The impact of court depositions cannot be understated. In any case, the information obtained during the deposition state can sway the case in either direction. Essentially, the testimonies collected can influence a defendant to accept to settle, thus avoiding a trial. Here are court deposition tips that you can apply to help a case go your way.

Witness Rules

The witness has to be issued with a notice at least ten days before the stage of deposition commences. Alternatively, the notice may be given through the form of a subpoena signed by the lawyer conducting the legal deposition. A judge’s signature is not required. 

The reason a subpoena may be necessary is if the witness does not want to attend court willingly. When the witness fails to show up for the deposition, the action is considered contempt of court. The writ, therefore, orders the witness to attend court for deposition purposes.

The lawyer may also produce copies of documents submitted during the deposition process. However, they must issue a Request for Production of Documents before they can make copies.

A good court deposition can ensure that a case does not go to trial. This is particularly true if the deposition provides clear, indisputable evidence showing both sides how a trial is likely to turn out. Considering this, the defendant is more likely to agree to settle before the case goes to court.

Tips for Deposition

A trial can take months or even years before it concludes. To avoid going through this long and protracted journey, it is always advisable to consider deposition. Here are a few tips that you can use for yourself or advise a friend or client in case you are involved in a court case, or you are being deposed.

• Always take time to think over the questions asked before answering
• Never answer an incomplete question. Let the lawyer finish the question before you provide your answer
• Think before answering to allow your attorney time to raise an objection if any
• When you do not know the answer to a particular question, answer that you don’t know
• Do not add any new information that has not been asked
• Avoid speculating
• Always act formally and professionally
• Stay as calm as possible. Do not allow your emotions to get out of control
• Avoid getting into an argument with opposing lawyers

Enlisting an attorney to help you with court depositions can go a long way to ensure the success of your case. A qualified attorney has the necessary experience to guide you and provide specific instructions that will come in handy for a successful court deposition. Using the aforementioned tips will provide you with your best chance of resolving the case as per your desires.

Judicial reporters are sometimes regarded as the ‘silent guardians of the record,’ as they typically produce word-for-word records of court proceedings. But then again, you may ask, why are verbatim records of court proceedings necessary? To answer that, we need to look at the fundamental structure of any court system.

In the US, and indeed most countries, courts are divided into two key levels; trial and appellate courts. Both these two levels are interdependent, in that cases from the trial courts get taken to appellate courts if the rulings are not satisfactory to any party. As such, verbatim records generated by the court reporters at the trial stage provide a credible reference for the appellate court, as it carries out the case review.

Even if a case doesn’t proceed to the appellate court, the official transcripts never lose relevance. Attorneys, judges, the media and civil societies may review transcripts pertaining to certain cases, years after conclusion. 

Notably, there are numerous cases where people who have been found guilty and sent to prison are acquitted years later after their trial transcripts are recalled.  Therefore, without court reporters, it would be impossible, or very expensive, to preserve records of court proceedings – which would consequently make it hard to administer justice.

Parting shot…

Court reporting may not be the most glamorous or admirable job in the legal fraternity. However, it plays a crucial role in the administration of justice, both on the current and completed cases.

Things to Do As A Witness

• Be Open With Your Attorney 

You are advised to be open and honest at all times. If you know the real story, however scandalous it is, the attorney will know the strategies to employ in the case.

• Honor Your Subpoena

When you get a subpoena, you should not ignore it as they are enforceable documents. Further, honoring all your subpoenas will make things easier for you during the underlying case, and even beyond it.

• Be Honest and Concise in Your Testimony 

When giving your testimony, answer all the questions in a clear and concise manner, and make sure to tell the truth. Lying will only make things more complicated for you.

• Dress Accordingly 

Courtrooms are formal places, and the outfit you wear as you take the stand should reflect that. Ideally, choose a formal outfit such as a well-pressed, suit and formal shoes, and avoid overdoing your hair and/or makeup. Also, go for dull colors as they fit the courtroom more than loud or bright colors.

• Listen to Your Attorney 

Your attorney knows all the things to do or say when doing a disposition, or giving testimony in court. So, before you take the stand, talk with them and ask all questions in regards to the whole process. Inform them of your fears and concerns and ask them for expert tips. 

Things Not to Do

• Don’t Over-Answer Questions 

When asked a question, give a clear and concise answer without going into much detail or explanations, unless prompted. This will save you from making contradicting statements.

• Don’t Try to Be Cute or Funny 

Being a witness in court is very much different from being a guest at the Ellen Show. While giving your testimony, try to be serious. Avoid the temptation to be sarcastic or flippant, as some judges may not take it kindly. Also remember that anything you say in court, including jokes, will be recorded, and taken literally – so only say things you mean.

• Don’t Space Out

Being a witness requires maximum focus and concentration to the questions asked. Avoid getting distracted or daydreaming, as it could result in (costly) mistakes.

• Don’t Answer A Question You Didn’t Comprehend 

If you didn’t hear or understand a question, request to have it asked again to avoid giving wrong answers that may cost you.

• Don’t Be Drunk! 

Really, this one is self-explanatory. Apart from alcohol and drugs making you look like a fool when answering questions, they may also make you drowsy and incoherent. In some cases, you may be held in contempt of court if you’re too intoxicated. 

It is therefore rather surprising that with all the modern IT solutions, stenographs are still used by court reporters to capture court deliberations. They may seem like relics of a bygone era, but stenographic court reporters actually do real-time legal transcriptions better than any available software.

For one, entry-level reporters can easily deduce word pronunciations in different dialects and accents, something computer software can’t do yet. Most importantly, they seamlessly combine their stenographs with computers to provide magistrates, lawyers and other clients with ultra fast and accurate transcripts.

Adapting to New Technology

Traditionally, court reporters would transcribe all the spoken word in a court session, then manually filter the stenography into legible words. However, inpatient clients and modern technology have driven most stenographers to integrate computers into their work.

With the help of a laptop or tablet, court reporters can now program their translation applications, to instantaneously turn their shorthand notes into legible language. Real-time transcribing means that clients and courts can get access to transcripts of ongoing legal discourse, within a few minutes.

Additionally, the integration of computers and computer applications in court stenography means high-level court sessions can be translated and captioned on screens, in and out of the courtroom. Media houses are especially known to hire court reporters when covering public-interest cases as well. You didn’t possibly think that all the subtitles and captions you see on live transmissions of court sessions are entirely the work of ordinary journalists, did you?

In simple terms, court reporting is an ancient practice that, according to most modernists, belongs to legal museums. However, standards and practices within the profession have continued to evolve and there has been a willingness, across the board to embrace new technology.

This adaptation of modern technology into the court reporting process effectively puts to rest the “old-fashioned” assertions. After all, apart from the stenographs, everything about modern court reporters is, well – modern. From the training methods to devices and software used and most importantly, the output (transcripts), there’s nothing really backward or old-fashioned about court reporters.

Survived Budget Cuts

Even with underperforming economies and bloated expenditures forcing most governments to cut costs and digitize, court reporters have never had to fear for their jobs. And that’s not likely to change anytime soon.

From the third world to the most advanced nations on earth, court reporters are almost always preferred to transcribe civil and criminal cases. This is because no matter how accurate computers are said to be, court reporters are way more accurate and reliable.

As proof of their reliability and credibility, court reporters are in very high demand in the disposition and testimony settings. Matter of fact, there are more court reporters employed by law firms and individuals as compared to the courts or governments.

A deposition is something that every person ideally has a good working basic understanding of. Knowing what you’re contending with if you yourself have to deal with a deposition is key to being successful in the end because a good one helps lawyers come out on top and win cases.

A good deposition can definitely go a long way when it comes to helping to win a case. Victory is key and losing often can come with not-so-great case results. So it makes sense to do your research, because whether you’re in the legal field or simply temporarily involved in it, you definitely want to know what you are dealing with. When you know more about a topic, you are able to make choices that are better informed and may benefit you in the end.

Deposition Basics

Attorneys use depositions to help boost their case or attempt to. These tools are gathered together in the ‘conduct discovery phase‘. This allows legal professionals that are involved to do what they have to in order to put together a fact and testimonial based profile.

These are defined to be formal investigations. Witnesses that are called will take an oath and then the questioning will begin. These witnesses need to tell the truth and everything that goes on or is said will be taken down and formally recorded. This includes all formal questions as well as answers, recorded on a transcript.

The transcript will be the official record for the case and can be used as an analysis reference. This makes it useful to both sides involved. Deposition purpose can often include putting together an event narrative that’s focused and coherent. This makes sense since it will be involved in the case strategy most likely to a large degree, making it invaluable to this process overall.

Depositions are important because they are like a trial that happens before the actual trial. This is a practice run– a witness can go over the testimony that they delivered so that they can present it if they need to when they are in court.

The main purpose of depositions is to allow the opposing counsel to get on with their investigation. They’re trying to ready themselves for any testimony from the witness, analyzing events and working the case overall. That means that they’ll be able to capitalize on the things that are inconsistent later. So for witnesses, their story being consistent is important.

Attorneys usually want witnesses that have a consistent story as well. Remind witnesses to speak clearly and slowly as well, mindful of every word. Advise them that they should allow an attorney to ask their question first and make sure they’re done before answering.

Don’t cut off an attorney or be in a rush to speak. Witnesses should be honest. Tell them that if they don’t know an answer, just be honest and say “I don’t know”. Also ask questions to be repeated if not understood. Treat a deposition like a test run and good luck!

Court reporters take down information in a legal or serious setting so that there is an official record of events. Court reporting agencies offer these services by having qualified reporters that know how to do their jobs! Far from being replaceable by a machine or a computer, the great thing about this field is how it appreciates and needs people that are efficient, detail-oriented, smart, and trustworthy.

Typing quickly is important, but it’s also the type of career that is good for people who are organized and fastidious about the little things. This is why so many opt to go with an agency that has reliable, certified reporters that are going to be able to provide that invaluable legal record of event (especially when compared to technological options).

Check Online for Reviews

Get a good feel about the type of agency that they are by going online. Bad reviews that have the same thing in common may be a red flag. You want to collaborate with an agency that seems to have a positive reputation and is professional.

Gauge Their Service Levels

How good or poor is their service? Do they return inquiries and messages (voicemail, email, etc.) in a timely and prompt fashion? Do they seem professional and provide great customer service, able to answer every question that you might have? Check out their website and make a call to find out.

Do Your Hiring Research

When hiring an agency, make sure that you do research first. Find out what they’re about and see what you like or dislike about them. Make a list of candidates and cross off those you find unappealing as you go.

See If They Travel

Better to see if an agency has a travel feature before you hire them than after! Check and make sure they’ve got reporters that travel or if you need to search elsewhere. You may also want to see that they provide equipment and any other features that they offer beforehand when hiring (such as travel, scheduling, videoconferencing, equipment, fees, etc.).

Look For Certification

If you’re getting certified and want to work with an agency or want certified reporters, that’s one aspect to keep in mind.

End Result: Transcript

Last but not least, the transcript. Do they have the ability to produce a timely and accurate transcript? That’s the main thing when looking to hire an agency.

Be selective and follow our guidelines and you’re likely to find a great court reporting agency with all of the requirements that you need!

Humans are able to be influenced, and there are a lot of ways that you can sway the opinion on a jury through a PowerPoint that is professional and effective. You’re going to want to read on and discover more about making a PowerPoint that is going to help a case and not hurt it.

Write Up An Outline

You may find it helpful to come up with an outline first. Putting the thoughts you want to come across into a notebook will help you figure out where you should get started. Outline slides before you start and you can use the draft and start creating a storyboard for the PowerPoint and figure out what text and photos you need.

Keep It Very Simple

After all, the best way to get the attention of others is to keep it as simple as you possibly can. people are not going to always understand what you’re saying if you use the fancy words or the fancy text and fonts or backgrounds with formats. Keep it all clean and simple– that’s the professional way and you won’t leave any room for misunderstanding.

Keep the Information and Text Minimal

Information on the slides needs to be minimal. It’s going to help the jurors stay focused and not get distracted. Basic text and talking points is a good idea– don’t crowd it up too much!

Ensure That Images Are Sized and Add Audio/Video Clips

You want to ensure that the images are placed correctly and it all looks just how you’d like it to. Crop it the way that you would like and resize until it reaches its desired point. Adding audio or video clips will keep viewers engaged, making the presentation interesting and getting people to pay attention.

Use A Tool For Highlighting

A highlighter tool can be used to go over documents. You can go to a black background using white text or change things up over to yellow text, giving it a highlighted effect.

Evaluate It and Rehearse

Come up with a list of times that slides will play, having the presentation go along smoothly. A pace where everything is not going too fast or going too slow may be just right. Look at the presentation carefully, evaluating what is working and what isn’t. Also be sure to rehearse how you’re going to present this.

Get Assistance If You’re In a Time Crunch

Know what you’ve got to do for this PowerPoint? If you do not have that much time at all to get it done, you’re going to need some help. Have someone look through and point out what is working or isn’t. It can be a trusted friend, intern, company, assistant. Get it done and make sure that you love it either solo or with some help!

Many end up staying in this career because it is so rewarding. Whether you’re looking to get into a career for the first time or considering switching, there is no question that court reporters serve an important job. It’s a very serious career and a job that the people that do it take seriously! After all, it is a crucial line of work that is integral to the legal system.

This may be a good fit for you if you like to be in court houses, have an attention to detail, like to do work that will be meaningful or serving a purpose, are organized and timely, and are generally extremely responsible. Being quick at typing can also help, but that is of course something learned along the way to becoming certified.

There’s a constant requirement for court reporters that are certified as well as trained. With constant field openings and more jobs available and projected to be available in the coming future, it’s a great field to consider as a career.

This is of course a remarkable shift from many career fields which are becoming outdated or even obsolete. There are so many jobs and lines of work that are going out of style. This increase of positions may be due to the steady requirement of this position for the courts and more as well as the fact that many people working currently are beginning the retirement process, have already retired, or will soon be retiring.

In a few years there may be as many as 5,500 court reporter jobs that have opened up in America alone! This field will continue this trend barring a bunch of courts closing down (unlikely to occur). This career is a great choice because you can get 2 years of training and get certified and start. That’s two less years than most degrees and you’re right out into the field, getting started and making money.

Best of all, you can depend on this as a career that is going to have a high beginning salary of $40,000 at least. You won’t have to wait a long time to make back the money that you invested and be earning a comfortable living.

There are so many individuals that would do really well working in this field. If you think that you are determined, professional, reliable, good with time management, detail oriented, committed, able to focus for long periods of time, among other positive traits, this might be the field for you!

Reporters are now able to get government jobs and can also transcribe for other areas and purposes. With so many jobs about to open out, this might be a great line to get into. If you’re quick and want a reliable career, and are accurate with tying, this might be for you!

Automated tech is being integrated in a lot of places now, from the grocery store to the bank. So, could technology result in making this human job obsolete? It’s possible, but not likely. At the moment, computers as well as voice recognition are not nearly at the point where they could be a smart substitute.

It is theoretically possible that at some point, the technology would be developed enough and error-free enough that they could be utilized. Anything is possible, and technology is constantly evolving.

Right now, courts need stenographers and will likely continue to do so in the future. The simple need for them is that humans are really best suited to this job and have been doing it reliably for decades. That reliable factor is precisely what makes them such a preferable choice when it comes to recording events in the courtroom and creating transcripts.

While some courts are experimenting with using digital recording, most of them are doing so in conjunction with human court reporters. It can be helpful, but ultimately, many of them are finding that the money that they save is being spent on repairs, maintenance, and more. The same reporter that would be replaced by the machine may very well need a tech expert to come along with it, costing much more than a simple and reliable human reporter.

Add in future costs such as support, software, upgrades, file storage, wiring, and more, and you can see that courts using technology for the main purpose of saving money might not be a final, end-all and be-all solution. All that glitters is not always gold, as they say.

Digital recordings also must ultimately go through being transcribed and then proofread after and even certified by a transcription expert or court reporter– so human support is still required even if tech is used. Add problems on top of that and it’s even more costly, as tech support often is.

Reporters are trained to be reliable and not make errors. They’re good at their job and very capable. They also have the benefit of being able to ask for more clarity or stop proceedings to record something accurately. This all adds to an error-free, accurate record, which is the most important thing. They will also easily be able to omit off-the-record statements.

Humans can always sort through audio better than the current computers can. It’s an easy decision when it comes to choosing between tech vs. people in this field. Technology has a long ways to go until it can match the ability of reporters to transcribe in the court room.

If it is a matter of quality transcriptions or risking it all, of course courts are going to go with the clear choice of hiring a reporter and not relying on technology. With superior performance and greater reliability, always go with a human court reporter when in doubt!

They must also be able to establish communication with witnesses, lawyers, and the judge to ensure that a transcription is accurate. Whether you currently work as a court reporter or want to, these tips could help you improve understanding and performance.

Be early instead of on time.

Early is always best. Make getting places twenty to thirty minutes early your new normal and you will usually be able to deal with anything that gets thrown your way. Make it an hour if you’re the type of person that likes to get there early and then enjoy their drink.

Do your best to interpret an interpreter.

Cases with two primary languages that are different (or utilization of sign language). When an interpreter is required, a reporter must clarify who is testifying– a witness or if an interpreter is speaking. Prepare for this as needed.

Get spelling of certain words determined ahead of time.

Specific words can be needed in order to confirm how first or last names or medical terminology are spelled. Use punctuation and more and get spelling down ahead of time if you know there are going to be certain terms used if possible.

Develop a good sense of communication and rapport.

Get a rapport going with attorneys. If you’re going to be working together, you need to have clear communication and that way both of you will know what’s happening. Be clear about expectations both ways and confirm confidentiality when needed. Some may want headers on pages indicating confidentiality levels on the document.

Keep up with recording demands.

A reporter’s duties on the job are to keep up and make sure that the record and resulting transcript are accurate. Speaking up as needed to clarify words and more is key! Be sure you get a good night’s sleep and are ready to take on the day by eating breakfast and leaving early so you stay focused.

Do your best to stay current.

Commit to developing your reporting skills and staying sharp. Staying current with your industry and profession may be a good idea as well. You may want to familiarize yourself with timers if you need to track time, and be sure that your computer or steno components are good and do not require repair.

Be professional and courteous.

This one explains itself but will get you far in any career, job, or field. Always be professional and courteous with no exceptions!

Dress for work.

Length is best and never do shorts! Skirts should be at least to the knee and ideally longer. A simple pants and formal shirt combination whether male or female should be suitable. Simple colors and no loud colors or patterns is important too. Go with formal over casual, length over shortness, and clothing that you purchased within the last two years so that it is not overly dated.

Thanks for reading our tips for court reporting. Follow these tips to do your best on the job!