CRI Court Reporting Technology 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'read-back' mean in a courtroom context, and how does modern CAT software assist with it?
- Reviewing audio recordings of prior testimony; CAT software syncs audio playback
- Reading previously recorded testimony aloud from the transcript; CAT software allows instant search and retrieval of the requested passage (Correct answer)
- Sending the transcript back to the witness for corrections; CAT software tracks changes
- Playing back the paper tape through the steno machine; the machine re-translates automatically
Correct answer: Reading previously recorded testimony aloud from the transcript; CAT software allows instant search and retrieval of the requested passage
Read-back is when a reporter reads aloud a portion of prior testimony; CAT software's search function allows the reporter to instantly locate the requested passage in the transcript.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'voice writing' as an alternative court reporting method?
- Speaking all spoken words and speaker identifications into a voice-masking recorder; software transcribes the audio via speech recognition (Correct answer)
- Using voice commands to control CAT software during steno writing
- Dictating a paraphrased summary of proceedings rather than verbatim testimony
- Recording proceedings on a smartphone and sending the audio to an overseas transcription service
Correct answer: Speaking all spoken words and speaker identifications into a voice-masking recorder; software transcribes the audio via speech recognition
Voice writers speak everything said in the proceeding — plus punctuation and speaker IDs — into a voice-masking recorder; speech recognition software then produces the transcript.
Question 3: What is the purpose of timestamping in digital court reporting transcripts?
- To comply with HIPAA requirements for medical testimony
- To create a time-linked index between the written transcript and the audio/video recording for precise navigation (Correct answer)
- To record the exact time each attorney spoke for billing purposes
- To authenticate the transcript as unaltered for chain-of-custody purposes
Correct answer: To create a time-linked index between the written transcript and the audio/video recording for precise navigation
Timestamps link each transcript line to a specific point in the audio or video recording, allowing users to jump directly to any moment in the media by clicking on the corresponding text.
Question 4: When a court reporter trains a new personal dictionary entry in CAT software during a proceeding, what is the typical workflow?
- Stop writing, open the dictionary editor, type the definition, then resume
- Use a finger-spelling or define mode stroke to link the untranslated steno to its correct word without stopping writing (Correct answer)
- Ask the proceedings to pause while the reporter consults the NCRA dictionary
- Flag the untranslate and add the definition during the post-proceeding editing phase only
Correct answer: Use a finger-spelling or define mode stroke to link the untranslated steno to its correct word without stopping writing
Most CAT software has a define-on-the-fly or finger-spell mode that lets the reporter link an untranslated stroke to its correct translation in real time without interrupting the writing flow.
Question 5: What is the main difference between a 'rough draft' and a 'certified transcript' in court reporting?
- A rough draft is produced by a scopist; a certified transcript is produced by the reporter
- A rough draft is the unedited, uncertified output directly from CAT translation; a certified transcript has been proofread, edited, and signed by the reporter under oath of accuracy (Correct answer)
- A rough draft uses abbreviated steno outlines; a certified transcript is fully spelled out
- A rough draft is delivered electronically; a certified transcript must be delivered in paper form
Correct answer: A rough draft is the unedited, uncertified output directly from CAT translation; a certified transcript has been proofread, edited, and signed by the reporter under oath of accuracy
A rough draft is the raw CAT translation provided immediately after a proceeding, while a certified transcript is the fully edited, proofread version to which the reporter attaches their official certificate of accuracy.
Question 6: In court reporting technology, what is an 'exhibit sticker' database and how is it used?
- A physical label printer connected to the steno machine for marking paper exhibits
- A software feature in CAT programs that tracks exhibit numbers, descriptions, and their locations within the transcript for easy reference and indexing (Correct answer)
- A cloud database where attorneys upload scanned exhibits during remote depositions
- A barcode system that links physical exhibits to their audio timestamps
Correct answer: A software feature in CAT programs that tracks exhibit numbers, descriptions, and their locations within the transcript for easy reference and indexing
CAT software exhibit databases let reporters log each exhibit's number, description, and transcript page, automatically generating an exhibit index at the end of the transcript.
Question 7: What technical standard governs the format of realtime transcript feeds transmitted from CAT software to viewing applications like LiveNote or TrialDirector?
- The ANSI/NISO Z39.86 standard
- The RTF/CRE (Court Reporting Exchange) or proprietary streaming protocols defined by each CAT vendor (Correct answer)
- The PDF/A archival standard
- The ISO 8879 SGML standard
Correct answer: The RTF/CRE (Court Reporting Exchange) or proprietary streaming protocols defined by each CAT vendor
Realtime feeds use either proprietary streaming protocols defined by each CAT software vendor or open interchange formats like RTF/CRE; there is no single universal ANSI standard governing the feed.
CRI Court Reporting Technology 5
What does 'read-back' mean in a courtroom context, and how does modern CAT software assist with it?