Court Reporting Four Characteristics Of Top Court Reporters
Professional court reporters don't try cases or develop legal strategies, but they do have a significant impact on an attorney's ability to present information in a favorable manner. When most people think of professional court reporters, they think of someone who silently types a deposition transcript, hands it off to an attorney and exits the legal process. But there is more to being an effective court reporter than just typing a transcript. Below, we look at the four main areas that separate top court reporters from mediocre ones.
Professional Appearance
That a court-reporter should have a professional seems to go without saying, and most of them do. But there are also reporters appear to forget, or don't seem to care, that not maintaining a professional appearance can impact a deposition. While most attorneys would like for depositions to feel relaxed to put deponents at ease, no attorney wants a deposition to appear non-professional, lest the deponent think that the proceeding is a "joke" and respond accordingly. It may sound strange to call a well-chosen business wardrobe a skill. But in court reporting, it actually is.
Professional Demeanor
Court reporters aren't known for putting their personalities into their job, nor should they be; during a deposition, it's the deponent's personality that matters most. There are numerous factors that can influence a reporter's demeanor during depositions, particularly prejudice, intolerance for boredom and animosity toward certain criminals. To avoid these characteristics, attorneys typically consult a court reporting agency that screen court-reporters on their personality as well as their credentials.
Technical Skills
Most deposition reporters possess real time reporting skills and the typing speed to keep up with even the most loquacious depositions. But it's what happens after a deposition comes to an end that determines a reporter's "technical" value to an attorney, particularly in terms of video/text synchronization and text syncing. Video/text synchronization allows attorneys skip to different points in a video deposition with ease, while text synchronization streams a deponent's words at the bottom of the video screen as they speak. Both applications can significantly impact a jury's impression of a deponent's testimony.
Flexibility
Some court reporters are only willing to conduct depositions in official locations (e.g. complimentary suites provided by their reporting agency versus meeting at the deponent's residence), and are not willing to perform last minute depositions. But a top court-reporter will always do what it takes to help an attorney get information that strengthens his or her case.
Professional Appearance
That a court-reporter should have a professional seems to go without saying, and most of them do. But there are also reporters appear to forget, or don't seem to care, that not maintaining a professional appearance can impact a deposition. While most attorneys would like for depositions to feel relaxed to put deponents at ease, no attorney wants a deposition to appear non-professional, lest the deponent think that the proceeding is a "joke" and respond accordingly. It may sound strange to call a well-chosen business wardrobe a skill. But in court reporting, it actually is.
Professional Demeanor
Court reporters aren't known for putting their personalities into their job, nor should they be; during a deposition, it's the deponent's personality that matters most. There are numerous factors that can influence a reporter's demeanor during depositions, particularly prejudice, intolerance for boredom and animosity toward certain criminals. To avoid these characteristics, attorneys typically consult a court reporting agency that screen court-reporters on their personality as well as their credentials.
Technical Skills
Most deposition reporters possess real time reporting skills and the typing speed to keep up with even the most loquacious depositions. But it's what happens after a deposition comes to an end that determines a reporter's "technical" value to an attorney, particularly in terms of video/text synchronization and text syncing. Video/text synchronization allows attorneys skip to different points in a video deposition with ease, while text synchronization streams a deponent's words at the bottom of the video screen as they speak. Both applications can significantly impact a jury's impression of a deponent's testimony.
Flexibility
Some court reporters are only willing to conduct depositions in official locations (e.g. complimentary suites provided by their reporting agency versus meeting at the deponent's residence), and are not willing to perform last minute depositions. But a top court-reporter will always do what it takes to help an attorney get information that strengthens his or her case.
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