Transcript Preferences 2024 - PDF

Table of Contents {#table-of-contents.TOCHeading} ================= I. Table of Contents II. [Welcome Proofers and QCers! 5](#welcome-proofers-and-qcers) III. [Anatomy of a Transcript 6](#anatomy-of-a-transcript) [Title Page 6](#title-page) [Appearances 6](#appearances) [Index/Exhibits Page 1...

Table of Contents {#table-of-contents.TOCHeading} ================= I. Table of Contents II. [Welcome Proofers and QCers! 5](#welcome-proofers-and-qcers) III. [Anatomy of a Transcript 6](#anatomy-of-a-transcript) [Title Page 6](#title-page) [Appearances 6](#appearances) [Index/Exhibits Page 11](#indexexhibits-page) [Stipulation Page - Frequently \'Stip\' for short 13](#stipulation-page---frequently-stip-for-short) [Proceedings 14](#proceedings) IV. [Types of Proceedings 15](#types-of-proceedings) [CME/IME 15](#cmeime) [CNA 15](#cna) [SNA 15](#sna) [Corporate Representative 15](#corporate-representative) [EUO 15](#euo) [Hearing 16](#hearing) [Trial 17](#trial) [Excerpt/Portion 18](#excerptportion) [Public Comment Meeting 18](#public-comment-meeting) [Deposition 19](#deposition) [Interpreter Depositions 19](#interpreter-depositions) [Sworn/Unsworn Statement 19](#swornunsworn-statement) [Arbitrations 19](#arbitrations) [Mediation 19](#mediation) [Prenups 19](#prenups) [Bar Reinstatement Hearing 19](#bar-reinstatement-hearing) [Tape Transcript 19](#tape-transcript) [Interviews 20](#interviews) [Reporter asking Questions on Record 20](#reporter-asking-questions-on-record) [Multiple people answering? 20](#multiple-people-answering) V. [Before You Begin 21](#before-you-begin) [IH proofers -- please utilize the search function in all forms to see if your question has previously been answered. 21](#ih-proofers-please-utilize-the-search-function-in-all-forms-to-see-if-your-question-has-previously-been-answered.) [Tracked Changes 21](#tracked-changes) [Using Express Scribe 22](#using-express-scribe) VI. [Orders of Examination 25](#orders-of-examination) [Example Scenario 26](#example-scenario) VII. [Format and Layout 27](#format-and-layout) [Speaker Identifications 27](#speaker-identifications) [Examinations 28](#examinations) [Colloquy 28](#colloquy) [Bylines 30](#bylines) VIII. [In-Transcript Notations 34](#_Toc186799612) [Inaudible Portions in (parentheses) 34](#inaudible-portions-in-parentheses) [Phonetic in (parentheses) 35](#phonetic-in-parentheses) [No verbal response in (parentheses) 36](#no-verbal-response-in-parentheses) [Sic in \[brackets\] 37](#sic-in-brackets) [Audio/Video recordings played in (parentheses) 38](#audiovideo-recordings-played-in-parentheses) [When to use (sound effect) 39](#when-to-use-sound-effect) [Miscellaneous (parentheticals) 40](#miscellaneous-parentheticals) [Indicating in (parenthesis) 42](#indicating-in-parenthesis) [Speaking (insert language) in parentheses 42](#section-1) [Confidential portion in (parenthesis) 42](#confidential-portion-in-parenthesis) IX. [Redactions 43](#redactions) X. [Parentheticals 44](#parentheticals) [(OFF THE RECORD) 44](#off-the-record) [(CERTIFIED QUESTION) (CERTIFIED OBJECTION) 44](#certified-question-certified-objection) [(EXHIBIT 1 MARKED FOR IDENTIFICATION) 45](#exhibit-1-marked-for-identification) [(REPORTER READS/PLAYS BACK REQUESTED QUESTION/TESTIMONY) 47](#reporter-readsplays-back-requested-questiontestimony) XI. [Punctuation Rules 49](#punctuation-rules) XII. [Double Dashes Rule 55](#double-dashes-rule) XIII. [Clean-up Rule 56](#clean-up-rule) XIV. [Capitalizations (Common Nouns v. Proper Nouns) 57](#capitalizations-common-nouns-v.-proper-nouns) XV. [Abbreviations, Symbols, and Acronyms 60](#_Toc186799633) [Spell out et cetera. Do not abbreviate as "etc." 60](#spell-out-et-cetera.-do-not-abbreviate-as-etc.) [Supp report (short for supplemental report) 60](#supp-report-short-for-supplemental-report) [Spell out all words as spoken on the record, including fractions and symbols. 60](#spell-out-all-words-as-spoken-on-the-record-including-fractions-and-symbols.) [E-mail addresses 60](#e-mail-addresses) [Acronyms 61](#acronyms) XVI. [Case Citations 62](#case-citations) XVII. [Numeric Values 64](#numeric-values) [Numbers zero through ten are to be spelled out. 64](#numbers-zero-through-ten-are-to-be-spelled-out.) [When dates are given in the usual order (that is: month, day, year), please use ordinals. 64](#when-dates-are-given-in-the-usual-order-that-is-month-day-year-please-use-ordinals.) [If a year is abbreviated, use an apostrophe at the start to indicate it. 65](#if-a-year-is-abbreviated-use-an-apostrophe-at-the-start-to-indicate-it.) [Use "a.m." and "p.m." lowercase with periods when said specifically for a time. 65](#use-a.m.-and-p.m.-lowercase-with-periods-when-said-specifically-for-a-time.) [Numeric Examples: 66](#numeric-examples) [Ages 67](#ages) XVIII. [Special Terms and Spellings 71](#special-terms-and-spellings) [Affirmative and Negative Noises 71](#affirmative-and-negative-noises) ["Huh?" or "Hmm?" 71](#huh-or-hmm) [Shortened words 71](#shortened-words) [Contractions 71](#contractions) XIX. [Word Lists 73](#word-lists) XX. [Common Legal Terms 77](#common-legal-terms) XXI. [Transcript Completion 79](#transcript-completion) XXII. [Esquire Differences 80](#esquire-differences) Welcome Proofers and QCers! =========================== Here is a quick rundown of the differences between these two jobs. Proofing comes first, then it heads onto QC. Proofreading - with proofing you are listening to the best audio (sometimes multiple different audios from ShareFile) and reading along with the transcript and correcting what needs to be corrected and adding words that might be missing. Below is a list of just basic things you should be looking for. QC \"Quality Control\" - With QC you are skimming the transcript for any issues and following the Proofing/QC check list to make sure you\'ve reviewed everything. You are ensuring that the Transcript Preferences are followed when you proof and QC. QC does finalize inaudibles if the proofer couldn\'t figure them out. Anatomy of a Transcript ======================= +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | | The TAES pages (Title, | | | Appearances, Exhibits, | | | Stipulation) are filled in by the | | | court reporter using a TAES Word | | | doc template. Proofreaders | | | **must** proof all TAES pages in | | | addition to the proceedings. | | | | | | **Spell out all words**. Do not | | | use any abbreviations unless it | | | is for an attorney's firm, such | | | as P.A. or LLC or in the name of | | | a business. P.O. for "Post | | | Office" is allowed; however, a | | | P.O. Box address should only be | | | input from the reporter if that | | | is truly the only address given | | | by the attorney (aka rare | | | instances). "St." is allowed for | | | the name "Saint" but not for | | | street. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ Title Page ---------- The first page of the transcript is the title page. The case information on the title page will reflect the information on the notice found in ShareFile. Below the case style and case name, the court reporter inserts the deponent's name, the date and the reporter name. Example of deposition notice: Example of a title page:  Appearances ----------- Following the title page is the appearances page. - This lists all people present during the deposition/hearing besides the court reporter themselves. - Listed first are the attorneys with their contact info. - Any individuals present who are not counsel or the witness being deposed during the transcript, are the individuals that are listed under "ALSO PRESENT:" with no contact information. **However**, a descriptor must be listed for each person listed under ALSO PRESENT, i.e. Mary Clark, Paralegal; Eric Matthews, Bailiff. - **Judges will also be listed under "ALSO PRESENT."** **\*IMPORTANT\* WE DO NOT LEAVE ET AL. LISTED ON THE APPEARANCES PAGE. EACH ATTORNEY SHOULD HAVE WHO THEY REPRESENT LISTED IN THEIR ENTIRETY.** **[IF YOU SEE "ET AL." ON THE APPEARANCES PAGE, REACH OUT TO THE COURT REPORTER] TO CLARIFY EVERY PARTY THAT SHOULD BE LISTED AS A DEFENDANT, PLAINTIFF, CLAIMANT, ETC. ON APPEARANCES.** ### Example Deposition Notice Example of Appearances page:  - Appearances will always include "Esquire" after each attorney's name. - Telephone numbers are always formatted (XXX) XXX-XXXX. (Unless you are working on an Esquire job. See Esquire manual for more information) *\*TIP\** **You can also get appearance information from the WS filled out by the reporter if something on the TAES does not match the notice.** *\*TIP\** ### Example of Also Present:  **\*\*\*\* PLEASE be sure to list the also present as above in a running list.** ### Other appearance situation examples: #### Attorneys are from same firm address for the same party Attorney 1, Esquire Attorney 2, Esquire Law Firm Name Law Firm Info Law Firm Info Telephone No.: E-mail: Attorney 1\@lawfirm.com             Attorney 2\@lawfirm.com     #### If they are co-counsel from different firms repping same party Attorney 1, Esquire Law Firm Name Law Firm Info Law Firm Info Telephone No.: E-mail: Attorney 1\@lawfirm.com   AND   Attorney 2, Esquire Law Firm Name Law Firm Info Law Firm Info Telephone No.: E-mail: Attorney 2\@lawfirm.com     #### If they are from the same firm for the same party and one appears in-person and one appears remotely Attorney 1, Esquire Attorney 2, Esquire (Appeared via videoconference) Law Firm Name Law Firm Info Law Firm Info Telephone No.: E-mail: Attorney 1\@lawfirm.com             Attorney #### Pro Se Appearance Example: P215\#yIS1 #### GAL Guardian ad litem/AAL Attorney ad litem They should be listed as a normal attorney appearance would be. They are there on behalf of the child, most likely a minor, so don't forget to redact if necessary. - A guardian ad litem (GAL) is a neutral person appointed by the court to represent the best interests of someone who is unable to care for themselves. GALs are often appointed in cases involving child custody, divorce, adoption, child support, and visitation rights.  - An attorney ad litem (AAL) is a lawyer appointed by the court to represent a minor, proposed ward, or unknown heirs in a legal action. The AAL\'s role is to advocate for the child\'s best interests and wishes, and to act as the child\'s legal advisor. Example: in this example we don't have/know the children's names to include them. If we did know them, we would list them redacted like we would any other party to the case in appearances.  #### Lay Representative in Black Lung cases A \"lay representative\" in a Black Lung case refers to a non-lawyer individual who assists a coal miner in filing and pursuing their Black Lung benefits claim with the Department of Labor, essentially acting as their representative without having a law license; this could include family members, union representatives, or designated benefits counselors from a miners\' health clinic. - They should be listed in also present: Full Name, Lay Representative Index/Exhibits Page ------------------- Orders of Examination must be filled in by the proofer, and they must match what takes place during the Proceedings. The page number on which the examination occurs will be filled in by Production. If any of the following takes place in the transcript, they will be listed under their own heading, as shown in the below template/example: - PROCEEDINGS (order of examination) - EXHIBITS - Certified Questions - Certified Objections - Formal Requests Stipulation Page - Frequently \'Stip\' for short ------------------------------------------------ The stipulation page will include information that can be found on the notice, particularly pertaining to the statute that is cited. - This is part of the TAES that the court reporter fills out when turning in their job. - If the word "approximately" remains in the stip, [please take it out.] - Do not change a reporter\'s notary state designation or identifier in the 2nd paragraph of the stip - if you believe there is an error regarding this, please reach out to the transcript manager. - See Out of State Production Spreadsheet for state-specific remote stip information. ### Example of in person Stip filled out:P338\#y1 Proceedings ----------- After the stipulation page, the actual proceedings begin. This is where the transcriber types the proceedings, which are later proofread. Both the transcriber and proofreader use the preferences in the remainder of this guide. Types of Proceedings ==================== As court reporters we take all different types of court/insurance/official proceedings. Below is a list of the most common types and some more information about each. CME/IME ------- (Certified Medical Examination/Evaluation) / (Independent Medical Examination/Evaluation) - [all colloquy] CNA --- (Certificate of Non-Appearance) - template court reporter will fill out SNA --- (Statement of Non-Appearance) - attorney present will go on the record to make a statement about witness not showing up, and the court reporter will transcribe. [Will be in colloquy.] Corporate Representative ------------------------ A corporate representative usually on behalf of one of the parties of the case. Depending on what court it is filed in, the stipulation will need to reference the correct statute quoted in the notice. [Normal Q/A depo format.] ##### The company/party that the deponent is a corporate representative of should be listed out fully after ON BEHALF OF. Example: P356\#yIS1 EUO --- (Examination Under Oath) - [*N*ormal Q/A format] Hearing ------- ### ⚖️A "hearing" is any proceeding before a judge in court. There may be multiple hearings before the trial itself takes place. These can include scheduling hearings, hearings on motions, hearings regarding discovery, hearings relating to evidence, or any number of other things. Hearings can have witnesses and even evidence/exhibits. Handle the format like you would any other proceeding. [If it's just the attorneys talking and the judge, then it would all be in colloquy. If a witness is questioned, then that section would be in Q/A and follow Order of Examination. ] #### Speakers and Formatting ##### [Is THE JUDGE asking questions? ] - If the judge asks the witness on the stand a couple of questions, and then it goes back to the attorney questioning, it's okay to leave that in colloquy. - For anything [more than 3 questions by the judge], we want to include an examination heading and by line. **EXAMINATION** **BY THE COURT:** [Title page] - It looks like a normal title page; it just has the word HEARING or TRIAL under the case caption above the witness line. - WITNESS or WITNESS(ES) will be listed on the title page. - Take the (es) out of the parenthesis if there are multiple witnesses. - If there is only one witness, it would just say WITNESS: [Index page] - Each witness will have their own order of examination section on the Index page. - The judge will be listed in also present. [Exhibits? ] - Only use (EXHIBIT 1 ADMITTED INTO EVIDENCE) as a  parenthetical if they say the words, "Admitted into evidence." If they say, "Marked for identification," and then later on say, "Move into evidence," you can use both parentheticals. ##### ##### [Grand Jury Presentation] - Normal format for a hearing type proceeding with witnesses. - If any of the jurors ask questions during testimony, it will be in colloquy. Trial ----- ### 🏛️A trial is a formal legal process where a judge or jury determines the guilt or innocence of a defendant in a criminal case, or the outcome of a dispute in a civil case. Trials are governed by established legal rules and procedures, and involve the presentation of evidence, examination of witnesses, and arguments from the prosecution and defense. Trials will have witnesses and exhibits. Handle the format like you would any other proceeding. [If it\'s just the attorneys talking and the judge, then it would be in colloquy. When a witness is questioned, then that section will be in Q/A and will have the appropriate Order of Examination headings.] ### Don't forget: Each witness will have their own order of examination list on the INDEX page as well. #### Speakers and Formatting ##### [Is THE JUDGE asking questions? ] - If the judge asks the witness on the stand a few questions, and then it goes back to the attorney questioning, it's okay to leave that in colloquy. - For anything [more than 3 questions by the judge], we want to include an examination heading and by line. EXAMINATION BY THE COURT: ##### Voir Dire/Jury Selection - Jury selection will be included in the transcript. Court Reporters should include Juror names and/or numbers. - We format juror speaker ID as JUROR (LAST NAME): or JUROR BADGE NUMBER 1: - If a juror's name/badge number is unknown it would be JUROR: - Will be formatted in colloquy. - Voir Dire can also occur when counsel calls into question the expertise of an expert witness.  This examination is different from other examinations in that it can occur in the middle of another examination. In the transcript it should have an examination heading like: - So, for example, if a voir dire examination is called for in the middle of a direct examination, if the direct examination resumes afterward, the byline would be written as CONTINUED DIRECT EXAMINATION. ##### Title page - It looks like a normal title page; it just has the word HEARING or TRIAL under the case caption above the witness line. - WITNESS or WITNESS(ES) will be listed on the title page. - Take the (es) out of the parenthesis if there is more than one witness. - If there is only one witness, it would just say WITNESS: ##### Index page - Each witness will have their own order of examination section on the Index page. - The Judge will be listed in also present. ##### Exhibits? - Only use (EXHIBIT 1 ADMITTED INTO EVIDENCE) as a parenthetical if someone actually says, "Admitted into evidence." If they say, "Marked for identification," and then later say, "Move into evidence," you can use both parentheticals. It's generally very rare for both to be used in a proceeding. - Double check the worksheet if videos are played at trial and see if there are notes about wanting it transcribed or not or whether it should be marked. ##### When a transcript is read aloud in place of witness testimony - We include a parenthetical before the beginning of the read testimony. (BEGIN DEPOSITION TESTIMONY OF JOHN SMITH) - We conclude the read aloud testimony with an ending parenthetical. (DEPOSITION TESTIMONY OF JOHN SMITH CONCLUDED) ##### Sidebars/Bench Conferences - All sidebars or bench conferences that take place should be transcribed, unless otherwise noted on the court reporter's worksheet. - We do (BENCH CONFERENCE) before it takes place in the transcript. And we do (END OF BENCH CONFERENCE) after it ends.   - If they go into chambers (JUDGE\'S CHAMBERS), type what is said, and upon its conclusion (END OF JUDGE\'S CHAMBERS). - If the bench conference isn't included/transcribed, then you would just mark it taking place with (BENCH CONFERENCE). Excerpt/Portion --------------- The attorney has requested that only a certain portion of the proceeding be typed up. Normal format for hearing/trial. Public Comment Meeting ---------------------- A public comment meeting is a meeting where the public can provide input to a governing body on a topic of interest. Members of the public will generally be allowed to get up and voice their opinion with a time limit to speak. There will usually be a sign-in sheet for those wanting to speak, but with the public anything can happen. This type of proceeding will be in [all colloquy.] Deposition ---------- A formal, out-of-court interview where a witness or party in a legal case provides sworn testimony. Depositions are part of the pre-trial discovery process, where each side gathers information and evidence. They help both sides understand the evidence and avoid surprises at trial. [Normal Q/A depo format] Interpreter Depositions {#interpreter-depositions.Style1} ----------------------- If the witness is non-English-speaking, the taking attorney will hire an interpreter to translate to the witness. They will also translate the witnesses\' answer so that everyone involved can understand it. This proceeding will be in [normal Q/A depo format]. There may be some extra colloquy between the interpreter and attorneys or court reporter. Sworn/Unsworn Statement ----------------------- The name speaks for itself. Basically, a deposition by another name either with or without an oath. They follow [normal Q/A depo format]. Arbitrations ------------ Arbitration involves submitting the dispute to a neutral third party who renders a decision after hearing arguments and reviewing evidence. It\'s generally quicker and less expensive than a full-fledged trial but has the same format as a trial. [Normal trial type format.] Mediation --------- In mediation, a third-party mediator who is neutral assists the parties to reach a negotiated settlement of their differences. The mediator uses a variety of techniques to help them come to agreement, but he or she is not empowered to decide the case. Both arbitration and mediation are typically private, so they have the added benefit of helping the parties avoid publicity. The proceedings should be in [all colloquy.] Prenups ------- We are there for the prenuptial agreement witnessing and signing. There will be attorneys, witnesses, and parties all present. The proceedings should be in [all colloquy.] Bar Reinstatement Hearing ------------------------- A Hearing held in front of the Bar Association Board in order to determine whether an attorney should be reinstated or not. There will be 2 sides represented, the Bar Association and the attorney looking to be reinstated. There will usually be witnesses but not always. Witnesses will be asked questions, usually by the attorneys and then if anyone on the board wants to ask they will allow them to. So [normal hearing/trial format with some colloquy and some Q/A.] Tape Transcript --------------- A taped transcript is a recording of any type that is sent to us to transcribe. It could be a recorded conversation. It could be an interview, body cam footage. It could be a hearing. It could be literally anything that was recorded and sent to us. [Generally, these will be in colloquy]. Unless it's some sort of court proceeding, then it will just follow normal format for court proceedings. Interviews ---------- Pretty much the same as a Tape Transcript. We will use full names for speaker IDs, if they are made available to us. If there is a question about what name to use for any speaker IDs, reach out to the Transcript Manager. [These will be in all colloquy.] Reporter asking Questions on Record ----------------------------------- Name speaks for itself. The reporter is given a list of questions from the attorney to ask the witness. [It will be in colloquy.] Multiple people answering? -------------------------- There are situations where there may be two people giving testimony/answering. This mostly happens in workers' comp/black lung depos where a spouse is helping the witness with their answers. Anytime the spouse is speaking they will be in colloquy and would be identified as MR./MS. LAST NAME: Before You Begin ================ IH proofers -- please utilize the search function in all forms to see if your question has previously been answered. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - i.e. Teams, Transcript Preferences doc search, e-mail, Google. - Try to think of key words that might be associated with what the subject of your question is and become a super sleuth. Tracked Changes --------------- **Don't forget: Proofreaders must track all changes made to the document.** To begin tracking changes, go to "Review" and make sure the "Track Changes" option is selected.  - **IC Proofer** - If you have accepted a job and are unable to complete it by the assigned deadline, contact your Transcript Manager **as soon as possible**. Time allowance is on the IC proofer to complete the file. We have specific deadlines to clients. If you see lines like this within the transcript, the track changes display is turned on. That will display all the history of what was deleted and what was added, and it gets extremely confusing to look at. Using Express Scribe {#using-express-scribe.Style1} -------------------- If you have chosen Express Scribe as your playback software, you may want to change the time format from the default format, which does not display hours. - Go to "Options" à "Display" à set the time format for both position and duration to "h:mm:ss." Click "OK." - When making notations in the transcript, always use this format when inserting time stamps.  ### Special Audio Processes There are some minor audio tools built into Express Scribe that may help the clarity of the audio file. - "File"à "Special Audio Processes." - "Background Noise Reduction" can be used for things like smoothing out the sound of an air conditioner running in the background or static. - "Extra Volume Boost can be used for someone who is soft spoken. More audio tools can be found under "Optionsà "Playback" If the quality of an audio file is making it difficult to work with, try adjusting the range compression and/or low frequency cutoff method to find a better sound. ### Audio Control/Navigation If you are using Express Scribe without a foot pedal, there are keyboard shortcuts that might make navigating the audio a little easier, if that is your preference. ### Scribe Mini  To help with navigating back and forth between Express Scribe and the Transcript in word, you can enable \"Float above other windows\" to keep the application window on top of all other applications at all times. This saves you from having to click back and forth. ### Bookmarking audio Express Scribe allows you to bookmark timestamps in the application. This is useful because it can help you keep track of when certain things happen in a proceeding that you might need to come back to. To bookmark a timestamp you will go to: "Bookmark" in the menu ribbon "Set Bookmark" to see your list of bookmarks go to "Open bookmark list" Orders of Examination ===================== ### Who gets what examination heading?? ### Voir Dire Examination  This is a rare examination that occurs usually when counsel calls into question the expertise of an expert witness.  This examination is different from other examinations in that it can occur in the middle of another examination. In the transcript it should have an examination heading like: VOIR DIRE EXAMINATION BY MR. SMITH: So, for example, if a voir dire examination is called for in the middle of a direct examination, if the direct examination resumes afterward, the byline would be written as CONTINUED DIRECT EXAMINATION. This type of examination usually occurs in trials, but it can appear in other types of proceedings as well. *How many times and for whom can I use it?*  No limit. Can be used by any attorney.   ### Volume Transcripts When a witness is brought back another day to continue being questioned, we will have the normal order of examination, but we will put the word CONTNUED in front of it. CONTINUED DIRECT EXAMINATION CONTINUED CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUED EXAMINATION Example Scenario ---------------- Format and Layout =======================================  Speaker Identifications ----------------------- **Speakers** are noted as seen below: **THE COURT:** for the judge **THE WITNESS:** for the witness **MS./MR. \[LAST NAME\]:** for counsel (and anyone also present). If multiple attorneys have the same last name, it must be MS./MR. \[FIRST NAME\] \[LAST NAME\]. **THE REPORTER:** for the court reporter **THE VIDEOGRAPHER:** for the videographer **THE INTERPRETER:** for the interpreter **THE CLERK:** for the clerk in the courtroom **THE BAILIFF:** for the bailiff in the courtroom **JUROR \[LAST NAME/NUMBER\]:** for any jurors or prospective jurors **DETECTIVE \[LAST NAME\]:** for detectives in tape transcripts **FULL NAMES \[FIRST NAME LAST NAME\] -** for tape transcripts, unless police officer/attorney/judge/clerk/bailiff/juror/reporter. This mainly occurs in interviews and other taped recordings. **THE HEARING OFFICER:** when applicable **THE ARBITRATOR:** when applicable Examinations ---------------------------------- Colloquy -------- Anything spoken on the record that is not part of the examination is considered colloquy. - Colloquy is a dialogue that is not part of the question-and-answer examination. - Occurs outside of the line of questioning. - EXAMPLES: - When an attorney speaks to the court reporter or someone other than the witness. - When the opposing side's attorney makes any objection. - When the non-examining attorney interjects with a question or clarification. #### The example below shows a transcript moving from a taking attorney asking a question to colloquy, following an attorney interjecting that a new person has joined a remote deposition via Zoom. When the proceedings move from the examination into colloquy, no special notation in the transcript is required. The example below shows a transcript moving to and from colloquy during an examination. Bylines ------- When moving back into the examination after colloquy a byline is required. Bylines indicate which speaker the Q represents. Include a byline: - After any colloquy before resuming the Q&A format (including objections) - When going back on the record after (OFF THE RECORD). - After all Exhibit parentheticals before the next Q. (This will be explained further in the Parentheticals section) #### The example below shows a transcript moving to and from colloquy during an examination. #### The example below shows a transcript moving to and from colloquy following an objection and the witness answering in two instances back-to-back. #### The example below shows an exhibit being marked with the exhibit parenthetical followed by the witness answer and moving into the byline before the next question. #### The example below shows the transcript moving from colloquy, to off the record, and back on the record including the byline. In-Transcript Notations ======================= Inaudible Portions in (parentheses) ----------------------------------- Marking a portion of a transcript as inaudible is only for when you absolutely cannot understand what is being said. - Please utilize all audio sources before marking an inaudible in the transcript. - As a proofer, you may receive the transcript from the transcriptionist with inaudibles marked. Some of them may be incredibly easy to solve. This is normal. Just correct it with what you hear and keep on moving. **Don't forget: as a proofer, if you leave an inaudible for QC to try and take a shot at solving, please include the correct time stamp and audio source for the audio that you are utilizing.** **[To mark an inaudible in the transcript please utilize the format below. ]** **(Inaudible \[time\] \[audio file name\])** For example: (Inaudible 1:04:33 backup 1) **2nd listen by QC format** **Final format** **Final format for Milestone** ---------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------ -------------------------------- In-person proceeding (Inaudible 1:04:33 backup 1) \-- \-- Remote proceeding (Inaudible 1:04:33 backup 1) (Inaudible) (audio cuts out) **\ ** Phonetic in (parentheses) ------------------------- Phonetic markers are used only if you do not know the correct spelling, and it means you transcribed it how it sounds. This is a last resort and should be used sparingly. - Court Reporters should be asking for spellings to put in the worksheet for Proofers/QCers to refer to. Utilize the worksheet first. - Check the Sharefile folder to see if there are any exhibits that you may be able to garner spellings from. \*[If there aren't any in Sharefile, reach out to your Transcript Manager and they can help you get them\*] - Google is your best friend. - **Only use (phonetic) on the first occurrence.** Anytime that same name/word appears in the transcript thereafter, it will have no phonetic marker. See below an example of how to notate phonetic in a transcript: P721\#yIS1 No verbal response in (parentheses) ----------------------------------- If a speaker is asked a question but does not answer out loud, we mark their lack of a verbal response with (No verbal response.) The punctuation stays inside the parentheses. You might see the verbiage (No audible response.) used, this is incorrect.  Sic in \[brackets\] ------------------- Sic (*sic erat scriptum,* "Thus it was written") is inserted after a word that is used incorrectly or mispronounced and is [not immediately corrected]. Sic is used to indicate that the word was transcribed exactly as it was spoken and that it was the error of the speaker, not the company producing the transcript. - **Only use \[sic\] on the first occurrence** of the incorrect or mispronounced word. - Do not \[sic\] common made-up words (i.e. thingy, guesstimate) - Do not \[sic\] poor grammar (i.e. "We was headed east.") To use sic, use brackets and mark it immediately after the erroneous word and before punctuation (if applicable), all in lowercase. P740\#yIS1 What they said: "hyperbola" which means a symmetrical open curve formed by the intersection of a circular cone with a plane at a smaller angle with its axis than the side of the cone. What they meant: "hyperbole" which means exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. Audio/Video recordings played in (parentheses) ---------------------------------------------- Any time an **audio or video recording exhibit** is played, it must be transcribed and included in the transcript, unless there is a note on the worksheet from the reporter indicating it does not need to be typed out. #### Formatting - All colloquy - Use full names for speaker identification unless it falls under one of the names on the speaker identification list. - Parentheticals must bookend to indicate when the recording is played and stopped. Is it an exhibit? Yes. No. ------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Audio recording **It will be transcribed in all colloquy.** (AUDIO RECORDING PLAYED) **at the beginning and** (AUDIO RECORDING STOPPED) **at the end.** **It will not be transcribed but will still get an** (AUDIO RECORDING PLAYED) **at the beginning.** Video recording **It will be transcribed in all colloquy.** (VIDEO RECORDING PLAYED) **at the beginning and** (VIDEO RECORDING STOPPED**) at the end.** **It will not be transcribed but will still get** (VIDEO RECORDING PLAYED) **at the beginning.** ##### Example: Q. Okay. Now would too many officers with their guns drawn also and the possibility of crossfire, would that also be a clusterfuck? A. Crossfire is a \-- is a problem there. Yeah. MS. RIELO: Okay. Now, if we can go to 23:47:30? MR. BORST: Okay. I\'m trying to move it, but it\'s not cooperating. 47:30. Oh, here we go. Okay. We\'re at 47:28. I\'m going to play it. (VIDEO RECORDING PLAYED) OFFICER BOWDEN: I don\'t know, man. Everybody has a gun out. Everybody wants to shoot \-- before I catch a bullet in the back of my head. (VIDEO RECORDING STOPPED) MS. RIELO: Stop it right there. BY MS. RIELO: Q. Officer Zerbinati, do you hear the Officer Bowden saying, everybody has a gun out. Everybody wants to shoot somebody? A. Yeah. I heard him say that. When to use (sound effect) -------------------------- - When a speaker uses sounds to describe something, whether verbal or non-verbal, instead of words, replace the sound itself with (sound effect). - When a sound is heard on the record and is acknowledged, we replace the sound with (sound effect). - Examples of sounds include: - brakes screeching - a loud bang from hitting the table - a door slamming - background noise (fire alarm, medical device beeping - any type of noise spoken that does not include a word. #### Formatting: - To notate a sound effect, use parentheses, all lower case, in place of the sound and before the punctuation.  Miscellaneous (parentheticals) ------------------------------ If there is a sound or interruption during the proceedings that **is not acknowledged, no notation is necessary**. If the sound or interruption **is acknowledged, there must be a notation in the transcript** to put the acknowledgment in context. Below are the [only\*] notations for these miscellaneous interruptions: (sneezes) (coughs) (phone rings) (INTERCOM) They are in parentheses, in place of the sound/interruption and before the punctuation. If it is at the beginning of a Q/A or colloquy, it will be capitalized like the example below. If located elsewhere in a Q/A or colloquy, use lowercase. ##### Example: [ACKNOWLEDGED: ] [NOT ACKNOWLEDGED:] **DO NOT NOTATE LAUGHTER, WHISPERS, CROSSTALK, OR BURPS.** If a speaker burps and the burp is acknowledged, use (coughs). \*All other interruptions should be notated as (sound effect). Sound? Acknowledged? Formatted like: Not Acknowledged? ----------------------------------- --------------- ----------------- ------------------- (tires screeching) n/a (sound effect) n/a (a scream) n/a (sound effect) n/a (a bang of a car crash) n/a (sound effect) n/a (a shoo, or woo, or oop sound) n/a (sound effect) n/a A sneeze (sneezes) (sneezes) \-- A cough (coughs) (coughs) \-- A phone ringing (phone rings) (phone rings) \-- Someone speaking over an intercom Yes (INTERCOM) No notation laughter Yes No notation No notation burps Yes (coughs) \-- whispers Yes No notation No notation Indicating in (parenthesis) --------------------------- Should only be utilized if it is the only way to give context or make sense of a situation. We will use (indicating) more liberally in judicial transcripts like hearings or trials. Speaking (insert language) in parentheses ----------------------------------------- When a foreign language is spoken on record and it's not a proceeding with an interpreter, we don't transcribe the language. (speaking Spanish) ##### Example: \| Q. Couple of words here and there?\ \| A. (Speaking Spanish) you know, stuff like that. Confidential portion in (parenthesis) ------------------------------------- When there are confidential portions, i.e. an attorney says they want to designate something, "Confidential," or, "For attorneys\' eyes only," or the reporter makes a note on the WS like, such and such should be confidential, it has to be designated prior to going to Production.   ##### Example: \|(BEGINNING OF CONFIDENTIAL PORTION)\ \| Q. Everything that falls under it \| A.\ \|(END OF CONFIDENTIAL PORTION) ##### Caveats: - If the entire transcript is marked confidential, you don\'t need to do anything.  Production handles that. - If an exhibit is marked confidential, it should have CONFIDENTIAL typed out after its Exhibit title on the index.  - You do not have to designate it as confidential within the proceedings, [UNLESS] it relates to above - like portions where they discuss the exhibit and the attorney says something like, "When we discuss Exhibit 6, I need that testimony to be marked confidential." **When in doubt, ask the Transcript Manager.** Redactions ========== ### Birthdays and Social Security numbers Redact birthdates and Social Security numbers using "X" and dashes - Unless an attorney requests otherwise - Or it's a minor's birthday in a Milestone transcript, then only redact the month and day, the year can remain. Example: \| Q What is your Social Security number? \| A XXX-XX-XXXX. Example: \| Q What is your Social Security number? We'll redact all but \|the last four digits. \| A XXX-XX-4649. Example: \| Q What is your date of birth? \| A XX-XX-XXXX. ### Minors Names All minor(s)' names (anyone under the age of 18) are to be redacted. - UNLESS their full names are listed on the Title page/deposition Notice. - If it is tape transcription, ALWAYS verify with the Transcript Manager if any minors should be redacted. Sometimes clients want them redacted and other times not. Examples: Josh Smith - J.S. Josh - J. If the name ends a sentence, you do not need to do two periods, (i.e. J.S.1..) You can simply leave it as J.S.1., J.S.2., etc. Parentheticals ============== The following rules apply to all parentheticals listed in this section: **On its own line** (OFF THE RECORD) ---------------- (OFF THE RECORD) indicates when a break is taken, or the deposition goes off the record for any reason. Nothing that occurs off record is transcribed. Example: \| MR. HOWARD: Let's take a quick break. \| THE REPORTER: All right. We are off the record. \|(OFF THE RECORD) \| THE REPORTER: We are back on the record. \|BY MR. HOWARD: \| Q. \| A.  When the Proceedings resume, mark only the byline. **Do not put (ON THE RECORD).** (CERTIFIED QUESTION) (CERTIFIED OBJECTION) ------------------------------------------ Whenever an attorney [asks to certify] a question or objection, mark a parenthetical just above the question or objection. Example Certified Q:\| Q. It sounds like the business stayed afloat? \| A. It did okay, I guess. \|(CERTIFIED QUESTION) \| Q. Did your parents loan you money for the business? \| A. I don't want to get my parents involved. I don't even \|know why you'd ask me that question. \| Q. Are you not going to answer? \| A. I \-- no. I don't want to answer that. I won't. \| MR. MOORE: I'm going to certify that question. Example Certified Objection: \| MS. TOMBS: We would like to mark Exhibit 7 as the \|Manatee County EMS EOB and bill. \| (EXHIBIT 7 MARKED FOR IDENTIFICATION) \|(CERTIFIED OBJECTION) \| MR. GOLD: Objection. We're not going to attach it \| and produce it. We've already objected in discovery. \| MS. TOMBS: We'll certify that objection and bring \| it up if we need to later. So Exhibit 8 would have been the \| affidavit that was signed July 26, 2016. \***IMPORTANT\* DON'T FORGET TO *NOTE ANY CERTIFIED QUESTIONS, CERTIFIED OBJECTIONS, OR FORMAL REQUESTS ON THE EXHIBIT INDEX PAGE.*** (EXHIBIT 1 MARKED FOR IDENTIFICATION) ------------------------------------- During some proceedings, attorneys will mark exhibits. The purpose of marking documents as exhibits is to clearly identify what documents have been discussed or referenced so they may be easily identified at a later point in time. - Reporters will obtain exhibits and either turn them into production or upload them to ShareFile. - Once a transcript is produced, copies of the exhibits are attached and sent to ordering attorneys. - The court reporter is responsible for naming and listing the exhibits on the Index page of the TAES so they can later be easily identified. - Labeling can sometimes be done off the record because some attorneys do not want to be interrupted over exhibit labeling. Just be sure there are the same number of Exhibit Parentheticals as there are \# of Exhibits listed on the worksheet and on the Index page. - If there is a discrepancy as to what should be marked an exhibit and what shouldn't, **[please reach out to the court reporter and Transcript Manager. ]** - The parenthetical will always be at the end of one speaker's text and before the next speaker begins. - Only include one exhibit per parenthetical, even if the attorney enters several exhibits at one time. **two tabs à (EXHIBIT \[NUMBER/LETTER\] MARKED FOR IDENTIFICATION)** - **Do not insert an exhibit parenthetical before the speaker is completely finished talking. This will make the kitty sad.** **\ ** Example: Attorney marking exhibits with the witness' answer directly following it. \| A. Yes, it is. \| (EXHIBIT 1 MARKED FOR IDENTIFICATION) \|BY MR. JOHNSON: \| Q. Excellent. Let's go ahead and take a look at Page 1 Example: Attorney marking an exhibit while also speaking to copy attorney, so there is colloquy and the witness' answer will be in colloquy. \| Q. Do you recognize this police report? \| A. Yes, I do. \| MR. BROWN: I'd like to mark this as Exhibit 1, \| please. Do you need a copy of it, George? \| (EXHIBIT 1 MARKED FOR IDENTIFICATION) \| MR. JOHNSON: I have a copy but thank you. \| THE WITNESS: Yes. It's the one from the \| accident. \|BY MR. BROWN: \| Q. Had you received a copy of this police report \| prior to today? \| A. I believe so. **\*IMPORTANT\* DON'T FORGET TO ADD A BYLINE AFTER ANY NUMBER OF EXHIBITS ARE MARKED, BEFORE THE TAKING ATTORNEY'S NEXT QUESTION.** **\*IMPORTANT\*** **DON'T FORGET** **WHEN EXHIBITS ARE DISCUSSED WITHIN THE BODY OF THE TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CAPITALIZE THE 'E' OF EXHIBIT AND MARK THEM WITH NUMERALS WHEN APPROPRIATE.** **\*IMPORTANT\* DON'T CAPITALIZE THE 'E' IN EXHIBIT IN ALL INSTANCES. ONLY WHEN SPEAKING OF A SPECIFIC EXHIBIT (i.e. Exhibit 19, Exhibit A, Exhibit B92).** (REPORTER READS/PLAYS BACK REQUESTED QUESTION/TESTIMONY) -------------------------------------------------------- When an attorney asks the reporter to repeat a question or answer that occurred earlier in the proceedings, it is a read back or play back. - A read back is when the reporter reads back the portion verbatim. - A play back is when the reporter locates the requested portion on their audio file and plays back the recording. - When a read back/play back is performed, **do not transcribe the actual reading/playing back.** - Instead, mark it in the transcript with - (REPORTER PLAYS BACK REQUESTED TESTIMONY) - (REPORTER READS BACK REQUESTED TESTIMONY) - (REPORTER PLAYS BACK REQUESTED QUESTION) - (REPORTER READS BACK REQUESTED QUESTION) In the example below, the attorney asked for the requested question to be repeated into the record. And because you will be listening to the audio, you will be able to tell what the reporter does to repeat the requested section. Example: \|January 5, 2021? \|repeat the question for the witness? \|(REPORTER READS BACK REQUESTED QUESTION) \| MS. THOMPSON: Thank you, Madam Court Reporter. \|BY MR. THOMPSON: \| Q. So do you recall? In the example below, you will see what it looks like when testimony/an answer is requested to be read back into the record. The proofer, when listening to the audio determined that the Court Reporter played back the requested portion. Example: \| Q. You testified earlier that you weren't wearing \|your glasses. If you weren't wearing your glasses, how \|do you know what the man looked like? \| A. Well, I guess I didn't see him, but my friend \|told me what he looked like. \| MS. WILLIAMS: Let's take a break. \|(OFF THE RECORD) \| MS. WILLIAMS: Court Reporter, can you please \| read me the last answer from the witness before we \|(REPORTER PLAYS BACK REQUESTED TESTIMONY) \| MS. WILLIAMS: Thank you. \|BY MS. WILLIAMS: \| Q. So you didn't actually see the man, but your \|friend did, right? \| A. That's right. Punctuation Rules ================= #### [Never use the exclamation point, in the ordinary course of most proceedings. ] Only use periods, question marks, or double dashes to separate sentences.  **The only exceptions to the no exclamation points rules are:** **P** You are quoting an exhibit that contains an exclamation point. **P** An exclamation point is specifically spoken into the record. **P** An entity has an exclamation point in their title **(Example: KFC Yum! Center)** #### [If a sentence ends with "or" or "so." ] Use ellipses when appropriate. *DOES NOT APPLY TO MILESTONE - For Milestone transcripts, you would end the sentence with a double dash.* *Examples:* **P That's all I remember, so\...** **P Did you see that happen or\...** O That's all I remember, so. O Did you see that happen or? **P I don't think so.** O I don't think so\... #### [Use commas to separate address, city, and state]. *Example*: 3421 South Ellis Street, Quakertown, Pennsylvania 18951. #### [Never use accented letters. ] *Example*: **P He was my fiance at the time.** O He was my fiancé at the time.  #### [Capitalize the first letter of the word immediately following the use of a colon. ] #### [We follow the Oxford comma. ] When there is a series of items, insert a comma before the final "and." *Example*: Three tutors taught me reading, writing, and arithmetic. #### [Always put a comma before a person's name or proper noun and for "yes/no sir/ma'am" ] *Example:* #### [Capitalize proper nouns.] *Example:* #### [If "so" means "therefore", you will put a comma before it.] If "so" means "so that" or explains the first part of the clause, it will not have a comma before it. *Example*s: #### Use of Semicolons #### Use of Colon #### Use of Commas #### Use of Apostrophes #### Use of Question Marks ("State your name...") #### [Quotation Marks] When the word "quote" is spoken at the beginning and "end quote" is spoken at the end we replace the word quote with the symbol.\ *Examples:\ * **P I said, "It is not relevant to this case."**\ O I said, quote, "It is not relevant to this case," end quote.\ O I said quote it is not relevant to this case end quote. \ A I have bumps on my feet. **P Q When you say "bumps," what do you mean?\ P Q When you say your feet are bumpy, what do you mean?** **P I see the word "external" written here.**\ O I see the word external written here.\ O I see the word, "External," written here. \*\*Do NOT capitalize the first word of the quotation!\*\* ##### **[Quotation marks always go outside of commas and periods. ]** Always use quotation marks before and after anything that is being read directly from a document/publication. When a quote is interrupted, do not include the double-dash inside the quotations. *Example*: \|Q. At the top, it says, "Patient complained" -- \|A. Yes. \|Q. \-- "of lower back pain." **NOTE:** There are occasions you may need to use a punctuation mark outside of quotation marks. See the following example: *Example:* \| Q. Beginning here in the second paragraph of your e-mail you say, "I am \|not sure if that was the total we paid for the remodel. I will have to check my \|Excel spreadsheet, in order to make sure"; is that right? Did I read that \|correctly? \| A. That's correct, you read that right. As seen in this example, the semicolon that accompanies "is that right?" exists outside of the quotation. Any time a quotation ends with three words lawyers love to use (i.e. - is that right?, is that correct?, do you understand?, etc.) the semicolon will go outside of the quotation. Double Dashes Rule ================== There are **three instances** in which double dashes are used: ### 1. [When a witness repeats themselves.] ### 2. [When a line of thought shifts mid-sentence.] *Example:* ### 3. [When a sentence is interrupted by another speaker.] After the use of a double dash, **do not capitalize the word that follows it, unless it's a proper noun, like a name.** *Example:* If a double dash is used, **do not include any punctuation before or after it.** *Example:* **\ ** Clean-up Rule ============= #### If a judge or an attorney repeats one to two words in a row, you will eliminate the second repetition of those words. If they repeat more than twice, we will not take those out. *Example:* *Example:* #### If an attorney, judge, witness, or those otherwise present repeats a sentence, we keep both instances of the sentences that they repeated. *Example:* **P MR. GREYSON: Where were you standing? Where were you standing?** [No need to add all the \"uh-huhs\" and \"okays\" that every attorney says while acknowledging to a deponent or witness that they\'re following along with the answer. They're just active listening and it's okay to not include them if they break up a witnesses answer. ] Capitalizations (Common Nouns v. Proper Nouns) ============================================== ### Common nouns are not capitalized. - A common noun is a generic word for a person, place, or thing. - Usually referring to a nouns category, rather than individual name. - We will capitalize if they begin a sentence or are part of a title. - [**A good rule of thumb is if there is a pronoun or article (the, a, your, etc.) before the noun, the noun is a common noun and will not be capitalized**.] *Examples:* ### Proper nouns are capitalized. - Proper nouns name specific one-of-a-kind items - They are used in place of a specific person's name or are derived from proper nouns. *Examples:* - *If the speaker says "doctor" as a title before the person's name, such as Smith, use "Dr. Smith," not "Doctor Smith."* - "English" is capitalized because it comes from the proper noun "England," but "math" does not come from "Mathland." **More examples of proper nouns and capitalizations:** - Always capitalize any brand name that is trademarked or particularly well-known (e.g., Coke, Pepsi). \*\*Google is your friend here\* **P** **I bought some Post-it notes at the store.** (trademarked brand name) O Could you pick up some sticky notes at the store? (generic product name) - *Stitching a name or word that is spelled* - *Capitalize "plaintiff" or "defendant" when used as a proper noun*\ **P This will be marked as Defendant's Exhibit 1.** - *Capitalize the first letters of time zones\ ***P It was Central Standard Time.** - *"Federal" or "State" when used as part of an official agency or in government documents where these terms represent an official name. If they are being used as general terms (common nouns), do not capitalize.\ ***P The State Board of Education.\ P They must comply with state laws.\ **O They must comply with State Laws. - *Specific courts: capitalize when referring to the United States Supreme Court, stating a court's full name, and referring to the court appearing before\ ***P This ruling came from the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.\ P The plaintiff asks this Court to grant its motion.\ P The court case the defendant cited is not relevant to this case.\ **O The Court case the defendant cited is not relevant to this case. - **Always capitalize the 'Y' and 'H' in "Your Honor."** - It's COVID, *not Covid* ### Capitalization Examples Abbreviations, Symbols, and Acronyms ==================================== Spell out et cetera. Do not abbreviate as "etc." ------------------------------------------------ Supp report (short for supplemental report) ------------------------------------------- Spell out all words as spoken on the record, including fractions and symbols. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Examples:* #### Exceptions: #### 1. Use the dollar symbol (\$) if the word "dollars" is spoken**.** Even if you know the speaker is talking about money, do not insert the symbol unless the word "dollars" is actually spoken. #### 2. Mr., Mrs., and Dr. (when used as part of a title) #### 3. M.D., Ph.D. #### 4. St. for Saint (not acceptable for Street) #### 5. II, III, etc. (for the second, third, etc. of a name) #### 6. Ampersand (&) when used for a business name #### 7. Feet and inches when used for human height measurements 5ft 2in #### 8. Case citations (below) #### 9. Measurements of medications (when used in milligrams specifically) E-mail addresses ---------------- Spell out using the traditional format with the @ symbol. Do not include any hyperlinks. If a hyperlink is created in the transcript, please right-click it and select "Remove Hyperlink." Acronyms -------- All CAPS and no periods for acronyms, including initials and business names with more than one letter. *Exceptions*: M.D. Ph. D. D.O. D.M.D. **The proper use of an apostrophe is the same for acronyms as they are for any other word. [Do not capitalize the plural 's' at the end of an acronym.]** *Examples:* **Possessive** It was the CEO's decision. I read about it on NASA's website. **Plural** How many MRIs did you have during the course of treatment? Can MRIs or CTs reveal a concussion such as this? **\ ** Case Citations ============== A \"case citation\" in legal terms is a standardized way of referencing a specific court case, providing all the necessary information to locate the full text of the decision. It is essentially acting like a unique address to find the case within a legal database. It will include: - the names of the parties involved - the volume number of the legal reporter where it\'s published - the page number where the case begins - the court that decided it - the year of the decision Use the reporter abbreviation when writing out a case citation in a transcript and use the abbreviation "v." for "versus." Note that a reporter, when referring to case citations, is a publication containing case law. *Example:* What you hear: "Judge, I want to turn your attention to a case almost identical to ours. It's Nuta versus Genders at six-seventeen southern second three-twenty-nine, and it's a Third DCA case," What will be transcribed: \| MR. JONES: Judge, I want to turn your attention to a case \|almost identical to ours. It's Nuta v. Genders at 617 So.2d 329, and it's a \|Third DCA case. Use the charts below to find the reporter abbreviation. Note that there is no space after the abbreviation and before the series number if a series number is applicable (for example, So.2d). **[When in dobut, reach out to someone in the Transcripts department and we will work together to make sure it's correct!]**  Numeric Values ============== Numbers zero through ten are to be spelled out. ----------------------------------------------- #### Exceptions, which are always numeric: ##### Exhibit numbers *Example:* Q Please refer back to Exhibit 3. ##### Ages of humans and animals (not inanimate objects) *Example:* Q How old is your daughter? A 3. *Example:* *Q*. I believe you said your washing machine was six years old? A. No, it is actually 14 years old. ##### Pain scale numbers *Example:* Q On a scale of 1 to 10, what would you rate your pain? A My pain is about a 4 on most days. ##### Height *Example:* Q How tall are you? A I'm about 5'6". ##### Page/Section/Paragraph/Subparagraph/Line numbers (word capitalized) *Example:* Q Please turn to Page 2. ##### When the word "point" is spoken to indicate decimals *Example:* Q Do you live on about two acres of land? (Spoken: "I live on two point five acres of land.") A I live on 2.5 acres of land. ##### Percentages *Example:* There is a 1 percent chance of that. ##### Grade Levels *Example*: My son is in the 2nd grade. When dates are given in the usual order (that is: month, day, year), please use ordinals. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***Example:* May 2nd, 2023** If a year is abbreviated, use an apostrophe at the start to indicate it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Example:* A. I graduated college in '72. Use "a.m." and "p.m." lowercase with periods when said specifically for a time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The exceptions are if they start a sentence, then both letters will be capitalized AND for the conclusion time parenthetical at the end of a transcript. Numeric Examples: ----------------- ### [Currency and Decimals] **PCORRECT** O INCORRECT ### Units and Amounts **P CORRECT** O INCORRECT Ages ---- ### Dates ### Times ### Measurements and Percentages ### Identifying Numbers **\ ** Special Terms and Spellings =========================== Affirmative and Negative Noises ------------------------------- - **All affirmative noises/grunts**, such as "mm-hmm" or "um-hmm," are transcribed as "uh-huh." - **All negative noises/grunts**, such as "nuh-uh" or "mm-mmm," are transcribed as "uh-uh." *Examples:* "Huh?" or "Hmm?" ---------------- - When a speaker says, "Huh?" or "Hmm?" in place of the word "what," transcribe it as "Huh?" *Example:* Shortened words --------------- - We don't use the shortened version of words commonly said in everyday speaking. *Example:* [workin'] would be [working] axed would be asked gotcha would be got you kinda would be kind of wanna would be want to - **However**, do not clean up anyone if they use the incorrect verb tense. Transcribe it as spoken, such as, "I isn't used to working so late." Contractions ------------ - If a contraction is said as such, please use the contraction. - **Do not** spell it out as two words unless the speaker says both words. *Example:* (Spoken: I didn't want to go to the store.) **P A I didn't want to go to the store.** O A I did not want to go to the store. ---------------------- --------------------------- Computers/Technology **P CORRECT** O INCORRECT ---------------------- --------------------------- +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | **P website\ | **P e-mail\ | | **O web site\ | **O email**\ | | O web-site\ | **O E-mail (unless it is | | \ | beginning a sentence) | | **P Google/Googled\ | | | **O google/googled\ | **P.com\ | | \ | **O dot com\ | | **P Facebook/Facebooked\ | \ | | **O facebook/facebooked | **P online\ | | | **O on-line**\ | | Spoken: "The image is a | **O on line | | jay-peg."**\ | | | P JPEG**\ | **P Wi-Fi\ | | O jpeg\ | **Owifi | | \ | | | **P Internet\ | | | **O internet | | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ ------- --------------------------- Other **P CORRECT** O INCORRECT ------- --------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- Spoken: gonna/kinda/wanna/gotcha**\ **P okay**\ P going to/kind of/want to/got you\ O ok\ **O gonna/kinda/wanna/ gotcha**\ \ \ **P all right**\ P healthcare\ O alright\ **O health care\ \ \ **P you-all**\ **P daycare\ O y'all (If it spoken as y'all, it is still you-all.)\ **O day care\ \ \ **P because**\ **P childcare\ O 'cause\ **O child care\ O cuz\ \ \ When "workers' compensation" is said (not as a formal title, like Department of Workers' Compensation)\ **P x-ray/x-rays/x-rayed**\ **P workers' compensation\ O X-ray/X-rays/X-rayed\ **O worker's compensation\ O xray/xrays/xrayed\ \ \ **Pworkman\'s compensation\ Short for Elizabethtown, Kentucky\ **x workmans compensation\ **P E-town**\ x workmans\' compensation O E-Town\ O Etown --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- Word Lists ========== +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | General | | +===================================+===================================+ | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **break-in** | P.O. Box | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **Chapter | **rearview** | | | | | 13** | | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **Class 1 | **repo-ed** | | | | | Felony** | | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **cous' | **Section | | | | | (cousin)** | 8** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **coworker** | **skid | | | | | | marks** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **crosswalk* | **stoplight* | | | | | * | * | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **cul-de-sac | **stop | | | | | ** | sign** | | | | | | | | | | | **disc/disk | | | | | | - disc is | | | | | | for all | | | | | | medical | | | | | | terms;** | | | | | | | | | | | | **disk is | | | | | | for | | | | | | computer/tec | | | | | | hnology** | | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **driver's | **taillight* | | | | | license** | * | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **drive-thru | **Team | | | | | ** | number 3** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **dually** | **T-shirt** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **eastbound/ | **U-ie** | | | | | westbound/no | | | | | | rthbound/sou | | | | | | thbound** | | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **en route** | **U-turn** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **eyewitness | **vice-versa | | | | | ** | ** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **eyeglasses | **whatchamac | | | | | ** | allit** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **F-in'** | **whatnot** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **God** | **four-wheel | | | | | | er** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **grill | **18-wheeler | | | | | (barbeque)** | ** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **grille | **20/20** | | | | | (car)** | | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **guesstimat | **4X4 | | | | | e** | (truck)** | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **lienholder | **27/7** | | | | | ** | | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | **mics | **3K | | | | | (microphones | (dollars)** | | | | | )** | | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | | | okey dokey | **Road/Highw | | | | | | ay | | | | | UofL -- | Destinations | | | | | University | :\ | | | | | of | I-10, SR-43; | | | | | Louisville | U.S. 60** | | | | | | | | | | | UK -- | | | | | | University | | | | | | of Kentucky | | | | | | | | | | | | IU -- | | | | | | Indiana | | | | | | University | | | | | +--------------+--------------+ | | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ ---------- -- Homonyms ---------- -- +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Accept | I have decided to accept his | | | ring. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Except | I would buy the suit, except that | | | it costs too much. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Affect | The actor affected a British | | | accent for that play. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Affect | The medication affected my | | | ability to drive. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Effect | This will have a definite effect | | | on our paper costs. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Effect | The new law will go into effect | | | in January of next year. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Allowed | After several speeding tickets, I | | | was no longer allowed to drive my | | | parents' car. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Aloud | The teacher asked her to read the | | | poem aloud. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Already | I was already in that lane. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | All ready | We were all ready to go to the | | | party. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Alter | It is time to alter the way we do | | | things. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Altar | They will be married at the | | | altar. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Altogether | How many cars were involved in | | | the accident altogether? | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | All together | We were all together when the | | | announcement was made. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Amend | They amended the earlier proposal | | | to make it more comprehensive. | | | | | | (to change for the better) | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Emend | I think you should emend this | | | document before publishing. | | | | | | (to improve by critical editing) | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Are | Where are you going? | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Our | I was afraid we might lose our | | | place in line. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Hour | I'll get back to you in an hour. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Aisle | I was walking down the aisle. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Isle | I spent my vacation on a desert | | | isle. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | I'll | I'll do my homework later. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Axel | The figure skater completed a | | | double axel during her | | | performance. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Axle | The damage was so bad it broke | | | the axle of my car and it was no | | | longer drivable. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Bear | Bear with me while I look for | | | that information. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Bare | Please stick to the bare facts | | | and don't embellish. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Ball | She dropped the ball. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Bawl | He got emotional and started to | | | bawl. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Birth | What is your birthday? | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Berth | The ship reached its berth in | | | California. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Break | I saw a break in the traffic and | | | merged quickly. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Brake | I had to brake hard to avoid | | | hitting her. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Capital | Phoenix is the capital of | | | Arizona. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Capital | The bank needs capital to grant | | | the loan. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Capitol | Many people tour the Capitol in | | | Washington. (building) | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Capitol | That issue will be brought up to | | | the Capitol when they next | | | convene. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Carat | My ruby is 10 carats. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Karat | My ring is 18 karat gold. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Caret | Make sure you insert a caret if | | | something needs to be inserted | | | into the document. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Compliment | She just gave me a compliment. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Complement | The dessert was a complement to | | | the main course. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Council | The Gilbert City Council will | | | decide on the project. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Counsel | The counsel represents the | | | opposing side in court. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Coop | Don't coop me up on a nice sunny | | | day. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Coupe | She bought a sporty little coupe | | | to drive around. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Cite | The officer cited me for | | | speeding. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Sight | I\'m glad I have my sight. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Site | The construction site was very | | | busy. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Discreet | Please make discreet inquiries. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Discrete | I broke apart our argument in two | | | discrete elements of proof. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Eminent | These were eminent students who | | | won the scholarships. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Imminent | As loss of sales continued, the | | | shutdown was imminent. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Grate | I removed the grate from the | | | sewer. OR | | | | | | The child's crying is grating on | | | my nerves. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Great | What a great day it was. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Grill | We decided to throw some steaks | | | on the grill for our backyard | | | barbeque. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Grille | The impact dented the grille on | | | the front of his truck. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Guaranty | His car title was offered as a | | | guaranty. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Guarantee | The watch came with a guarantee | | | of satisfaction. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Hear | Can you hear the music? | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Here | Come over here and tell me that. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Insure | The insurance company will insure | | | your home. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Ensure | Our precautions ensured our | | | safety. (to make sure or certain) | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Its | The car flipped on its side in | | | the accident. (possessive) | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | It\'s | I told him it\'s a long way to | | | the hospital. (it is or it has) | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Lean | If you can lean against the | | | counter, you could be clean a | | | little harder. OR | | | | | | These times are very lean. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Lien | The bank holds a lien on my car. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Lose | I was afraid I might lose one of | | | my shoes. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Loose | I found some loose change in my | | | pocket. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | No | No, I didn\'t see the accident. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Know | I don\'t know who caused the | | | accident. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Knew | I knew that at the time. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | New | That's new information to me. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Packed | The freeway was packed with | | | vehicles during rush hour. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Pact | The two governments made a pact | | | to keep peace between their | | | countries. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Passed | I passed the store at 10:00 A.M. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Passed | He was passed over for promotion. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Past | I drove past quickly hoping I | | | wasn't noticed. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Past | I was past the store at 10:01 | | | A.M. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Pare | I will pare the apples tonight. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Peak | We climbed to the peak of the | | | mountain. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Peek | Let me take a peek at my notes. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Piqued | That's what really piqued my | | | interest. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Pear | I can't wait to eat my pear. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Pair | Those two make quite a pair. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Peal | The bell pealed twice. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Peel | She slipped on a banana peel. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Peer | I need to peer closely at the | | | tape to fix it. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Pier | I have to go down to the pier to | | | get on the boat. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Personal | I'm uncomfortable discussing such | | | personal issues with my boss. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Personnel | Personnel will determine the pay | | | rate for that job classification. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Pore | If you pore over it, you will | | | understand it. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Pour | Please pour the milk. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Poor | You did a poor job on the test. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Plane | I took the plane to Denver. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Plain | The clothes she is wearing are | | | very plain. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Principal | The principal of the school was | | | very strict. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Principal | The bank charges interest on the | | | principal of a loan. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Principle | She\'s famous for standing by her | | | principles. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Rite | This is the rite of initiation | | | into the sorority. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Right | She has the right to do that, and | | | she has made the right choice. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Write | I had to write out a check for | | | the car payment. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Seem | You seem to be offended by my | | | statement. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Seam | The seam of my pants is ripped. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Shear | The mayor was sheared of power | | | once his crime was discovered. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Sheer | The man had to climb a sheer | | | descent of rock. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Sew | I need to sew the costumes for | | | the play. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Sow | You will reap what you sow. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | So | Give me some money so that I can | | | buy lunch. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Soul | He poured his soul into his art. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Sole | She was the sole provider for the | | | children. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Stationery | I went to the stationery store to | | | get office supplies. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Stationary | She was stationary at the | | | stoplight. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Tail | The tail end of the car spun | | | around and hit the curb. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Tale | She told a tall tale about how | | | t