Month: May 2018
The Olympics of Court Reporting
Why Do Some Court Reporters Have the Title “Official”?
If your work brings you in contact with court reporters, or
if you happen to be one of those lucky people with more than one court reporter
in your circle of friends, you might have heard some court reporters referred
to as “Officials” and others as… well, not officials.
Is an official court reporter better than other court
reporters? The short answer is, no. The title “Official” has nothing
to do with a court reporter’s skill set. It merely refers to the venue in which
they practice their craft.In this week’s post we’ll take a look at what an
“Official” court reporter does, and next week we’ll take a look at
what makes up a freelance, or non-official, court reporter’s job.
Official court reporters are employed by the government,
either by a state or a federal court. During the average workday they are in
the courtroom, taking down the proceedings in either civil or criminal courts.
If a transcript is ordered, usually because one party is appealing a ruling or
verdict, the reporter has to prepare that during non-courtroom hours.
Official court reporters receive a salary, but they aren’t normal
salaried employees. Oftentimes they must pay for their own equipment and its
upkeep. They are paid separately for any transcripts ordered, but if the
ordering party is indigent they receive a set (and usually quite low) rate from
the state. These earnings are counted as self-employment income.
Even though transcripts are produced outside of the
courtroom and are separate income, court reporters are held to strict timelines
for appellate transcript preparation in order to ensure a timely appeal process
for the parties. In North Carolina, most appellate transcripts must be produced
within 60 days from the date they’re ordered;in capitally-tried murder cases transcripts
must be produced within 120 days. That seems like a long time. A week-long
civil case will, on average, generate a 1,000-page transcript, which that
reporter must produce essentially at night and on the weekend. Because of this,
court reporters in busy jurisdictions routinely work 60- to 80-hour work weeks
and employ typists, scopists, and proofreaders to help them meet deadlines.
If that seems like a lot of work, it is. But official court
reporters usually stay with their jobs because they have an assured in-court
schedule, a steady paycheck, and benefits, and many freelance reporters do not.
In next week’s blog, read about the pros and cons of
freelance court reporting!
The Olympics of Court Reporting
We’ll be the first to admit court reporters can be a little quirky. Since the
subject matter of the cases they work on runs the gamut, they’ve obtained a
little knowledge (and a lot of opinions) on virtually every topic. A court
reporter’s professional life is never dull. Combine that variety with a
seemingly flexible schedule, and it’s understandable that a career in court
reporting is an interesting option.
Not everyone is cut out to be a court reporter, though, even if that’s the career
they’ve always dreamed of. Here are four traits successful court reporters
have in common:
1. Perfectionism
Maybe they’re a little, dare we say, obsessive-compulsive? (This can
sometimes lead to raging debates about whether or not to use semicolons or
the proper way to note the introduction of an exhibit.) When they hear an
unfamiliar word or term, they’ll ask counsel for a spelling at a break, or they’ll
research it on their own after the deposition. They’re not satisfied with
guessing. They’re sticklers for proper grammar and punctuation.
2. Punctuality
If a deposition is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m., the reporter is there, ready
to go on the record, at least 10 minutes before. They’ve scheduled the extra
time into their commute. And since they’re intellectually curious, they’ve
brought along a book they can read if they didn’t need the “extra time.”
3. Discretion
You wouldn’t believe the things reporters hear on the record, let alone off the
record! Successful reporters know that anything they hear while on the job
isn’t their information to share with anyone.
4. Assertiveness
The best court reporters know they have to speak up to ensure a good
record. They’ll interrupt to tell a witness to slow down, or that they can’t hear
what’s being said, or to inform a witness or attorney that they’re mumbling.
They’ll ask to look through exhibits to get the correct spelling of names and
terminology.
The next time you talk to your favorite court reporter, watch for examples of
these traits. We guarantee you’ll see at least one of them!
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