3 Characteristics to Look for in a Court Reporter
If you need to hire a professional court reporter service, you will want to find someone who is not only professional, but also reputable and qualified. That being said, not every court reporter you find will have the same qualifications, skills, and experience. When you hire a professional that is not qualified for the job, it can jeopardize your deposition or even your case. Here are three important factors that you should take into consideration when searching for a court reporter.
The Court Reporter’s Certifications
At the bare minimum, a court reporter should have either a state or national license certification. In addition, there are many other advanced certifications that a court reporter can earn from the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA). Depending on the intricacies of your case, you may require the service of a reporter that holds more than just the basic requirements.
The NCRA offers a wide range of certifications, including the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification, the Registered Merit Reporter (RMR), and the Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR). The RPR is an entry-level certification, and to achieve this certification the candidate must take and pass examinations that test speed, accuracy, and knowledge. Once a reporter has successfully achieved the RMR certification, they are demonstrating their skills are more advanced than those who do not have the certification. According to the NCRA, only approximately 16 percent of RPR certifications have gone on to earn their RMR certification. Finally, the RDR certification is the highest level of certification that a court reporter can achieve.
In addition to the certification offered from the NCRA, a court reporter should also be certified in real-time reporting (CRR) or real-time captioning (CRC). This is important to know, especially if your case requires real-time reporting services.
The Court Reporter’s Experience
Some cases, such as medical cases are extremely technical. Therefore, it likely will require a court reporter who is experienced in handling the technical terminology that will be used. If your case is highly technical in a specific field, you’ll want to look for a court reporter who has experience as a court reporter in that field.
The Court Reporter’s Professionalism
An important characteristic that you should look for in a court reporter is their level of professionalism. A good court reporter will be able to perform their job with the utmost professionalism, treating you and your case with respect. Key characteristics that you should look for when trying to gauge their professionalism include integrity, impartiality, organization, focus, and punctuality. Because it is imperative that court reporters produce transcripts that are accurate and unbiased, it is crucial that the court reporter that you hire practices with integrity and impartiality on every case they work on. Other characteristics that help court reporters be efficient in their job are organization and attention to detail.
At Lowery & Associates, we offer the best court reporter services in Oklahoma. Not only do we have certified court reporters, but we also are experienced and professional with every case we handle. If you are looking for a court reporter that you can count on to provide quality court reporting services, look no further than Lowery & Associates.