#70 - For Attorneys: How to Work with a Court Reporter - Part 1

Hello. Hello. Okay, so today's episode is all about how to get on the court reporter's good side. Okay, so this episode is basically for attorneys.Hello, attorneys. You guys really need to hear this.So a lot of attorneys have listened to the Court Reporter podcast and have mentioned that it should be required listening for law schools or we should do seminars at law schools.Because it's so important for law schools to implement these teachings and raise awareness about the record and the role of the court reporter so that attorneys know what they're going, going into when they're making a record. Because the most important purpose of a deposition and like the whole purpose of a deposition or any legal proceeding is usually to make a record.So if they're not fully aware of what we're doing, what the rules are, like, they need to hear from us, from the court reporters in order to fully be prepared for this. So when I say how to get on the court reporter's good side, don't get me wrong, I don't mean any kind of bias or favoritism or anything like that.I just mean how to work together for the purpose of creating the most accurate record.So if you're new here, welcome to the Court Reporter podcast where we dive into all things court reporting, from industry insights to professional tips that make our jobs easier and more efficient. I'm your host, Bryn Reynolds Seymour, and today we are beginning a three part series on something every attorney needs to hear.As I mentioned, how to get on the court reporter's good side. So why is this so important?The way you interact with your court reporter affects the accuracy and clarity of the record, how smooth and fast the proceeding feels in real time, and even whether you rush, whether your orders get prioritized. I hate to say it, but unfortunately, it does have an impact. Right?So with that in mind, here are the top 10 ways to get on the court reporter's good side to maintain a professional relationship to. Today, we will cover tips one through three. Number one, be crystal clear about when you want to go on and off the record. This is huge.When you decide to go on or off the record, please say it clearly and make sure all parties agree. Way too often people start speaking informally, they start a side conversation expecting us to just know, to go off the record.Like throwing in comments as if it's no big deal, not really respecting the record and just, yeah, expecting us to stop typing. Like, I cannot tell you how many times this happens. Attorneys start these side conversations while we're on the record.And yeah, I'm still writing, because that's our jobs. And then they look at me as if, like, what are you doing? Are you really writing this down? Or like, they say, you didn't write that down. Right?I mean, I can often tell when you want to go off the record, but that doesn't mean that I can make that decision. Our job is to type what is on the record unless all parties agree to go off. So once we're on, we are on until you say that we're going off.And if one party says it and then starts their off the record discussion without the other party acknowledging that they agree and are okay with going off the record, we are not supposed to stop writing. That is the law. So take a moment to ensure the other party agrees. Be professional, be courteous.And it directly serves the accuracy and clarity of the record, which is the whole point of being there. Make the record out loud. If you want it captured, say it loud and clear. We are not mind readers and we do not interpret or add descriptions.If someone is crying, for example, or if there's a long pause, or if you hand a document to a witness and you want that noted, you have to verbalize it. Yes, we have parentheticals like handing and indicating, which.Actually, I posted a video about parentheticals on Instagram and on TikTok, and I got a lot of mixed reviews. I got a lot of mixed comments on that.It started a huge discussion about parentheticals and how apparently in New York, we're doing it all wrong because we do have parentheticals. When someone hands a document to someone else, we put handing in parentheses, and we also put indicating in parentheses, which I always.I always thought that was kind of strange, but sometimes it does make sense. I don't know. I mean, I guess it's just. It's not very descriptive. It's like we put indicating for.When they're pointing to a body part to indicate where they got hurt or pointing something out or like showing a measurement or something like. We're trained to use these parentheticals, but not to really be descriptive, just to keep it very basic. And then apparently other states or.It seems like the nationwide standard is more along the lines of not putting any parentheticals.The point is that if you want it on the record, please make sure that it is verbalized, because we are not writing descriptive explanations of what's happening. We only write down the verbatim words that are spoken.So, for example, there was a clip that circulated about the Donald Trump case where the transcript described a Witness weeping and crying. And I personally have always liked the idea of including descriptive detail.Maybe because being in New York for so long, I don't know if it's the Broadway in me or I don't know if it's just being from New York, but I don't. I mean, okay, that's almost kind of along the lines of a playwright.But when I asked, seasoned reporters almost all said that it is not our job to do that.So while I love to go above and beyond, honestly, it does create more stress and overwhelm for us to be thinking about these things and for us to be thinking about how to capture what's going on in the room. When it's not verbalized, it can create major problems because it is interpretation. It's our interpretation.Right at the end of the day, most court reporters and most attorneys prefer that we do not do that. So the ball is in your court, attorneys. If you want the record to reflect that someone is visibly upset, say it.Let the record reflect that the witness is visibly upset and crying. If.If you want it noted that the witness is reading exhibit A or that the witness was handed Exhibit A, say, let the record reflect that I'm showing the witness exhibit A. It must be accurate and factual and not biased. We capture whatever is said. So if you want something in the transcript, say it out loud. Number three.Introduce yourself and help us with names from the beginning. So it really helps if you take the initiative to kindly introduce yourself and bring a business card.We do not automatically know who you are, even if you're on a billboard. We will also take the initiative to ask you for your card and confirm the spelling of your name.But what makes us love you the most is when you walk over with a friendly introduction and a card without us even having to ask. Because, to be honest, most court reporters are introverts. You know, Well, I. I guess I should speak for myself. I am an introvert.And it takes effort for me to build that habit, being the first one to initiate a conversation, to control the room, and so on and so forth. So we, people like me, we do appreciate when you guys are. Kind of lighten the tension, I guess, when you take the initiative to do it.Sometimes if things get busy or if I like, I guess I'm speaking from my personal experience.But sometimes, for whatever reason, I might forget to ask for the card and we just go on the record and I'm just like designating names based on appearance or based on what you're wearing or based on what I think your name is, but that is not good. We should know for sure from the beginning what your name is, who you are. It saves us from guessing, hunting through the case files or googling.And then, you know, it's just that's never ends well. So even a very common name can have a surprising spelling.So don't get upset or annoyed when I ask for spelling clarification for something that you think I should know how to spell because I I don't want to take the chance of spelling a name wrong. Everyone has different unique ways of spelling names.So yeah, for any name that is new to the record or case specific, we would love that you spell it or provide us a list in advance. This is where respect for the record becomes so practical it prevents costly mistakes and speeds everything up later.Okay, so those are tips, numbers one through three. If this is helpful, please subscribe so you don't miss part two and part three of this series.And if you have any questions or scenarios you want me to address, feel free to send me a message on Facebook or Instagram or you can email me@brynourtreporterpodcast.com Also, if you could leave a review and a rating. That always helps to raise awareness about this podcast and make sure everybody that needs it knows about it.Speak up, slow down and make the record shine. See you in part two. Hey Court Reporters.Do you ever feel like you spend more time wrestling with portals and admin tasks than you do actually reporting? Because that used to be my life.I was working for multiple agencies at once, constantly juggling different systems, logging into outdated portals, clicking through endless unnecessary boxes, and spending hours just trying to submit one transcript. By the end of the day, I was so drained and I felt like I was always glued to my computer and already behind on the next job. We are court reporters.We're supposed to focus on the record. But there was a point in time where everything changed. It was when I hired a vtm.If you want to do the same thing, I teach court reporters how to build their team and step by step process to get your own vtm, which is a virtual transcript manager. In other words, like a project manager for your transcripts, join the Court Reporter CEO Mindset program, which is still in its launch phase.You can get 50% off as a founding member if you join before October 1st. Send me an email brynn@courtreporterpodcast.com and I will send you the link to get set up. Can't wait. Bye.