Do you know what a court reporter is or does? Many attorneys use a realtime court reporter during a deposition. They serve to provide a translation of testimony and help create an accurate record of what is being done and said. When should you use this service and what does 
reporting as an attorney do for you?
A realtime service may seem like a good idea, but is it? Who would know better than a court reporter? The first thing that any reporter will tell you is that you should meet with a reporter or reporting firm. That way you can have any drivers or software programs loaded into your computer. This may include things such as Case Map or Case Notebook.
If you are working with a reporter for the first time, the meeting may help you resolve connectivity issues if you are using your personal laptop. You don’t want to have any issues when you are trying to do a hearing or a deposition. It should all be resolved before. Ask a reporter to bring a device with the software if you don’t have the proper software or ability.
You’ll also want to install software onto your computer if that is not an option. A transcript is going to be provided by the reporter and that is the point of it all, so be sure to make sure that they either have everything that they need or they have what is required of you.
Reporters often write things out using phonetics so don’t worry that the grammar or a typo will show up. It won’t be there in the final transcript; it will edited and corrected once the document is reviewed or the stenographer will be able to go back and correct it when there is a moment.
A reporter will be able to speak up and get clarification if they have missed anything as well. The accuracy level and skill that a reporter brings to these type of events simply cannot be denied. They also have the experience necessary to be able to speak up and get the correct word or sentence on record.
A reporter usually will send over a rough draft that has been cleaned up as part of a service. That way you can review everything and make notes. Not every service offers this and not all reporters work with realtime so request this specifically if you would like it and get a realtime reporter.
These reporters often have certifications that show how proficient they are at reporting. Two of the best certifications are CCRR and CRR, which require speed tests that are times and high rates of translation to receive. Realtime allows for sending transcripts to other places and allows for making notes, testimony, seeing questions and answers, and more right in the moment and not after.
If you’re an attorney and haven’t tried this service yet, test it out and see what you think! You may be thrilled with the results and the options that it affords you– and all in real time. Check it out and you may be glad that you did.