How Do They Do That Anyway?

They sit behind those little machines, face still, fingers flying and never say a word. They are seen but not heard. A court reporter’s ability to capture the spoken word is mysterious, puzzling and ingenious.

Here’s how they do it:

•  It’s more than a typewriter. While those little machines might resemble typewriters they are anything but. The keyboard does not even have all the letters of the alphabet, there are only 21 keys and the keys can be pressed down simultaneously unlike a typewriter which only allows one key to be pressed at a time.

• It’s a lot of memorization. Steno theory is a phonetic-based language and just like any language it’s memorized. With a single stroke court reporters can write syllables, words, even entire phrases.

• It’s more than just what’s said. Court reporters not only capture every single word that’s spoken, they indicate who is speaking as well as punctuation.

•  It’s all about speed and accuracy. Graduation requirements for court reporters require standards of both speed and accuracy. For legal question and answer testimony, a court reporter must be able to write 225 words per minute – that’s fast – with 95% accuracy.

• It’s a whole lot of focus. Court reporters develop the ability to have a blank mind, focusing on the present and hearing the words coming in.

When you see closed captioning on the news or at a live sporting event, that’s a court reporter providing that service. And if you ever wondered how they did that, now you know.

How would you like your transcript prepared?

At a restaurant, how you like your steak prepared is straightforward, rare, medium, or well. Ordering a transcript is not quite so simple. In the old days, it was easy; there was one choice – paper, paper, paper. Now it’s complex.  Here’s some assistance in understanding the available digital transcript options.

• ASCII – this is the bottom line basic version of a transcript. It is a computerized language that most word processing and litigation software products can recognize and import. An ASCII file cannot be digitally signed by the reporter.

• PDF – these files are minimally searchable but easy to open and print. Because pdf files are created from a reporter’s finalized signed transcript, these files can be certified by the reporter. But did you know, you can receive pdfs in two different formats, full size one-to-a-page format or condensed four-to-a-page format. If you have a preference, it’s best to let the reporter know, otherwise you may not receive what you prefer.

• E-transcript™ - this is a product that is amazing in its simplicity and usability. You can create pdfs or printed transcripts in any format you prefer and export the transcript into different file formats. It’s digitally signed and certified by the reporter. A word index links directly to that section of the transcript and a cut and paste feature allows copying testimony and pasting into another document preserving page and line numbers.  And perhaps best of all, the file is scanned, virus free and doesn’t get lost in firewalls.

• Publisher™ - these files are E-transcript™ files turbocharged.  All exhibits are linked to the transcript where they are marked. Everything is in one nice, neat package. No more having multiple windows open. Best of all, the exhibits are OCR so they have their own word index which means you don’t have to read every document trying to find something. Video testimony can be synched as well allowing clips of testimony to be created for review.

• Online – Online repositories are the way of the future. With a user ID and password, logging onto a secure site gives you 24/7 access to all the file formats. No more trying to find files hidden away in some forgotten folder.

If you’re considering electronic transcripts, there are lots of options to consider. Try them and see what works best for you.

Three Ways Your Court Reporter Can Make You Look Like a Rock Star

For many, court reporters are a mystery. We’re the silent people who sit behind those little machines and tap away. It is a crazy skill, creating a verbatim written document of the spoken word. What does this mysterious job have to do with you? Why would you even care how transcripts are prepared? The job your court reporter does reflects back on you. As counsel representing your client's interests, don't you want to be their rock star?

Here are three ways your court reporter can help you can achieve that status:

•          The More We Know The Better You Look. When a reporter arrives at a deposition, they oftentimes need to request a caption with appearances. By providing a Notice of Deposition prior to the deposition, the reporter can incorporate that information into their computer and there's no time lost at the beginning of the deposition.   A list of names and terms given to the reporter before the start of the deposition makes the reporter more efficient and makes you look marvelous.
•         Just Say No To The Panic Attack. It’s Friday night. You suddenly cannot remember if you scheduled a reporter for first thing Monday morning. How about this: You have to file a transcript ASAP and have torn the office apart looking for it. With the click of the mouse, you have 24/7 instant access to everything you have scheduled, all your transcripts and exhibits, as well as invoices through a secure online repository through GLFM.   Instant access and you are on your way to climbing on top of that rock.
•           What’s In Your Transcript? Supersizing isn’t just for the fast food industry. Your transcript may be larger than it needs to be. Pages may have fewer lines, more white space and extra pages may be added that serve no purpose. Since you pay by the page, all this supersizing increases the cost to your client. The National Court Reporters Association suggests transcript formatting guidelines and when your court reporter follows those guidelines, you get a better value for your dollar. You've now hit the big time. You’re the rock star.

The next time you hire a reporter try these simple tips and let us know how it feels to be that rock star.