Category: Court Reporters

An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Christine Woodruff

An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Christine Woodruff

PRI Court Reporting is lucky enough to have a very talented and friendly team of employees.  Christine Woodruff is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and she has been with PRI for over 13 years. Christine concentrates her work in the CART setting, but has deposition experience, also.  Christine is very professional, friendly, and talented.  You have probably met her at a deposition or CART job, so here’s a chance to get to know her a little better.

How long have you been a court reporter?
I have been a court reporter for 13 years.

How long have you been working at PRI Court Reporting?
I have worked for PRI all of my court reporting career.

Did you have other court reporting experience prior to joining PRI?
I did a short assignment as an intern at the Franklin County courthouse at the end of my schooling.

What do you like most about working at PRI?
I love the people I work with at PRI.  I also like the variety of work that is available at PRI because it never gets old or boring. I am constantly learning new things and meeting new people.

Where are you from or where did you grow up?
I grew up in Grove City, Ohio.  I went to a Catholic school through middle school, and then I graduated from Grove City High School.  My parents grew up in Grove City, as well.

Before working as a court reporter, did you have another career or job?  If so, what?
Before working for PRI, I had a few other jobs.  The job I had immediately before PRI was as a safety coordinator for a wood manufacturing plant.  I developed and taught safety trainings, helped develop and organize the plant’s safety program, and kept all the records for the plant that were required by OSHA.  I also briefly held my Realtor’s license.

What is one thing you would like our clients to know about court reporting/depositions/CART?
The biggest thing I would tell our clients about court reporting is that court reporters are not as familiar with the case or the subject matter as they are, so any information you can share ahead of time will make the court reporter’s job easier.  Specifically, things such as names of the parties involved and any technical or medical terms that will likely come up will be very helpful.

What is the most unusual deposition/CART situation you’ve found yourself in?
The most unusual place I have been in for my job is the conference room looking out at the “death house” at an Ohio correctional institution.  Some of the interesting subjects that I have encountered are landscape architecture, nursing, engineering, disability studies, deaf history, fine arts, organic chemistry, physics,  CAD, welding, Greek mythology, genetic engineering, physiology, child development, psychology, Asian philosophy, ASL, Six Sigma, ceramics, and many more.  I have met very interesting and unusual people, too.

What’s on your iPod?
My favorite thing to listen to is talk radio or podcasts; however, I am a fan of most types of music including country, classical, musicals, rock, alternative, gospel, and Christian music.

What is one thing our clients don’t know about you?
I was a den mom for Boy Scouts and a leader for Girl Scouts.

What is your favorite Columbus restaurant?
I love The Cheesecake Factory!

What is your favorite app?
My favorite apps are Kindle and YouVersion, but I use Waze the most often.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
When I am not at work, I am usually with my children or playing with my grandson.  I enjoy volunteering for anything that allows me to be involved in any way with my kids, which includes school events, sporting events, or even just being their personal taxi driver.  I also enjoy playing tennis, volleyball, and other sports.

What is your best tip for balancing work/life/family?
Set priorities and stick with them, and use your time wisely.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Christine.  Look for more interviews with other PRI Court Reporting staff in the future.

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Steps a Court Reporter Takes to Prepare a Transcript for Production

Steps a Court Reporter Takes to Prepare a Transcript for Production

Do you ever wonder about how a court reporter gets such a great transcript to you after your deposition and the steps she takes to accomplish this?

Imagine this:  You’ve just completed an all-day deposition of the expert witness in your case and you’ve lightened the load in your briefcase by giving all your exhibits to the court reporter.  You’ve told her that you need the transcript expedited.  You’ve been watching the realtime screen all day, so you know how clean the transcript is.  It can’t be that difficult or take that long to get the transcript ready for delivery, right?

While your favorite court reporter is very good at her job – she must be, otherwise you wouldn’t hire her, right? —  producing a transcript isn’t as easy as hitting the print button on her computer.

Here are some of the steps a good court reporter will go through once the deposition is over in order to produce a clean, accurate transcript that will help you and your client:

Depending on the type of deposition and the complexity of the case or the witness, it could take up to two times the length of the deposition for the court reporter to complete the transcript.  So for a four-hour deposition, she could spend eight hours on editing and proofreading that transcript.

So remember, after your all-day deposition is over and you’ve expedited that transcript for overnight delivery, your favorite court reporter will be up for hours that night reading, editing, and proofreading in order to provide you with the great service and accurate transcript you’ve become accustomed to.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

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PRI Court Reporting Administrative Spotlight: Production Manager Gary Burgard

PRI Court Reporting Administrative Spotlight: Production Manager Gary Burgard

PRI Court Reporting has a very experienced and knowledgeable team of internal office staff.  Gary Burgard is our production manager.  He is our longest tenured employee and he’s served many different roles over the years.  We’re lucky to have him!  You may have spoken with Gary on the phone when scheduling a deposition or ordering a transcript, so here’s a chance to get to know him a little better.

What are you responsible for at PRI Court Reporting?  
My primary responsibility is to get transcripts to clients, which includes files in various formats, exhibits, and a PRI Portfolio which is a searchable hyperlinked file in PDF format.  I also do filings, scheduling, issue and have subpoenas served for depositions.

How long have you been with PRI?
It will be 27 years on March 17, 2014.

Did you have other court reporting experience prior to joining PRI?
Yes.  I worked for Lord Reporting as a federal “court reporter” recording and transcribing hearings and trials for the government.

What is your favorite part about working at PRI?
The people are great to work with.

Where are you from or where did you grow up?
Born in Adrian, Michigan, grew up in Toledo, Ohio

What was the first job you ever had?
First real job was for a veterinarian, three years in high school and the first year of college when on break.

What is one thing you would like our clients to know about transcript production/scheduling? 
It’s easy to schedule a court reporter using PRI’s website.  Just go to www.priohio.com and click on the green Schedule Now button.  Follow the prompts, and once completed you will receive an e-mail confirmation.  Another e-mail confirmation will be sent the day before.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
Concerts, movies.

What’s on your iPod? 
Everything from Bach to Rammstein.

What is one thing our clients don’t know about you?
I was a working musician for 15 years.

What is your favorite restaurant in Columbus?
Rancho Alegre.

What is your favorite app?
I have no cell phone, no apps.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Gary.  Look for more interviews with other PRI Court Reporting staff in the future.

Court Reporting Ethics: Incentive Gifts to Attorneys

Court Reporting Ethics: Incentive Gifts to Attorneys

Does your court reporting firm offer you, your assistant, or your paralegal, gifts of money, gift cards, or products in exchange for scheduling your depositions with them?  Over the years, some court reporting firms have participated in a disturbing practice of offering “rewards programs” for attorneys and their law firms whereby the scheduler of depositions earns points or gifts every time they schedule with that court reporting firm.

This can be a dangerous practice for court reporting firms as well as the attorneys and their clients.  As keepers of the record and officers of the court, court reporters should maintain impartiality and neutrality in order to protect the integrity of our profession.

The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) Code of Professional Ethics states that members shall, “Refrain from giving, directly or indirectly, any gift or anything of value to attorneys or their staff, other clients or their staff, or any other persons or entities associated with any litigation, which exceeds $150 in the aggregate per recipient each year.  Nothing offered in exchange for future work is permissible, regardless of its value.”  NCRA has further distinguished between “thank you” gifts (such as pens, coffee mugs, and other marketing materials), and “incentive” gifts, which are given in exchange for the promise of future work.

NCRA has formed Ethics First, which is a “voluntary…public awareness program that seeks to positively educate court reporters, colleagues, firms, and in particular, their clients and consumers,” about why the impartiality and neutrality of the court reporter is so important in maintaining our legal system.  If you would like to help maintain an unbiased legal system, please consider using a court reporting firm that is an Ethics First member, and one that doesn’t use gifting as a way to increase their business.

While the court reporter’s concern about impartiality is of utmost importance to them, attorneys and law firms should also be concerned about their participation in “rewards programs.”  Here are some things to think about:

So when scheduling your depositions, whether locally or nationally, don’t hesitate to ask the firm if they are an Ethics First participant.  Consider using a firm with qualified, experienced court reporters so you know you’ll receive the best services for your client, and don’t be fooled by the gifts!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Angie is an individual participant in NCRA Ethics First, and PRI Court Reporting is a proud Ethics First firm participant.  Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

Photo credit here.

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Differences Between CART and Captioning

Differences Between CART and Captioning

Have you ever found yourself in the position where you have a client, student, or colleague request accommodations according to the Americans with Disabilities Act, specifically CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) or closed captioning?  There are several methods of providing the spoken word to those who are deaf or hard of hearing, and in this blog article we’ll focus on CART and captioning, their differences, and what you need to know if you are confronted with this request.

Most people are familiar with captioning because they’ve seen it on their own televisions or in a restaurant that may be displaying it on their televisions.  Captioning is a method of displaying the spoken word through an encoder onto a screen (usually a television or large projection screen) for either a live or recorded event.

CART is also a method of capturing the spoken word and displaying it for the consumer(s) to view.  This can either be displayed on a laptop computer for one individual consumer, or it could be projected onto a large screen for multiple consumers to view at the same time.  The latter method is ideal for conferences or large meetings.  CART on a laptop could be used in a smaller setting such as high school or college classes, training sessions, medical appointments, or small meetings.

Both methods use the same basic process:  a court reporter will attend the event, taking down the spoken word on her stenography machine, which is connected to her laptop.  The information is then electronically transmitted to a laptop, overhead projector, or encoder for the consumer(s) to view.

If you receive a request from a consumer for CART or captioning for an event, the first thing you will need to do is find a qualified court reporting firm who employs court reporters with that skill set.  Not every court reporter is prepared or skilled to provide CART and captioning.  There are certifications court reporters can attain through the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).  They are Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR) and Certified Broadcast Captioner (CBC).  So be sure to ask the court reporting firm for a certified court reporter.  You will also need to determine if you need CART or captioning services, as each requires specific equipment, and the costs for each could vary.

In order to provide the best services for you and the consumer, it is extremely helpful if you can provide the court reporting firm with as much information or printed material ahead of time.  This may include printed speeches, PowerPoint presentations, names of speakers, or any complicated or technical terminology that may be discussed during your event.

Once you find a qualified court reporting firm, they can usually walk you through the specifics of your event and help you determine anything additional you may need.

To help you make sure you have gathered all the details needed when scheduling your next CART or captioning event, download the Quick CART and Captioning Scheduling Checklist.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck, RPR/CRR, is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

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Attorneys: 3 Things to Delegate to Your Legal Assistant

Attorneys: 3 Things to Delegate to Your Legal Assistant

Many young attorneys are coming into the legal profession with increased technology skills.  This could be a double-edged sword in the legal office setting.  While it’s very helpful when an attorney can type and proficiently use word processing programs, there’s one important person that is being under-utilized:  your legal assistant.  Here are three things that you could delegate to her that will free you up to work on other tasks:

  1. Typing letters and other documents.  Most likely, your assistant has many, many templates for letters and other legal documents. Either dictate the letter for her or give her the basics of what the letter should contain.  Let her prepare the document for your approval.
  2. Deposition notices.  Again, your assistant has probably created hundreds of these and has the format set up on her computer.  Give her the details of the deposition and let her create the deposition notice for your signature.
  3. Proofreading/editing.  A second set of eyes is always a good idea on something you’ve written.  It’s easy for you to get lost in the ideas you’re writing about and overlook simple punctuation or grammatical errors that someone else could see.

Allowing your assistant to take on these tasks will free you up for other work, and probably please your client, since they won’t have to pay your hourly rate to create letters and basic legal documents.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

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Benefit From Your LOCAL Court Reporting Firm Relationship

Benefit From Your LOCAL Court Reporting Firm Relationship

There are many small, individually-owned court reporting firms in cities dotting the United States map.  Many of these firms are owned by a former or current court reporter themselves.  They understand the business of court reporting, how to keep a record of proceedings with a great degree of accuracy.  They build personal relationships with their attorney clients and the paralegals and assistants they work with.

Local court reporting firms have to fight to keep their business and to obtain new business, and the Goliath they are competing against are “national” court reporting firms.  These “national” firms hire outside sales representatives to market their firm and contract with insurance companies and offer lower rates and incentives in exchange for their business.  They entice you with the offer of having a court reporter in any city you may be traveling to.

In reality, these national firms do not employ court reporters all across the country, nor do they have offices across the country.  They will subcontract with local, independent court reporters, and even court reporting firms, in whatever city the attorney is traveling to.  Sometimes attorneys will call a “national” firm to cover a deposition in their hometown and the national firm will subcontract with local court reporters, whom the attorney could have hired himself and avoided the high costs of working with a national firm.

Many local court reporting firms can offer the same services the “national” firms provide, usually with better customer service and personal relationships.  In most cases, the reporters working with that firm are long-time employees.  Your local court reporting firm can save you time and money, while offering you the great customer service you’ve become accustomed to.  No matter what city you are in, if you want to build a relationship with individuals who are as interested in your success as they are in their own, please consider working with your local court reporting firm.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck, RPR/CRR, is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

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Photo credit: Lancaster Chamber: http://www.lancasterchamber.com/article.aspx?page=thinklocal

Lessons Learned – by Angie Starbuck, RPR/CRR

Lessons Learned – by Angie Starbuck, RPR/CRR

As I left the blustery, cold weather of Columbus for the surfer-size waves and sunshine of Laguna Niguel, California, I anticipated all the knowledge I would gain at my first Firm Owners Conference sponsored by the National Court Reporters Association.  Little did I know I would make quick friends with other firm owners across the country and that they would be so willing to share their knowledge and experience to the newcomer.

I learned that a large networking event like Firm Owners can be like speed dating: Introduce yourself, exchange contact information and a little bit about each other, and move on quickly to another new contact.  However, during the keynote speech by Tommy Spalding, author of the New York Times bestseller, “It’s Not Just Who You Know,” I quickly learned that building actual relationships are more important than brief contact and superficial communications.  It was very energizing to hear him talk about truly getting to know someone, building a relationship, and how that can change your heart, change your life, and change your business.

I have many, many take-aways from my first Firm Owners conference, but here are just a few:

Wow, what a successful first Firm Owners Conference!  A huge thank you to Susie, Christy, Dawn B., Chris B., Dawn H., Greg, Shannon, Judy, Michelle, Gail, and Lori for sharing their experiences with me and welcoming me into such a fantastic group of business owners that I am proud to be a part of.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck, RPR/CRR, is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

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