You’ve probably seen the TV commercial where a woman orders a coffee, waits three seconds, and then asks: “Where’s my coffee?” As a court reporter, you can definitely relate. How many times have you finished up a four-hour deposition only to be told that the attorney wants a copy of the transcript “as soon as possible?”
“Instant” Transcripts May Be Impossible, But With a Little Warning…
Unfortunately, the current culture of instant gratification only encourages attorneys to make impossible time demands. While it may not be possible to produce a transcript instantly, there are still many things attorneys can do to lessen their wait time for a copy.
Five Ways to Get Transcripts Back From a Court Reporter as Quickly as Possible
Here are some easily-addressed issues that can affect how quickly a court reporter is able to turn around a transcript:
- Advance warning. Most court reporters don’t have a problem turning a transcript around overnight—or even faster—provided they are told in advance. Attorneys who wait until a deposition is over to ask for next-day service will likely be met with disappointment, but those who ask for a quick turnaround when they schedule the reporter’s services are much more likely to accommodated.
- Communication problems. Court reporters often take charge of their own workload by asking when the transcript is due even before the deposition is scheduled. Unfortunately, the attorney’s staff may not be told how quickly the transcript should be returned, increasing the odds of a last-minute request.
- Whose ASAP? Attorneys and court reporters will likely not see eye to eye when a job is to be done “as soon as possible.” Many attorneys make the mistake of assuming that their transcripts will always take top priority over a reporter’s work; however, a reporter could record multiple depositions in a day, and commit to each attorney’s timetable in order to provide consistent service.
- Different lives. A good court reporting service should make every attempt to ensure the attorney’s and reporter’s schedules align for the duration of their time together. Attorneys should always communicate their specific needs, such as when a reporter must be available for several days in a row, must know specific terminology, or must travel to multiple locations in a single day.
- Quick and dirty. Attorneys may not understand why it takes so long to produce a transcript when the reporter has already competed a rough draft in real time. What many do not realize is that this “dirty” copy is usually rife with errors—and these mistakes can hurt both your client’s case and the court reporter’s reputation.
At Casamo & Associates, we regularly provide quick turnaround on transcripts for clients. If you’d like to work with our reporters, schedule with us.
