RPR Deposition Procedures and Notarial Duties 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What should a court reporter do when a witness objects to taking an oath on religious grounds?
- Dismiss the witness from the deposition
- Allow the witness to make a solemn affirmation instead (Correct answer)
- Require the witness to take the standard oath regardless
- Suspend the deposition pending a court ruling
Correct answer: Allow the witness to make a solemn affirmation instead
Witnesses who object to a religious oath may make a solemn affirmation, which carries the same legal weight as an oath.
Question 2: How should a court reporter handle exhibits introduced during a deposition?
- Mark them sequentially and attach or reference them in the transcript (Correct answer)
- Return them to the introducing party immediately after use
- File them directly with the court the same day
- Store them in the reporter's files without annotation
Correct answer: Mark them sequentially and attach or reference them in the transcript
Exhibits are marked sequentially (e.g., Exhibit 1, 2, 3) and are attached to or referenced within the completed deposition transcript to preserve the record.
Question 3: According to NCRA guidelines, what is the recommended minimum retention period for a court reporter's stenographic notes?
- 1 year
- 3 years
- 5 years (Correct answer)
- 10 years
Correct answer: 5 years
NCRA recommends retaining stenographic notes for a minimum of five years so transcripts can be verified or reproduced if challenged.
Question 4: In a deposition, a 'read-back' request asks the reporter to do which of the following?
- Re-read a portion of testimony already given in the proceeding (Correct answer)
- Ask the witness to re-read the transcript before signing
- Re-administer the oath to the witness
- Read the next question aloud from the attorney's notes
Correct answer: Re-read a portion of testimony already given in the proceeding
A read-back is the reporter re-reading a specific portion of prior testimony, typically requested by an attorney to clarify what was already said.
Question 5: Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 30(e), who has the right to review and sign a deposition transcript to note any changes?
- Only the examining attorney
- Only the court reporter who certified it
- The deponent (witness) (Correct answer)
- The judge assigned to the case
Correct answer: The deponent (witness)
FRCP Rule 30(e) grants the deponent the right to review the transcript and note changes in form or substance on an errata sheet.
Question 6: What must a court reporter's certification attached to a deposition transcript attest to?
- That the transcript is a true, correct, and complete record of the testimony (Correct answer)
- That the attorneys behaved professionally throughout the proceeding
- That the transcript has been reviewed and approved by the judge
- That all exhibits have been filed with the clerk of court
Correct answer: That the transcript is a true, correct, and complete record of the testimony
The reporter's certification is a sworn statement that the transcript accurately and completely reflects what occurred in the proceeding.
Question 7: When a deponent wishes to make changes to their deposition transcript after reviewing it, which document is used?
- An amendment notice
- An errata sheet (Correct answer)
- A supplemental affidavit
- A correction certificate
Correct answer: An errata sheet
An errata sheet lists the specific page and line numbers of any changes the deponent wishes to make to the transcript record.
RPR Deposition Procedures and Notarial Duties 1
What should a court reporter do when a witness objects to taking an oath on religious grounds?