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FAQs

Court Reporting FAQs

What is a court reporter?

Webster’s New College Dictionary defines it best: a person whose job is to produce a verbatim record of the oral remarks and statements, esp. testimony, presented at a court trial, deposition, etc.

How does court reporting work?

A court reporter uses a stenotype machine to “write” in shorthand each spoken word in a proceeding.  As the words are taken down in shorthand, a software program converts the words into English to produce a transcript.  Following the proceedings, the testimony is carefully edited and proofread before being released as an official transcript.

Do all of your court reporters work in court?

Generally not.  Court reporters that work in court are actually employees of the State. 

Where do your court reporters work?

Mostly law firms.  The large majority of the work that we do involves the discovery process.  This is the information gathering part of a lawsuit.  Most of this is achieved through the taking of depositions which are scheduled by lawyers.  Court reporters are also hired to take down proceedings at hearings, meetings and conventions, among other things.

How many court reporters do you have?

One of the many challenges of managing a court reporting agency is the ever-changing schedule.  Depositions cancel and/or reschedule all the time, often less than 24 hours before they are to take place.  The number of reporters needed on any given day changes constantly.  It is our job to make sure that we always have a reporter available when needed. 

My firm is in Rhode Island but I need to take a deposition in another state. Can you help?

Yes!  Thanks to technology, it doesn’t matter if the reporter lives five miles away or a thousand miles away.  Let us take care of your out-of-state needs so you can continue to access all of your files from the same online repository.

How do you charge for your services? Can I get an estimate?

Court reporting services are typically billed by the page as opposed to by the hour.  One hour of questioning and testimony can produce very different page counts due to various factors.  Some people speak really slowly while others talk very fast.  There may be one or more breaks that take up time as well.  These factors can’t be determined ahead of time.  We do our best to provide accurate estimates but, until the job is over, we never know exactly what the invoice will be.

Transcription FAQs

What is transcription?

Transcription is the translation of recorded audio into text.

What is the difference between transcription and court reporting?

Transcription is done after the proceedings are over, using some form of recorded media. Court reporting takes place at the same time as the proceedings. A transcriptionist is able to slow down, start, stop, rewind and fast forward through an audio file. A court reporter takes down what is said as it takes place.

What kinds of things do you transcribe?

Almost anything!  Question and answer interviews, hearings, meetings, conventions, trials, mock jury events, novels and textbooks to name a few.

How much do you charge for transcription?

Our rates are very competitive and vary based on many factors.  Turnaround time, technical terminology, format requirements, etc.  We are happy to provide estimates for any project, large or small.

Why choose Premier?

Premier Legal Support was built on a foundation of our core values and attributes: knowledge, experience and integrity. We offer the latest in legal support technology while promising competitive rates, no hidden fees and honest and ethical billing practices; refusing to support the growing trend of contracting. Our clients are our highest priority and we pride ourselves on meeting and exceeding their expectations each and every day.

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