Professional Standards & Ethics Flashcards

A court reporter finishes a deposition and realizes they did not swear in the witness. The most appropriate immediate action is to:

Answer: Notify all parties of the omission and arrange to administer the oath or follow counsel's direction

Failing to swear in a witness must be disclosed so parties can decide how to remedy the procedural defect.

Which of the following is the primary reason NCRA prohibits reporters from providing free transcripts as an inducement to secure future assignments?

Answer: It constitutes improper solicitation and undermines fair competition

Providing free transcripts as kickbacks is an improper solicitation practice that distorts fair market competition.

A CRI instructor is evaluating student transcripts and notices a pattern of intentional formatting errors to meet a shorter deadline. The instructor should:

Answer: Address the intentional shortcuts and hold the student to full formatting standards

Intentional shortcuts that sacrifice accuracy and formatting standards must be addressed as both a skills and integrity issue.

Under the NCRA Code of Professional Ethics, a reporter who accepts an assignment they are not competent to handle — such as highly technical scientific testimony — is violating the principle of:

Answer: Competence

Accepting assignments beyond one's current skill level violates the competence obligation under NCRA ethics.

A student questions a grade given by a CRI instructor. The ethically appropriate first response is to:

Answer: Review the work with the student and explain the grading rationale clearly

Transparent communication about grading criteria and rationale is an ethical instructional obligation.

A reporter who is also a notary public must ensure that when notarizing a deponent's signature on the errata sheet, they:

Answer: Act impartially and do not advise the deponent on what changes to make

When performing a dual role, the reporter-notary must remain neutral and not influence the deponent's choices.

Which of the following best characterizes the ethical duty of a CRI regarding continuing education?

Answer: CRIs have an ongoing duty to stay current with evolving reporting technology, pedagogy, and ethics

The CRI designation carries an ongoing obligation to remain current in all areas relevant to effective and ethical instruction.