If you are an attorney that is trying to craft a deposition, you likely don't want to have to worry about doing it multiple times. You want to do it once, do it right, and then use the court recording many times in the future should you need it. However, in order to do this, you are going to need a court recording of your deposition that is clear, easy to understand, and relatively succinct. Here are some tips for making sure that your deposition is recorded as well as possible.
1. Make Sure That You Get a Clear Yes or No for Each Answer
If you are asking any yes or no questions, you need to be sure that your witness or anyone else that you have prepped for the deposition is ready to answer to with a clear "yes" or "no." An "uh huh" or any other form of affirmative isn't going to work because the court reporter is unable to actually write that down. You are not going to get a full report of your deposition if you are not getting clear answers.
2. Take Short Breaks
No one can focus for hours on end without making mistakes. Some attorneys will order food and have it delivered rather than take a break. The problem is that a reporter is unable to actually partake in the food while he or she is reporting, which means that he or she is going to be going on very little food. Instead, schedule breaks every few hours into your deposition. An alert court reporter will help ensure the quality of your deposition recording.
3. Don't Speed Read
Make sure that you practice reading any documents that you need to quote from out loud and at a normal pace. This will allow you to make sure that you do not accidentally read too quickly so that the court reporter is not able to keep up. By practicing reading documents at a normal speed, you will help increase the chances that you get a highly accurate recording.
4. Provide Lists of Acronyms and Jargon Ahead of Time
Finally, be sure that you provide lists of any acronyms and jargon that you are going to be using in your deposition to the court reporter ahead of time in order to make sure that he or she is able to prepare for the deposition and give you the most accurate recording as possible.
For more information, talk to a company like Farrell Court Reporting that specializes in court reporting services.
