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You Don’t Have to Answer Every Deposition Question (And In Some Cases, You Shouldn’t) Your attorney has prepped you for your deposition. You’re pretty clear on what will happen, who will be present, and what you should do if you are unable to [...]

It’s happened hundreds of times: you sit down to transcribe, check your email, and click a link to a Facebook post—but when you look at the clock, an hour has flown by. It can be hard to keep a court reporter’s mind from wandering, especially if [...]

Choosing the Wrong Court Reporter for a Patent Deposition Can Slow Down Your Case Your firm’s day-to-day operations may involve the usual mundane tasks: opening mail, checking the transcript of a recent deposition, and making sure the [...]

There are literally hundreds of independent court reporters, endless online companies that can turn your transcripts around, and nearly limitless ways to record a deposition. It’s such an overwhelming process, it seems like the only way to shop [...]

Inaudible Testimony: Trouble Hearing Attorneys & Witnesses Is a Major Cause of Court Reporter Error Hearing is a vital part of your job. That’s why you had a checkup with your doctor, confirmed it with an audiologist, and were given a clean [...]

Child custody is often the most difficult and emotionally taxing part of a separation. While you and your spouse have decided that a divorce is the best option for both of you, nothing will ever separate you from your children—but unfortunately, [...]

The day has finally arrived: you’re going into a deposition room to record your very first official transcript. You haven’t been this nervous since you took your certification exam—and while you passed, you know you made some mistakes that you [...]

While there are a number of qualifications that make a federal court reporter good at her job, the first thing you should look for is a FCRR certification. An individual must be a Federal Certified Realtime Reporter (in other words, he or she [...]

You may have learned the old Boy Scouts maxim: Be Prepared. It’s helped you a lot throughout your life, and while your attorney does a fine job of protecting your interests, you figured it couldn’t hurt to give him a hand by backing up all of [...]

Court reporters are vital to the legal world, and have arguably the most important job in the courtroom. Without them lawyers, attorneys, and litigants wouldn’t have access to a record of what transpired in trial, which is key in appeals and [...]

Getting Your Story Straight Is Just One Goal in a D.C. Deposition You’ve been told what to wear, how to act, and actions to avoid in order to prepare for your deposition. But now that you’ve got the basics down, you find yourself wondering: why [...]

While many court reporters admit to feeling “burned out” by a never-ending caseload, some respond to stress in a different way. They may become afraid of dealing with a demanding attorney, avoid working on a particular case, or start to shut [...]

What, When, and How You Answer Can Affect Your Deposition Testimony One of the worst mistakes people can make in a deposition is forgetting that how and when they answer a question can be just as important as the words they use. If you want to [...]

As a certified woman-owned business, we learned long ago how hard it can be for working moms to achieve an ideal work-life balance. But if it seems like “working for yourself” means “working all the time,” you’re not alone: many female [...]

Going Paperless: Electronic Deposition Systems Offer a Lighter Option You’ve probably attended plenty of D.C. hearings where each attorney arrives with a crate of papers in tow. In an increasingly digital world, it’s hard not to consider the [...]

Many witnesses are often worried about the questions they will be asked in their personal injury cases, particularly questions about the injury itself. In most cases, attorneys are limited to asking questions about the accident, your injuries [...]

There have been significant advances in court reporting technology over the past few years. While stenography may seem outdated now that video is available, there are still many advantages to using a court reporter to take depositions and record [...]

You may have been told that you will have to attend a deposition before your case goes to trial, but what is a deposition? Simply put, a deposition is a question and answer session led by the opposing attorney in your lawsuit. Your answers will [...]

Massages and Yoga May Help Court Reporters Prevent Serious Back Problems As a court reporter, back problems are likely a regular part of your job. A burning in your neck, a stabbing feeling in your spine—it’s a distraction that could cause you [...]