When you hire a court reporter to do a real time deposition, you will be able to see a transcript on your laptop or tablet as the deposition proceeds. This can be an invaluable tool that allows you to make notes and mark testimony. Not only that, but you can transmit the transcript to other locations so that colleagues can see how the deposition is going. However, if you have not worked with a real time court reporter before, here are some tips to make the process go smoothly.
Make Your Laptop or Tablet Available Beforehand
Before the deposition starts, make sure that your court reporter has access to your tablet or laptop so that the proper software can be installed on your computer. If you do not do this, the deposition will have to be delayed so that the court reporter can make sure that your laptop or tablet is set up properly.
If you are planning to transmit the real time transcript to a colleague at another location, be sure that their computer is also properly set up by the court reporter before the deposition starts.
Make Sure There is No Cross Talk
Just as with any other type of court reporting, real time reporting is easier for the court reporter when people do not talk over each other. Before the deposition formally begins, talk to your witness and others present about the importance of speaking one at a time. If cross talk occurs, in order to make things easier for the court reporter, get everyone to stop talking; then ask your question again or seek clarification from each speaker so that everyone's remarks can be part of the record.
Don't Worry about Misspellings
As the deposition gets underway, you may see misspellings flash across your screen. However, court reporters sometimes spell phonetically as part of their process, so that they can work quickly and record everything that's being said. The final transcript that you receive from the reporter will be free from misspellings and other errors.
However, if you think that the court reporter has typed something incorrectly, make sure that you ask your witness to repeat or clarify their statement so that the reporter is more easily able to transcribe what is being said.
Use the above tips to help you to have a successful deposition with a real time court reporter. Talk to a firm like Farrell Court Reporting for more ideas about how you can make the deposition go well for you and the court reporter.
Hello, I'm Christina Miller. Have you ever been fascinated with why the law works the way it does? Ever since I was in junior high, I had an intense interest in anything related to our legal system, whether it be a crime drama on television, a judge show or a legal case covered on the news. I followed it all. As time progressed, I began learning about how the actual legal system worked and not just the fictionalized version of our legal system. This has lead me to start writing my own blog posts about law that I hope will help others.