3 Questions To Ask Before You Hire A Shorthand Reporter For A Deposition Or Hearing
Court reporters -- also called court stenographers and shorthand reporters -- provide a valuable service both inside and outside actual courtrooms. They specialize in rapidly recording any legal proceeding, including depositions. When time and accuracy are essentials, as they so often are in court cases, a shorthand reporter is invaluable.
So, how do you know you're hiring the right one? There are plenty of shorthand reporter services around, but they can be very different in the type of services they actually provide and their fees. To sort out which service is right for you, ask the following questions.
1. What sort of training and certification does the reporter hold?
Many states have a specific certification program for shorthand reporters, and there is the National Court Reporters Association, or NCRA. Certification isn't required to work as a shorthand reporter, but certification tells you that the person you're about to hire has met objective minimum goals and standards.
In other words, you know that they provide a quality service. It's smart to hire a shorthand reporter who has either state or national certification (or both) over one that doesn't.
2. How long does it take to get a full transcript of the proceedings?
One of the benefits of a live court reporter is that he or she can read back a question or answer immediately, which eliminates the potential for errors in a proceeding. However, that doesn't mean that you don't need quick turnaround times on an official transcript for use as part of your research or trial preparation techniques.
Find out how long it usually takes to get a transcript of a proceeding and whether or not an expedited service is available. If a shorthand reporter service can't give you an estimate of their turn-around times, steer clear.
3. What are the fees, and how are they broken down?
It's customary for court reporters to charge a "page rate," or fee for each page of the final transcript of any recorded proceeding. This is better for clients than an hourly rate since the transcription speed of each reporter can vary considerably, but page lengths are always the same. However, it's also normal for reporters in many jurisdictions to charge an appearance fee and even an hourly rate.
Find out exactly what you are being charged for in advance. Then, compare the fees to a few other services in your area.
Any service that charges far less than others should be considered suspect. There's usually a reason they can't command a better fee.
Any that charge substantially more should be asked to explain what justifies the price. Are extra services, like digital recordings, part of the package?
Knowing the right questions to ask before you hire someone to record your legal proceeding is one of the best ways to have confidence in your decision -- and the quality of the service you're getting. For more information about hiring a shorthand reporter, contact a service such as L & L Reporting Service, Inc.