Skills of the Best Court Reporters

Because court reporting is a highly specialized skill, it takes a special type of person to be a court reporter and do it well. The best court reporters possess certain qualities and skills that make them good at what they do.

1. Punctuality
When a court reporter is given an assignment, the best court reporters will show up to the venue on time or a few minutes early. If a court reporter shows up 20 minutes late, that is 20 minutes wasted on the part of all attorneys, as well as the deponent. The best court reporters know that punctuality makes them more reliable and valuable to clients.

2. Confidentiality
Court reporters are involved in many different types of legal actions. Many times the testimony that is being recorded is confidential and sensitive information. The best court reporters understand that information heard in a proceeding is not to be repeated elsewhere.

3. Neutrality
As officers of the court, court reporters are to maintain neutrality when working on cases. Upon hearing testimony, they do not share their opinions about the case. The best court reporters simply record what is spoken. They do not enter into special contracts for services with one party over another. Instead, they treat each party equally, providing the same services with the same price structure to all parties.

4. Business Etiquette
The best court reporters are familiar with and use good manners and business etiquette. They understand how to introduce people in a situation where parties do not know each other. They are always on time. The best court reporters dress appropriately for a business setting. They know that using good manners and business etiquette go a long way in cementing a business relationship.

5. Grammar, Punctuation and Proofreading
Court reporters produce a written transcript of the spoken word. When a witness speaks, he or she does not provide punctuation. The best court reporters know the rules of punctuation and how to apply them to the spoken word. They are good at proofreading. Their transcripts will hold little to no errors, typos, or misplaced punctuation.

6. Assertiveness
During a legal proceeding, the court reporter will sit, listen, and record the spoken word. They are not an active part of the proceedings. However, there are times when a court reporter does need to speak up in order to make an accurate record. The best court reporters know when to stop a proceeding to ask a witness to speak louder. They do not hesitate to make requests from parties when necessary, such as ask for spellings of names, cities or streets mentioned in the proceeding at the conclusion of the deposition. The best court reporters know when to speak up and be assertive in order to make an accurate transcript.

7. Organizational Skills
Most court reporters work independently and have a large amount of control over their own schedule and work load. They have to balance many activities effectively. Organizational skills are needed in order to manage witnesses and exhibits during a proceeding. These same skills are needed when preparing a transcript and ensuring that it will be delivered on time. The best court reporters are well-organized and are reliable.

8. Time Management
Most court reporters spend a large part of their time working independently. The best court reporters know how to organize their schedule. They know how to manage their time in order to deliver an accurate transcript on time. The best court reporters know how to prioritize their tasks and activities in order to meet their responsibilities.

9. Customer Service
Customer service is important in any industry and especially true in court reporting. The best court reporters are committed to providing good service and accurate transcripts on time. They can anticipate some of the needs of their clients. They know that great customer service is one of the best ways to build a good working relationship with clients and gain repeat business.

10. Shorthand Writing Skills
Writing machine shorthand is a highly technical skill. Not everyone has a talent for learning the shorthand language and how to write it. The best court reporters have a gift for writing shorthand. They continually strive to increase their skills by obtaining higher levels of certification. These higher levels of certification require a court reporter to possess a higher level of knowledge of the industry as well as the ability to write at higher speeds and rates of accuracy. The best court reporters know there is always room for improvement and continually strive to obtain higher skill levels.

The best court reporters enjoy their career. They reproduce every spoken word into a transcript that creates an official record of testimony. They are punctual. They understand confidentiality and neutrality. They are good at time management, punctuation and grammar. The best court reporters provide an excellent service and superior customer service. When working with the best court reporters, attorneys can rest assured the record will be accurate and delivered on time.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like Court Reporters Strive For Customer Satisfaction.

May 13, 2016 By Dawn Houghton

Ethics Matter – The Honesty and Integrity of Court Reporters

What Are Ethics?

Ethics: a set of moral principles; a theory or system of moral values
– Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Why Are Ethics Important?

As we conduct our personal and professional lives, ethics allow us to make decisions on what actions to take, which actions are right and which actions are wrong. As a profession, court reporters have discussed, debated, and agreed upon a certain standard set of ethics and ethical behavior.

In the past, we have discussed different aspects of ethical standards in court reporting. Here are the topics and links to the articles for you to read:

Does Contracting Compromise the Impartiality of a Court Reporter?

Within the last 20 years, a controversial practice has cropped up in the court reporting profession. Some court reporters have begun contracting exclusively with companies and organizations for large amounts of services. Many court reporters are against such contracting for ethical reasons. This article discusses how and why such situations should be avoided.

9 Ethics Guidelines for Court Reporting Firm Owners

Court reporters have some common ethical considerations, and so do court reporting firm owners. There are special situations that arise with respect to how we work with court reporters as well as how we work with attorney clients. This article discusses topics every court reporting firm owner should consider.

Court Reporters and Ethics in Pricing

This article further discusses the issue of contracting and how it effects pricing of court reporting services and transcripts. What should a client expect to pay for services and transcripts? This article discusses Michigan’s specific set of guidelines that are meant to be followed by all court reporters.

Court Reporters Ethics and Gift-Giving

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of gift-giving or reward programs offered to attorneys and their staff for scheduling depositions with a particular court reporting agency. Many gifts clearly are made in order to influence the selection of court reporting agencies when scheduling depositions. This article discusses the ongoing debate among court reporters as to whether this practice is ethical and whether it begins to erode the industry’s reputation for operating with high integrity.

Industry ethics are continually evolving. Conversations about ethics in court reporting allow us to consider different actions and behaviors and decide whether they are in alignment with our high standards for honesty and integrity. It’s a conversation that is necessary because, to the profession of court reporting, ethics do matter.

For more on court reporting ethics from our perspective, download this free report: “Thoughts on Court Reporter Ethics: From a Court Reporting Firm Owner”.

January 10, 2016 By Dawn Houghton

Court Reporter – Good Legal Career for Non-Lawyers

In an article on About.com, the profession of Court Reporting is listed as one of 10 Hot Legal Careers for Non-Lawyers.

We agree! Court reporting is a good profession.

A court reporter is a very important piece of the legal process and holds a well-respected position in the legal world. Court reporting can be a great career. As a court reporter, every day is different and interesting. You listen to testimony of many different people on a variety of topics. You are always learning something new as you make the official record that will be used in a legal proceeding.

If you are considering court reporting as a career, you should first understand the role of a court reporter in the legal profession.

What is a Court Reporter?

A court reporter sits in the court room or in a deposition and takes down every spoken word during the proceedings. Court reporters prepare official transcripts of the sworn testimony for use by attorneys, judges and litigants. These transcripts are used as the official record of the events that took place during the hearing, deposition or trial. Reporters are responsible for certifying that what has been entered is accurate and true to the best of their ability.

How Does a Court Reporter Make the Record?

Court reporters use a computer and stenotype machine to take down the spoken words they hear. The stenotype machine allows the reporter to use a form of shorthand by using sounds of words to record data. The computer uses software called computer-aided transcription to translate the information into English.

Are there different kinds of court reporters in the legal industry?

Traditionally court reporters fall under two different categories: Judicial and Freelance.

Freelance Court Reporter

Freelancers work for court reporting agencies which are hired by law firms, attorneys, corporations and other organizations. These agencies work with freelancers to cover depositions, examinations under oath, hearings and board meetings. Freelance court reporters can be considered independent contractors or employees, depending how the court reporting firm is structured.

Freelance court reporters are typically on-call. Most agencies call a reporter one day in advance of an assignment. One perk of being a freelancer is that you usually travel to different locations. Some reporters enjoy this aspect and prefer not to work in the same location every day. Another benefit of freelancing is that you get to return home after the job is done to work on transcription and you can work comfortably in your own home. Many states require freelance reporters to obtain certification by the state before they begin working as a court reporter.

Official Court Reporters

Official court reporters are employed by the courts and are sometimes assigned to a particular judge or courtroom. They can cover a variety of court cases, from lower court cases to high-profile cases, depending on which district or court they work in. Many jurisdictions require official reporters to pass certifications, such as the RPR (Registered Professional Reporter) and CRR (Certified Realtime Reporter), that test their written knowledge and skills before qualifying to work in the courts. But even upon passing the required certifications, being accepted for an officialship normally takes time. It is common for reporters to wait years before being considered since courts receive a high volume of applicants. Many reporters desire an officialship since it offers more stability when compared to freelancing. Official reporters have set salaries, set hours, and benefits such as health insurance and pensions. There are also opportunities to earn additional money on top of your set salary when attorneys order transcripts.

What Role Does a Court Reporter Play in the Legal World?

A court reporter is responsible for keeping the official record. As an officer of the court, a court reporter acts as a representative of the court even in a deposition setting outside of the courtroom. He or she is also the person charged with swearing witnesses by administering the oath.
Court reporters are shown much respect from the legal community, be it attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants or judges. Court reporters earn this respect by taking very seriously the responsibilities imparted to them. Many reporters enjoy this earned respect and find the legal field a pleasant environment in which to work.

If you are considering a career in court reporting, you also might like to read “Finding the Right Court Reporting Program For You.”

December 1, 2015 By Dawn Houghton

10 Rules of Etiquette When Working With a Court Reporter

When taking a deposition, there are many rules of etiquette and good manners that are unwritten. Seasoned attorneys will know how to conduct a deposition using these best practices simply from experience. If you are relatively new to depositions, we have compiled a few points of etiquette that will help your court reporter provide an accurate transcript and do a great job for you. Your court reporter will be grateful to you if you follow some of these simple rules.

1. Seat the court reporter close to the witness.

Even if a room is small, it is sometimes difficult for the court reporter to hear a soft-spoken witness. Place your witness next to the court reporter. This will ensure the court reporter has the best opportunity to hear the witness’s answers. This is very important as your court reporter is taking down every word that is spoken, transcribing it, and creating a transcript for your use.

2. Verbally state when you are going on and off the record.

Always verbally state when you are going on and off the record. Often your court reporter can tell when you are intending to be on the record simply by your tone of voice. But there are circumstances when it is difficult to tell. By verbally stating you are going on or off the record, you can ensure that your court reporter is ready and is taking down your spoken words. Making a clear and accurate record is important to you and your client.

3. Speak at a moderate pace.

While your court reporter has the skill to write at a fast pace, it can be exhausting when it continues for long periods of time. A moderate pace will allow your court reporter to write at a comfortable rate of speed. If you are speaking too quickly, your court reporter will ask you to slow down so that every word that is being spoken is being recorded. Try your best to meet this request for a slower speed when asked.

4. Stay silent while the court reporter marks exhibits.

It is common that the questioning attorney will ask the court reporter to mark an exhibit, then resume asking questions of the witness while the exhibit is being marked. However, the court reporter cannot take down what you are saying and mark exhibits at the same time. Stay silent while the court reporter is marking exhibits, and resume questioning only after the exhibits have been marked and your court reporter can return his or her hands to the stenograph machine keyboard.

5. Always communicate verbally.

Some depositions are full of many objections. It is common that, when verbalizing the same objection repeatedly, an attorney may slip into using an informal wave of the hand to indicate another objection for the record. While everyone in the room may know that the wave of the hand is meant to convey an objection, the court reporter only records what is verbalized. So you run the risk that your wave of the hand and your objection may go unrecorded. Protect your objections by verbalizing each one for the court reporter.

6. Provide spellings of case-specific terminology.

Your case may be filled with terminology that is specific to a certain industry. Your court reporter, while experienced with the terminology of many industries, may not know every term or phrase you will be using in your deposition. The same is true for names of people mentioned in testimony, and street and city names. It is a good idea to provide a list of spellings of names, phrases or terms to the court reporter as they come up in testimony. The spelling can be provided on the record, or written down on a list for the court reporter to take and use when transcribing the testimony.

7. Don’t ask the court reporter for their opinion about your case.

A court reporter attentively listens to the testimony as it is recorded. You may be tempted to ask what he or she thought of the testimony as it was being relayed. After all, they are a neutral party, hearing testimony as the jury will hear it later if your case goes to court. However, when you ask your court reporter for their opinion of the testimony, you are putting them in a difficult position. As a neutral party, if they are to impart their opinion in your case, this may compromise their neutrality to both parties. Refrain from asking your court reporter for his or her opinion of the testimony or any aspect of your case.

8. Read slowly when reading out loud from a document.

Reporters are trained to be able to take down the spoken word at over 200 words per minute. However, most people will read at a more rapid rate of speed than they speak during conversation. If you are reading from a document, be sure to keep the speed of your reading at the same speed as you normally speak. Your court reporter will greatly appreciate your efforts.

9. Tell your court reporter if you will need a rush transcript.

Rush transcripts are nothing new to a court reporter. They are a common part of the job, and your court reporter will be able to deliver. By giving your court reporter notice that you will be ordering a rush transcript, this allows the court reporter time to make arrangements in order to put your transcript first on his or her list of priorities. Whether you call the day or week before, or whether you tell the court reporter at the beginning of the deposition, give notice as early as possible to allow your court reporter to make arrangements to work on your rush transcript.

10. Take regular breaks.

Sitting in one place for extended periods of time can be just as physically exhausting as constant movement. During long proceedings, you and your court reporter need a little time to stretch your legs and get a mental break before continuing with the proceeding. Everyone will benefit.

By following these simple etiquette rules, you will be using good manners and showing respect to your court reporter and to all parties in the room. Good manners can help create a comfortable work environment in a deposition and allow your court reporter to do their very best work for you.