"Making of the Record"

by Donna Hamilton, Office Administrator, 
Anspach Meeks Ellenberger LLP former Director of The Toledo School of Court Reporting

Court reporters carry a heavy responsibility as the impartial record keepers in court and deposition proceedings. Have you ever wondered about the qualifications necessary to become a court reporter and the skills required to operate the steno machine used by many of them? Training consists of an intensive curriculum including legal and medical terminology, courtroom and legal procedures, grammar and punctuation and, most difficult of all, speed building classes in machine shorthand. Minimum speed required for completion of most training programs is two-voice testimony at 225 words per minute for five minutes. That's pretty intense.

While many states have licensing statutes and testing to ensure proficiency, Ohio does not. However, the National Court Reporters Association grants the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification to those who pass a nationally standardized exam. To become an RPR requires the knowledge, skills, and ability to produce a high-quality verbatim record. A written knowledge test focuses on reporting, transcript production, operating practices, and professional issues. Registered Merit Reporter certification entails skills testing at higher speeds and knowledge testing at an advanced level. Certified Realtime Reporter status is available for those interested in using realtime technology.

While court reporters receive extensive training and are committed to creating an accurate record, they are not super humans and not machines. Maintaining order during the proceeding is essential. If you can't hear or understand the witness, neither can the reporter. Scott Gamertsfelder, a Registered Professional Reporter, offers these suggestions to help ensure a quality transcript:

· Speak one at a time and enunciate 
· Spell unusual names, technical terms, and industry-specific terms that the reporter may not be able to find in the exhibits 
· When quoting material, do not speak at an accelerated speed 
· Do not assume the reporter knows when you want to be off and on the record 
· Reporters are taught not to go off the record unless there is an agreement among all parties 
· Do not allow the witness to give shrugs of the shoulders or nods of the head as answers - require verbal responses 
· Avoid nonspecific terms such as he, she, him, they - use proper names 
· Avoid nonspecific references such as "right here" or "this way" - use anatomy names such as "left wrist" or directional terms such as "right turn" 
· Last of all, frequent breaks will help the reporter's quality of writing

The National Court Reporters Association website contains a wealth of information regarding issues, technology, reporter locator services, and much more: http://www.ncraonline.org Many thanks to Scott Gamertsfelder, RPR, for his assistance with this article.