Court Reporters in Washington DC – A Demanding Profession

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Shari Broussard

How To Become A Court Reporter in Washington, DC

Washington, DC has some of the best court reporting agencies in the world. However, court reporters in Washington DC have an extremely challenging and time-consuming job. Their job is to document the record for those who require legal services, and with so many people in need, there are no breaks.

Washington DC court reporters must gain a strong education and a wide range of experience before they become an effective reporter. In order to become a certified court reporter, the individual must be able to achieve a typing speed of 225 words per minute by the end of training to even qualify for a position as a court reporter in San Francisco or DC.

In addition to all the in-courtroom services they’re responsible for, court reporters in Washington, DC must travel to and from law firms, government buildings, court houses, and even corporations. They are constantly on the move, providing essential services to individuals involved in the legal and litigation process. A high quality court reporting agency will have the ability provide these services remotely through a reliable in-person court reporter.

Washington, DC’s court reporters are highly regarded because they wear so many hats in the courtroom. Once they become certified, court reporters in Washington, DC must experience all different types of litigation and provide real-time service if they are to be a paragon of expert court reporting. From using the latest technology to provide HD video of a deposition to providing secure and accurate legal records, court reporters in Washington, DC must always be able to handle many different types of cases.

Thinking about becoming a court reporter in Washington, DC? Before you make a decision, think hard and consider if you’re willing to make the commitment. If you are, it’s a uniquely satisfying position and you’ll make a huge difference in the lives of many people. Additionally, court reporter employment is expected to grow in the next decade due to the constant demand for precise transcription of legal events.

Capital Reporting Company | National Court Reporting Company on Storage Wars

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Shari Broussard
Capital Reporting Company was featured on A & E’s Storage Wars: New York.  The following clip portrays court reporters from Capital Reporting Company, a national court reporting company!

Court Reporters in Washington DC – First Steps in Hiring

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Jill Cohen
If you’re in search of a good Washington DC court reporter, your first steps in hiring could make or break your court case. Here are five essential firm traits to look for before you retain a court reporter in Washington DC

1. Full Array of Services

Selecting certain services from multiple court reporters in Washington DC will turn into a headache fast. Instead, choose a single court reporting agency that will provide everything you’ll need at a moment’s notice. Keep your eyes peeled for the following services all offered by a single experienced court reporting agency:

§ Court reporting

§ Videography

§ Live Streaming

§ Case management

§ Transcription

Why not have access to all of these crucial services through one experienced court reporting agency? Doing so will make life much easier for you and your staff.

2. Online Access

A good Washington DC court reporting company will have the ability for you to manage all of your services online. For example, you should be able to book a deposition and check an invoice simply by logging onto your secure webpage. Additionally, the best court reporters in Washington, D.C. will be able to provide your transcripts in a digital format, and upload them for you.

3. National and International Coverage

Good court reporters in Washington DC will be able to cover your depositions in any state, or in any country. Even though you may originally simply need a court reporter in Washington, D.C., the fact remains that your case may have litigation demands elsewhere. Accordingly, a solid court reporting company can help you anywhere your case takes you.

4. Good Past Performance

When considering different court reporting companies in the District of Columbia, make sure to check on the company’s past performance. Has the court reporting company worked for small firms and large firms? Have they handled this same type of case before? Ask yourself these questions before making your choice. Look for a comprehensive list of other law firms that a court reporting firm has worked with as well as awards from The National Law Journal and The Recorder.

5. Works With Government Clients

Washington DC is the heart of politics and government in the United States. A strong court reporting agency in Washington DC will have government clients, and at least a partial list available online. Being approved to work with agencies like the Department of Homeland Security of the United States Library of Congress suggests a wealth of experience and a firm that has a record of success.

There are many court reporters in Washington DC to choose from. If you can find a firm that fulfills all five of the above traits, you’ll give yourself the greatest chance to win your case and relieve stress while you do it!

3 Tips for Evaluating Court Reporting Costs by Beth Janbergs

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Evaluating Court Reporter Costs: 3 Tips To Keep Costs Reasonable & Vendors Honest

Is the best court reporting company one that keeps costs low? Yes – and no. Comparing companies isn’t always as straightforward as it seems. Attorneys looking for the most bang for their buck should be aware of these 3 simple tips to keep costs reasonable and vendors honest. Always remember, there is a big difference between “perceived value” of the page rates that court reporting companies post and the “actual value” of the same page rate.

It’s important to know that some states regulate the court reporting industry and identify certain formatting requirements; California, for example, requires that transcripts contain 56 characters per line and 25 lines per page. In other jurisdictions, transcripts may contain 22 characters per line. But in states without regulations, unscrupulous vendors can set the margins as wide as they want. A wider margin means fewer characters per line, which in turn means more pages – and more cost for you and your client.

Even in states with strict standards, some court reporting companies may try to pad their pricing. Be sure to scrutinize witness introductions, exhibit marking, and other blurbs or parentheticals. Most court reporting companies have their own style, but some add an unnecessary amount of words to increase their page count. Other places ripe for padding are the title and appearance pages of transcripts where double spacing can increase the page count quickly!

Many court reporter agencies also claim to offer “free” services, but actually make up the charges in other ways. Conference rooms, expedited transcripts, and a host of other “freebies” can actually end up costing you – and your client – a lot more than you might think.

Trying to find the best court reporting company can be tough, especially when you have to compare costs that are not often easily identified. Keep these 3 tips in mind when considering a court reporting company:

1) Determine the number of characters per line and lines per page. The District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and Chicago are among the areas that don’t regulate transcript formatting, so it’s especially important to be thorough when you’re looking for the best court reporting company. If a vendor is not transparent about its characters per line and lines per page, be wary.

2) Be mindful of format padding. Speaker changes, exhibit marking, and indentations are all ways that vendors with high perceived value can lead you astray. Make sure to examine title and appearance pages for extra spacing or unnecessary speakers being listed.

3) Understand and evaluate the services provided. Service plays an important role in trying to find the best court reporting company, but keep an eye out for misleading charges. And remember, late court reporters, late transcripts, and poor quality transcripts are a waste of time and resources.

Attorneys should evaluate vendor charges as part of providing the best possible service to their clients. Finding the best court reporting services for your client may seem daunting at times, but just remember that the work you put in now will save you and your client time and money down the road.