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Archive for April, 2021

Successful Tips for a Remote Deposition

Posted on: April 26th, 2021 by joshw No Comments

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, CourtScribes, courtrooms, and frankly the whole court system has changed. The need for social distancing has become an important factor in getting things back to normal as quickly as possible. And the courtrooms are no different.

Society agreed that conducting trials while making use of remote court appearances and remote depositions is now the norm. The thing is, that many are not used to video conferencing (like Zoom) and maybe going to the net for tips. You’re in luck though, as CourtScribes is gonna provide a list of tips to conducting a successful remote deposition.

 

1 – Knowing the Web Conference Applications

You should always do a practice run of the software that you will be using during remote depositions. This will make it more comfortable to use and can access all system commands without issue.

2 – Don’t Interrupt Audio from Another Source

Remote depositions are always recorded for future use. It is important that all of the audio is transmitted correctly. If it is not done correctly, it will be too difficult to understand. Try not to speak over others to ensure that everything is recorded.

3 – Make Sure All Equipment is in Order

Having a stable internet connection might be the most important part of having a successful remote deposition. Make sure all systems are stable. You don’t want to have any issues with disconnections. Check that all audio devices are working and make sure that the microphone is picking up all audio correctly.

 

4 – Follow Normal Conducts for a Standard Deposition

Many people are working from home, and although you are comfortable in your home, with your familiar equipment, it’s important that you still represent yourself in a professional state of mind. Use all standard protocol procedures for conducting a normal deposition.

5 – Work in a Comfortable Space

When working, you just don’t need unexpected visitors popping in to interrupt your remote deposition. It is important to make sure that the area you are going to work in is free from any chances of interruption.

CourtScribes is who you need to provide you with everything you may require for a remote deposition.

Contact us today!

Why are Court Reporters Important

Posted on: April 19th, 2021 by joshw No Comments

court reporters

As time has gone forward, technology jobs increase as more mechanical-type jobs go by the wayside. In court reporting circles, that you have read about here at CourtScribes, many believe that this too will happen to the profession. As a matter of fact, it is happening right now as we speak. As the technology expands in the field, fewer and fewer actual court reporters are needed.

However, certain jobs require a human quality to properly function. Court reporting is definitely one of those jobs.

Who or what is a court reporter?

Well, the court reporter is the person in charge of transcribing a verbatim legal record using a typing tool called a stenograph. Using the stenograph, the reporter transcribes the court proceedings in a sort of shorthand. But, instead of being replaced, the technological addition of audio tech allows the court reporter to complete the job with even greater efficiency.

 

Reliability is Key

If one is trying to understand why technology is taking over this industry, it basically comes down to the option that is more efficient and more reliable. While the ability for a human being (court reporter) to take in proper notes and hear all that is going on crystal clear, many times that is just not the case.

Due to the simple advancement of tech, we can now record conversations and have audio renditions. However, some things are unable to be recorded if there is a crossover in speech by multiple people. This means that there needs to be a human also recording everything being said in order to capture the full truth. 

So that while technology has now given people a way to record, this should mean that court reporting is now enhanced and requires training with audio recording technology on the side. This would actually be the most efficient and reliable way to conduct transcribing.

 

Don’t Leave it to Chance

A court reporter’s main focus should be to record every single word that is spoken in the courtroom. They must do this, all while differentiating between those who are speaking, and ignoring the background noises. This is tough because one of the hardest situations to deal with is when two attorneys or legal participants speaking over each other.

The audio technology at CourtScribes has advanced to a much higher stage than its tape recorder predecessors. But if there is any chance that the device may lose speech during a situation where two people are speaking over each other, then that entire passage of speech has been lost. This especially matters if there is an appeal to the case. Imagine that someone has grounds all because the words were not properly transcribed?

What this says, is that until it is perfect, courts just can’t take that chance.

A Look at a Court Reporter’s Remote Deposition Setup

Posted on: April 12th, 2021 by joshw No Comments

When COVID-19 first forced workplace closures back in March of 2020, people across the country quickly found themselves working from their home office, dining room, table, couch, and other unique locations within their homes. Basically, it was anywhere they could find a quiet place to do their work. The legal industry, including professional court reporters like those at CourtScribes, was certainly not immune to the work-from-home trend.

Court reporters shifted to working remotely and had to re-engineer how they operate in their day-to-day in reporting depositions and other proceedings. The emergence of new remote platforms, guidelines, and client expectations led court reporters to quickly adapt to ensure business as usual to capture the record.

At the onset of the pandemic, remote working meant simply setting up a workspace at the kitchen table or in the living room. Now a year later, with a lot of creativity being applied, many court reporters have learned helpful “do’s and don’ts” for at-home remote deposition setups.

We have learned that many professional court reporters created many interesting and effective remote deposition offices.

As the pandemic continues and the acceptance of remote formats for proceedings continues to gain widespread adoption and acceptance, it is important to stay up-to-date on best practices and considerations for a successful remote deposition.

In preparation for upcoming and future remote depositions, we gathered equipment and accessory recommendations that make the process easier for both you and your clients.

If you need court remote deposition services that handle digital recording then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

Although the majority of cities that offer CourtScribes’ services are in Florida, the company home base, other cities all across these United States that CourtScribes offers services in, are the following: Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Port St. Lucie, Fort Lauderdale, Cape Coral, Coral Springs, Clearwater, Palm Bay, Fort Myers, Weston, Sarasota, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Hialeah, Stuart, Hollywood, Naples, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Jupiter, Key West, Coral Gables, Maryland, Manhattan, Buffalo, Washington DC, Baltimore, Bowie, Virginia, Frederick, Albany, New York, Brooklyn,  Westchester, Gaithersburg, and Rockville.

Derek Chauvin Trial Highlights the Crucial Work of Court Reporters

Posted on: April 5th, 2021 by joshw No Comments

The Derek Chauvin (George Floyd’s kneeling police officer) trial is taking place, and someone in the courtroom who doesn’t get any publicity has one of the more important jobs. That job is the court reporter. CourtScribes agrees. This may be the most important person in the courtroom.

A court reporter is responsible for accurately transcribing every word that’s said in open court. Christine Phipps, the president of the National Court Reporters Association, says the job comes with a lot of pressure.

 

“Somebody’s life hinges on that testimony,” Phipps said. “It’s the court reporter’s certified transcript that rules the day over anybody’s memory of what might have been said. That is going to be what’s argued on appeal.”

 

Court reporting isn’t done letter by letter. Court reporters use combinations of keys to type by phonetic sounds. Shorthand gets proofread and fleshed out later.

When a trial goes on for two weeks, it could probably get between 2,500 to 3,000 pages of transcript you need to proof.

If something is missed or needs to be repeated, the court reporter will interrupt the proceedings, but tries to do so as delicately as possible. The reporter will also confer with the judge if they feel someone in the courtroom should be instructed to slow down.

Getting correct and proper testimony is key in any trial, but even more so in a trial that the whole world is watching. We at CourtScribes know this is true. That is why this position may actually be the most important in any given courtroom.

If you need court reporting services that handle digital recording then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

Although the majority of cities that offer CourtScribes’ services are in Florida, the company home base, other cities all across these United States that CourtScribes offers services in, are the following: Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Port St. Lucie, Fort Lauderdale, Cape Coral, Coral Springs, Clearwater, Palm Bay, Fort Myers, Weston, Sarasota, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Hialeah, Stuart, Hollywood, Naples, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Jupiter, Key West, Coral Gables, Maryland, Manhattan, Buffalo, Washington DC, Baltimore, Bowie, Virginia, Frederick, Albany, New York, Brooklyn,  Westchester, Gaithersburg, and Rockville.