What Court Reporters Want You to Know About Depositions

deposition

No one likes surprises especially a member of your legal team like the court reporter. The more you keep them in the loop on scheduling and preparation, the better for you and your case. It will save time in getting a final deposition transcript delivered and will build a solid working relationship with a trusted reporter.

Scheduling

Be sure they have time on their schedule for your client’s deposition by notifying the court reporting agency. Include the time and place and notify them of changes or cancellation. If you anticipate a lengthy deposition, let them know so they can make appropriate arrangements for child care, pet care, and other personal obligations.

Witnesses

It’s important your witness understands their role in the deposition and delivers what you need them to deliver as efficiently as possible.

  • Answer the questions asked, nothing more.
  • Speak clearly.
  • Avoid non-words like uh-huh and gestures like nodding.

If it’s an expert witness, they know a lot about their area of expertise and can be wordier than you’d like during deposition. Encourage them to directly answer what is asked in as few words as possible. It will help to have them review reports and evidence prior to the deposition so there is limited need for clarification.

The more you prepare witnesses, expert or otherwise, the better for your case. From a reporter perspective, it saves time and gets the final transcript to you sooner.

Preparation

You’ve scheduled the deposition and prepared witnesses. Now it’s time to make sure everyone has what they need.

  • Have witnesses reviewed pertinent evidence and reports?
  • Does the reporter have accurate information about the time and place of deposition?
  • Does the reporter have what they need in terms of technology and hardware?

It’s helpful to provide witness information ahead of the proceedings so there’s no time wasted on clarifying the spelling of names. Also let the reporter know if you need a legal videographer or interpreter and if it’s a technical or expert witness, provide terminology ahead of time so the reporter can familiarize themselves.

Reporters are good at their jobs and they are thorough. Providing a case caption ahead of time will be one less item they need post-deposition. That means you can get the draft of the transcript sooner which benefits you and your client.

When you call your Phoenix reporting agency, be as specific about the needs of your case as you can be so that we can match you with the right court reporter. Ready for your next deposition? Contact us today!

/by