Communication & Stakeholder Relations Flashcards

An attorney instructs the reporter to go off the record during a deposition, but opposing counsel objects. What should the reporter do?

Answer: Advise both parties they must reach agreement before going off the record

The reporter should inform counsel that both parties must agree before the record is suspended, as the reporter cannot unilaterally decide to stop recording.

A witness at a deposition repeatedly speaks at the same time as the attorney, making accurate transcription impossible. The most appropriate reporter action is to:

Answer: Interrupt and ask the speakers to talk one at a time

The reporter has a professional obligation to produce an accurate record and may interrupt to request that speakers not talk simultaneously.

After a trial, a juror contacts the court reporter directly requesting a copy of the trial transcript. The reporter should:

Answer: Direct the juror to follow the proper court order process

Transcript orders must follow official court procedures; reporters should direct all requests through proper channels rather than directly fulfilling them.

During a real-time captioning session, a stakeholder notices a significant error on the display screen and signals the reporter. The best response is to:

Answer: Acknowledge the signal and strive to correct the output going forward, noting the error for the transcript

Real-time feeds are not the official record, so the reporter acknowledges the error, attempts correction, and ensures the final certified transcript reflects accuracy.

An attorney asks the reporter to read back only a portion of testimony that is favorable to her client. The reporter should:

Answer: Read back the exact portion requested without editorial comment

The reporter reads back exactly what is requested; it is not the reporter's role to add context unless specifically asked for surrounding testimony.

A court reporter working as a CART provider for a student with a hearing disability learns that the student's academic records will be discussed in class. The reporter's obligation regarding confidentiality is to:

Answer: Treat all information encountered during the assignment as confidential

CART providers must maintain strict confidentiality regarding all content encountered in the course of their professional duties.

When a deposition transcript contains quoted profanity or slurs used by a witness, the reporter's standard practice is to:

Answer: Transcribe the language verbatim as spoken

Court reporters must transcribe testimony verbatim, including any offensive language, because the exact words used may be legally significant.