Are you an attorney or legal professional who works regularly with court reporters in Naples? Alternatively, perhaps you’re involved in a deposition and you’re curious about what to expect. Either way, there are ways to improve the process to make sure you get the best quality transcript output.
How to Choose Court Reporters in Naples, Florida
Whether you’re looking for someone to come and work with you in court or remotely, there are a few things to consider, as listed below:
- Licensed and certified
- Accuracy and confidentiality
- Technical understanding
- Equipment and delivery
- Cost
Licensed and Certified
Clearly, any legal professional needs to be certified. For instance, you can expect court reporters in Naples to hold a Florida Professional Reporters Certification. In addition, some often specialize so they might have other certifications such as Legal Video Specialist, Interpreter, Diplomate Reporter, amongst others. Therefore, make sure you check what would be useful for you, depending on your requirements.
Accuracy and confidentiality
You can easily get referrals when looking for court reporters in Naples. Naturally, accuracy is a key point and different court reporters might follow various approaches. For example, you could ask about how they ensure accuracy and confidentiality? Also, what equipment do they use?
Technical understanding
Some depositions might involve witnesses describing medical details. Others again might be about intellectual property issues. Regardless, if this is one of your cases then make sure that you work with court reporters in Naples who are comfortable dealing with technical terminology quickly and accurately.
Equipment and delivery
Speed is usually another main criteria. Most attorneys want the transcript almost immediately after the disposition so that they can review it. They can then make notes and strategize their next move and approach. Different court reporters in Naples work with various tools although the common ones are the steno machine and the steno mask. Both tools are equally valid but perhaps you have a preference in how the output is delivered. Also, you might also consider remote recording when interviewing potential court reporters in Naples.
Cost
Usually, you can expect to pay per hour for court reporters in Naples to be at your deposition. However, there is also often a rate per page of the transcript to pay. Today, there are also remote options available so talk to your court reporters in Naples and compare prices. Although, don’t forget that it’s not just a price game and that quality often comes at a certain amount of cost.
Things court reporters in Naples wish from their Attorneys and Clients
All of us have wish lists for our jobs but if you’re an attorney or someone attending a deposition then you might want to think about the following to help your case:
1- Speak slowly and clearly
2- Give information before where possible
3- Regular breaks
4- Work with your witness or attorney
5- Stay silent
1- Speak Slowly and Clearly
This is an obvious point but many people forget to slow down and articulate when they’re speaking. Of course, court reporters in Naples are trained to deal with all sorts of voices and speed but it’s worth helping them if you can. You’ll only be supporting them in making sure you get the most accurate transcript possible.
2- Pre-Information
It’s always useful to provide court reporters in Naples with any details you can in advance. These can include anything from names of witnesses to technical terms that might come up. Witnesses will still need to state and spell their names audibly but any heads up is always an advantage.
3- Regular Breaks
During any legal proceeding, including depositions, it’s easy to get carried away and go on for hours or even whole days. As the attorney in charge, you can schedule breaks as well as an appropriate lunchtime. Being a court reporter involves high concentration whilst sitting at a desk and often not moving for hours on end. Therefore, they will always be grateful for a break which will also maximize their concentration.
4- Work Together
It almost goes without saying that attorneys and witnesses should work together. As the attorney, you can prepare your witnesses by reminding them to speak slowly and calmly. You can also explain to them to avoid interrupting and to wait for a proper pause before they speak. “Cross-talking” isn’t easy to record.
5- Stay Silent
The most important thing for court reporters in Naples is to make sure there’s no background whispering or talking. There’s nothing worse than trying to focus on something and being distracted by irrelevant activities going on behind.
Final Thoughts on Working with Court Reporters in Naples
Whether you’re working with court reporters in Naples remotely or in-person then there are ways you can support them. As an attorney, you can ensure a smooth deposition process with everyone speaking distinctly and slowly. This advice also stands for any witnesses involved. Either way, remember that there is a human in the room with you and that even though they are trained to deal with complexity, a break is always welcome. In fact, attorneys and witnesses need them too.