Depo Timeline
What goes on before and after a depo, and why you need to know.
As a court reporter, you likely will not need a deep understanding of the entire legal process, but a 30,000 foot view will help you communicate better with attorneys and firms.
Civil cases begin with a Citation. The citation alerts the defendant that they have been sued by a plaintiff. A process server will deliver the citation to the defendants. Once the parties are aware that they have been sued, both the plaintiff and defendant will have the opportunity to call witnesses.
Witnesses may sometimes appear voluntarily and will be given a Notice of Deposition. Other times, the witness may be compelled to appear by a Subpoena delivered by a process server. In both instances, the attorney who issues, or signs, the Notice or Subpoena is referred to as the "Taking Attorney." The taking attorney will schedule a court reporter and usually asks the first question in the deposition.
On the day of the deposition, the court reporter should arrive at the location 15-30 minutes before the start time to allow for set up time and be prepared in the event the attorneys wish to start early. When all counsel are ready to begin, the court reporter will swear in the witness.
After the examination, the court reporter should ask if the witness would like to Read and sign their deposition or if they would like to waive their right to signature. The court reporter should also check to make sure that they are in possession of all exhibits. The last step is to ask the attorneys what format they would like their transcript in. The common formats are E- Tran, PDF, and condensed. It is also a good practice to obtain signed order forms from the attorneys.
Once the job is scoped and proofed, the process varies depending on whether or not the court reporter is independent or works within a firm. If a reporter works within a firm, usually all that they need to do is send the ASCII along with the exhibits and order forms. The firm will then produce the job and invoice their clients. If a reporter works as an independent, they will be responsible for producing the transcript, invoicing clients, filing the transcript with the court, and collecting payment from clients.
Disclaimer: This information was written as an introductory article for students to gain a more in-depth understanding of what to expect once becoming certified. This article should not be considered a definitive guide or be used as an addition or substitute for researching the rules and regulations regarding court reporters.
