Best Practices in E-Reporting

To ensure professional digital or analog 4-channel recording, we recommend:

Take a few simple steps in preparation and follow regular principles in practice.  This can significantly improve the consistent quality of your work product.

Click here for a PDF version.

  For Reporters:

        Maintain a checklist that includes the following:

• Test the recording quality of each microphone / channel by speaking into each in turn, then listening to the recorded result on each channel individually.     (more)
• Place microphone at each speaker's position following this guide:

• Map microphones for maximum channel-to-channel voice separation for all parties who will speak --- including interpreter, if any.
• Note case name, number, and venue.
• Note date and starting time.
• Note attorney appearances.
• Create speaker log.
• Monitor recording through headphones, using Confidence Monitoring to ensure proceedings are being adequately and intelligibly recorded.               What is Confidence Monitoring?
• Note unusual names, spellings, and terminology.
• Monitor sidebar conversations and adjust recording gain if necessary.
• If an attorney mutes a microphone to confer, make sure it gets turned back on.
• Provide notes and diskette (or tape[s], if analog) to transcriber or file, as directed.
• Follow manufacturer's directions for regular equipment cleaning and maintenance.

 

 

  For Judges:

• Identify case.
• Note date and start time.
• Request parties to state appearances.
• Permit attorneys to remain seated during proceedings --- but if you prefer that they stand when speaking, the E-Reporter can easily conform by adjusting counsel table microphones accordingly.     (more)
• Discourage overlapping questions and answers or colloquy.
• Discourage wandering around the courtroom --
  examination should occur from the podium or counsel table.
• Hold on-the-record sidebar conversations at the sidebar microphone.     (more)
• It is best to leave your microphone turned on while in session to ensure all your remarks will be clearly recorded.

 

 

  For Attorneys:

• Avoid moving microphones.
• Remain within arm's reach of a microphone.
• Avoid tapping on or striking the table or microphone.
• Use mute button (if available) while consulting with your client; be sure the microphone is toggled back on before proceeding.
• Use clock times to pinpoint search points, rather than keywords as a sole reference.
• When at sidebar, avoid blocking the microphone with documents, and speak one at a time into the sidebar microphone.     (more)
• E-Recording separates speakers onto different channels, so all statements are recorded; however, for the benefit of the written record, try to avoid speaking simultaneously with witnesses or other counsel.