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Every line rests on the sources in Court reporting setups by job type (https://depostack.com/blog/court-reporting-setups-by-job/). The rules that govern your proceeding, and your certifying body’s guidance, control.

Stenographic

Before the job

  • Confirm your state licenses or certifies your method for this kind of job. Every job. Sources
  • Make sure the deposition notice states the recording method, and names the operator where required. In-person deposition; Remote deposition. Sources
  • Confirm what allows remote participation here: notice, stipulation, court order, or rule. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Find out where the witness is, how the oath may be given there, and how you'll check ID on camera. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Get the court's written realtime spec: protocol, baud rate, wired or wireless, and whether the court has installed the router or you supply it. Court hearing or trial. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Agree with the videographer who reads the opening, who swears the witness on camera, and how media changes are announced. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Confirm the interpretation mode before testimony; consecutive puts the English on the record. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Ask whether a recording of the foreign-language testimony is required or requested, and who makes it. Court hearing or trial. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Agree in writing who hired you, whether any file is produced, to whom, and how long it's kept. CART or captioning. Sources
  • Don't provide CART and take the official record at the same time; if you must, say so on the record. CART or captioning. Sources
  • For a jail or prison, get written approval ahead for each device, any recording, and your cords. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Ask counsel whether a protective order covers the medical records and whether its return-or-destroy terms reach you. IME or medical-content job. Sources
  • Ask at the start whether any AI notetaker or recording tool is in use, and address it on the record. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Tell counsel at the start that you stay on the record until all counsel agree to go off. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Agree with the judge how you'll interrupt when the record is at risk. Court hearing or trial. Sources

Capture kit

  • Connect the writer to the laptop by USB, and pair Bluetooth as a fallback. Every job. Sources
  • Use the writer's USB realtime connection, not a USB virtual serial port, so strokes from an unplugged bench conference arrive on reconnect; outside CATalyst, check with your CAT vendor. Court hearing or trial. Sources
  • Don't rely on venue guest Wi-Fi between writer and laptop; client isolation blocks it. In-person deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • If your writer runs on a Backup SD card (the Luminex II does), carry a spare; a laptop's built-in card slot can't read it. Every job. Sources
  • Check your laptop against your CAT vendor's published spec, including Mac, ARM, and Chromebook limits. Every job. Sources
  • Apply your CAT vendor's power settings so the laptop and its USB ports never sleep. Every job. Sources
  • Line up your timestamps with the videographer's time reference, and check how your CAT program does it. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Offer the interpreter a realtime screen where allowed. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Test any external display before you book, use enlarged text with no brackets around untranslates, and blank it while defining. CART or captioning. Sources
  • Keep the display out of view during sidebars, attorney-client talk, and deliberations. CART or captioning. Sources
  • Set up team editing with your scopist and confirm their CAT version can play your audio. Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources

Audio and monitoring

  • Record backup audio as a checking aid where allowed, and remember it isn't the record. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Lay one boundary mic mid-table for every 4 to 6 people, ideally with no one more than 3 feet away. In-person deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Set levels the way your recorder's manual says (Zoom: peaks near -12 dB; Tascam: meter centred on -12 without PEAK), or use a safety track or 32-bit float. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Ask people to keep papers and tapping away from the mics, and use your judgment to interrupt when no record is being made. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Ask the videographer ahead for the mixer audio, and agree whether it's a live feed or a file. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Don't add video-mic pickup you didn't hear unless all parties agree in writing. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Take audio from the room's mixer or an assistive listening device into your headphones. CART or captioning. Sources

Remote platform and connection

  • Ask to be the host, use a waiting room, and lock the meeting once everyone is in. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Put your name and license number in your display name, stay on camera, and use gallery view. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Take a roll for the appearance page and mark each person remote or in person. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Consider reminding everyone, before going on the record, that no one else may record unless it was noticed or agreed. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Don't run the platform's recording over any party's objection. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Capture platform audio into your CAT program with its virtual cable or loopback feature. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Monitor on headphones, not speakers: a feed sent to a speaker can echo, and some loopback setups garble without headphones. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Expect breakout rooms to be missing from a cloud recording. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • On another firm's Teams meeting, plan your own capture; guests can't start the recording. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Check your mic's noise suppression; Zoom's High setting removes background speech. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • When a connection drops, say so on the record and invite the parties to repeat what was said. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Download marked exhibits during breaks; platform access can expire. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • In a hybrid room, let one device carry the room's audio and have the others leave computer audio. In-person deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Consider a second computer that runs only the meeting for the people in the room. In-person deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • If the interpreter uses the platform's interpretation channel, check what your recording will capture. Every job. With: Interpreter present; Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • For captions in Zoom, get the caption API token from the host before the start. CART or captioning. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Use a wired connection, check its speed, and put the router and laptop on a battery backup. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Keep a phone hotspot or the dial-in number ready as a fallback. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources

Realtime, drafts, and daily copy

  • For counsel in the room, use a local router path that doesn't depend on venue Wi-Fi. In-person deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Send the cloud realtime link only to the parties who ordered it. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered; Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Run the bench feed wired where the court requires it, with the adapter it names. Court hearing or trial. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Pre-test every viewer, including counsel's, before proceedings begin. Court hearing or trial. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Label realtime and rough output unedited and uncertified, with no title, appearance, or certificate pages. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Resolve untranslates and undefined voice commands before you send a rough draft. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Offer comparable draft and realtime services to every party. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Plan the daily-copy team before trial: scopist, proofreader, or alternating reporter where allowed. Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Ask for appearances each day and keep a running word list. Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources

Power and backup

  • Know your writer's rated runtime and what switches off when the battery runs low. Every job. Sources
  • Bring a power strip with a long cord, and tape for the cables. Every job. Sources
  • Carry spares of the essentials: cables, chargers, and a backup writer, mask path, or recorder if you can. Every job. Sources
  • Budget recorder batteries from the maker's figure for your actual load (track count, phantom power, headphones), not the headline. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Keep a backup computer and a backup writer or mask path ready, plus backup power such as a UPS. CART or captioning. Sources
  • Assume there's no outlet: charge everything and plan battery for the whole day. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Carry spare lithium batteries and power banks in the cabin, and check each Wh label. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Turn on your CAT program's autosave or auto-recover, and know where the copy lands. Every job. Sources

Files, security, and retention

  • Back up job files off the laptop daily to an encrypted drive or service, and keep one copy elsewhere. Every job. Sources
  • Encrypt external drives on their own; Windows device encryption doesn't cover them. Every job. Sources
  • Use MFA, current antivirus, and a passcode on every work device. Every job. Sources
  • Send transcripts, audio, and exhibits by encrypted email or file transfer. Every job. Sources
  • When you must delete files, delete them from cloud backups too. Every job. Sources
  • If you release backup audio, release a copy and keep the original, offer it to every party, and remove off-record talk first. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Keep notes and recordings for the period your statute or court sets. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Give no CART file in a legal setting without a court order, and delete files after confidential sessions. CART or captioning. Sources
  • Plan return or destruction of medical exhibits across every copy: cards, laptop, cloud, and scopist. IME or medical-content job. Sources
  • Don't upload proceeding content to AI or cloud tools without authorization. Every job. Sources

On the record

  • Swear the interpreter first, and mark which language each answer is in. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Don't correct the interpretation; interrupt only if no record is being made. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Note the videographer's on- and off-video announcements, with times. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources

Voice writing

Before the job

  • Confirm your state licenses or certifies your method for this kind of job. Every job. Sources
  • Check that this state accepts voice writing for the job; Illinois, for one, does not license it. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Make sure the deposition notice states the recording method, and names the operator where required. In-person deposition; Remote deposition. Sources
  • Confirm what allows remote participation here: notice, stipulation, court order, or rule. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Find out where the witness is, how the oath may be given there, and how you'll check ID on camera. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Get the court's written realtime spec: protocol, baud rate, wired or wireless, and whether the court has installed the router or you supply it. Court hearing or trial. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Agree with the videographer who reads the opening, who swears the witness on camera, and how media changes are announced. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • In Florida, plan a stenographic record alongside video unless every party agrees otherwise; we found no authority on whether voice counts. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Confirm the interpretation mode before testimony; consecutive puts the English on the record. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Ask whether a recording of the foreign-language testimony is required or requested, and who makes it. Court hearing or trial. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Agree in writing who hired you, whether any file is produced, to whom, and how long it's kept. CART or captioning. Sources
  • Don't provide CART and take the official record at the same time; if you must, say so on the record. CART or captioning. Sources
  • For a jail or prison, get written approval ahead for each device, any recording, and your cords. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Ask counsel whether a protective order covers the medical records and whether its return-or-destroy terms reach you. IME or medical-content job. Sources
  • Ask at the start whether any AI notetaker or recording tool is in use, and address it on the record. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Tell counsel at the start that you stay on the record until all counsel agree to go off. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Agree with the judge how you'll interrupt when the record is at risk. Court hearing or trial. Sources

Capture kit

  • Check your laptop against your CAT vendor's published spec, including Mac, ARM, and Chromebook limits. Every job. Sources
  • Apply your CAT vendor's power settings so the laptop and its USB ports never sleep. Every job. Sources
  • Run the mask through a USB mask or a USB audio adapter, which recognizes better than a standard sound card, plugged straight into the laptop, not a hub. Every job. Sources
  • Set Dragon to Dictation mode and turn off its automatic mic level. Every job. Sources
  • Check the mask seal, and dictate below your normal voice but above a whisper. Every job. Sources
  • Have someone confirm you can't be heard from two feet away. Every job. Sources
  • If your recognition engine can work in the cloud, decide before the job whether this client needs local processing. Every job. Sources
  • Line up your timestamps with the videographer's time reference, and check how your CAT program does it. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Offer the interpreter a realtime screen where allowed. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Lag a few words behind the speaker before repeating, to avoid false starts. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Test any external display before you book, use enlarged text with no brackets around untranslates, and blank it while defining. CART or captioning. Sources
  • Keep the display out of view during sidebars, attorney-client talk, and deliberations. CART or captioning. Sources
  • Set up team editing with your scopist and confirm their CAT version can play your audio. Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources

Audio and monitoring

  • Record backup audio as a checking aid where allowed, and remember it isn't the record. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Lay one boundary mic mid-table for every 4 to 6 people, ideally with no one more than 3 feet away. In-person deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Record your voice and the room on separate inputs, and check you picked the room device. Every job. Sources
  • Send the mask's second output to a handheld recorder. Every job. Sources
  • Set levels the way your recorder's manual says (Zoom: peaks near -12 dB; Tascam: meter centred on -12 without PEAK), or use a safety track or 32-bit float. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Ask people to keep papers and tapping away from the mics, and use your judgment to interrupt when no record is being made. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Ask the videographer ahead for the mixer audio, and agree whether it's a live feed or a file. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Don't add video-mic pickup you didn't hear unless all parties agree in writing. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Take audio from the room's mixer or an assistive listening device into your headphones. CART or captioning. Sources

Remote platform and connection

  • Ask to be the host, use a waiting room, and lock the meeting once everyone is in. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Put your name and license number in your display name, stay on camera, and use gallery view. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Take a roll for the appearance page and mark each person remote or in person. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Consider reminding everyone, before going on the record, that no one else may record unless it was noticed or agreed. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Don't run the platform's recording over any party's objection. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Capture platform audio into your CAT program with its virtual cable or loopback feature. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Monitor on headphones, not speakers: a feed sent to a speaker can echo, and some loopback setups garble without headphones. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Never select the mask as the platform microphone; keep a separate mic you can mute for the oath and interruptions. DepoStack suggestion. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Expect breakout rooms to be missing from a cloud recording. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • On another firm's Teams meeting, plan your own capture; guests can't start the recording. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Check your mic's noise suppression; Zoom's High setting removes background speech. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • When a connection drops, say so on the record and invite the parties to repeat what was said. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Download marked exhibits during breaks; platform access can expire. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • In a hybrid room, let one device carry the room's audio and have the others leave computer audio. In-person deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Consider a second computer that runs only the meeting for the people in the room. In-person deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • If the interpreter uses the platform's interpretation channel, check what your recording will capture. Every job. With: Interpreter present; Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • For captions in Zoom, get the caption API token from the host before the start. CART or captioning. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Use a wired connection, check its speed, and put the router and laptop on a battery backup. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Keep a phone hotspot or the dial-in number ready as a fallback. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources

Realtime, drafts, and daily copy

  • For counsel in the room, use a local router path that doesn't depend on venue Wi-Fi. In-person deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Send the cloud realtime link only to the parties who ordered it. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered; Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Run the bench feed wired where the court requires it, with the adapter it names. Court hearing or trial. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Pre-test every viewer, including counsel's, before proceedings begin. Court hearing or trial. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Label realtime and rough output unedited and uncertified, with no title, appearance, or certificate pages. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Resolve untranslates and undefined voice commands before you send a rough draft. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Offer comparable draft and realtime services to every party. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Turn on your CAT program's faster-drop feature and time how long your text takes to appear. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • Plan the daily-copy team before trial: scopist, proofreader, or alternating reporter where allowed. Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Ask for appearances each day and keep a running word list. Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources

Power and backup

  • Bring a power strip with a long cord, and tape for the cables. Every job. Sources
  • Carry spares of the essentials: cables, chargers, and a backup writer, mask path, or recorder if you can. Every job. Sources
  • Budget recorder batteries from the maker's figure for your actual load (track count, phantom power, headphones), not the headline. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Keep a backup computer and a backup writer or mask path ready, plus backup power such as a UPS. CART or captioning. Sources
  • Assume there's no outlet: charge everything and plan battery for the whole day. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Carry spare lithium batteries and power banks in the cabin, and check each Wh label. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Turn on your CAT program's autosave or auto-recover, and know where the copy lands. Every job. Sources

Files, security, and retention

  • Back up job files off the laptop daily to an encrypted drive or service, and keep one copy elsewhere. Every job. Sources
  • Encrypt external drives on their own; Windows device encryption doesn't cover them. Every job. Sources
  • Use MFA, current antivirus, and a passcode on every work device. Every job. Sources
  • Send transcripts, audio, and exhibits by encrypted email or file transfer. Every job. Sources
  • When you must delete files, delete them from cloud backups too. Every job. Sources
  • If you release backup audio, release a copy and keep the original, offer it to every party, and remove off-record talk first. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Keep notes and recordings for the period your statute or court sets. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Give no CART file in a legal setting without a court order, and delete files after confidential sessions. CART or captioning. Sources
  • Plan return or destruction of medical exhibits across every copy: cards, laptop, cloud, and scopist. IME or medical-content job. Sources
  • Don't upload proceeding content to AI or cloud tools without authorization. Every job. Sources

On the record

  • Swear the interpreter first, and mark which language each answer is in. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Don't correct the interpretation; interrupt only if no record is being made. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Note the videographer's on- and off-video announcements, with times. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources

Digital reporting

Before the job

  • Confirm your state licenses or certifies your method for this kind of job. Every job. Sources
  • Check whether a digital-only deposition needs party agreement or a court order where you are. In-person deposition; Remote deposition. Sources
  • Get the court's recording order and standard; in court you usually record on its installed system. Court hearing or trial. Sources
  • Make sure the deposition notice states the recording method, and names the operator where required. In-person deposition; Remote deposition. Sources
  • Confirm what allows remote participation here: notice, stipulation, court order, or rule. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Find out where the witness is, how the oath may be given there, and how you'll check ID on camera. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Agree with the videographer who reads the opening, who swears the witness on camera, and how media changes are announced. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • In Florida, plan a stenographic record alongside video unless every party agrees otherwise; we found no authority on whether voice counts. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Confirm the interpretation mode before testimony; consecutive puts the English on the record. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Ask whether a recording of the foreign-language testimony is required or requested, and who makes it. Court hearing or trial. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • CART is live text, and a recording alone doesn't provide it. Point live-captioning requests to a CART provider. CART or captioning. Sources
  • A recording produces no live text. If realtime was ordered, tell the client before the job. Every job. With: Realtime or rough draft ordered. Sources
  • For a jail or prison, get written approval ahead for each device, any recording, and your cords. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Ask counsel whether a protective order covers the medical records and whether its return-or-destroy terms reach you. IME or medical-content job. Sources
  • Ask at the start whether any AI notetaker or recording tool is in use, and address it on the record. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Tell counsel at the start that you stay on the record until all counsel agree to go off. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Agree with the judge how you'll interrupt when the record is at risk. Court hearing or trial. Sources

Capture kit

  • Give each speaking party a mic on its own channel, plus a table mic. In-person deposition; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Record at least four isolated channels in a courtroom unless the court's standard lets it suspend that minimum. Court hearing or trial. Sources
  • Keep time-stamped log notes: speakers, spellings, exhibits, and on and off the record. Every job. Sources
  • Restate the officer's opening at the start of each new recording unit. In-person deposition; Remote deposition. Sources
  • Keep your own multichannel recording; take the videographer's mix as an extra input if offered. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Put the interpreter on a different channel from the witness, and manage mutes so private talk isn't recorded. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources

Audio and monitoring

  • Set levels the way your recorder's manual says (Zoom: peaks near -12 dB; Tascam: meter centred on -12 without PEAK), or use a safety track or 32-bit float. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Monitor the recorded signal on headphones, not the room, and watch a level meter for every mic. Every job. Sources
  • Monitor on headphones without active noise cancelling. Every job. Sources
  • Record WAV, not MP3, at 44.1 kHz/16-bit or better, so channels stay separate. Every job. Sources
  • Use push-to-mute (momentary) mics, not toggle switches. Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Ask people to keep papers and tapping away from the mics, and use your judgment to interrupt when no record is being made. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Ask the videographer ahead for the mixer audio, and agree whether it's a live feed or a file. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Don't add video-mic pickup you didn't hear unless all parties agree in writing. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Mic each person in the room and put the platform audio on its own channel. In-person deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources

Remote platform and connection

  • Ask to be the host, use a waiting room, and lock the meeting once everyone is in. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Put your name and license number in your display name, stay on camera, and use gallery view. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Take a roll for the appearance page and mark each person remote or in person. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Consider reminding everyone, before going on the record, that no one else may record unless it was noticed or agreed. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Monitor on headphones, not speakers: a feed sent to a speaker can echo, and some loopback setups garble without headphones. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • If you host on Zoom, turn on separate audio files per participant, and test it on your own account first. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Ask participants to join by computer audio; phone dial-ins merge into one track. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • If you record locally, don't close or sleep the laptop until Zoom finishes converting. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Expect breakout rooms to be missing from a cloud recording. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • On another firm's Teams meeting, plan your own capture; guests can't start the recording. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Check your mic's noise suppression; Zoom's High setting removes background speech. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Feed your backup recorder from a separate signal or network, such as a phone on cellular. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • When a connection drops, say so on the record and invite the parties to repeat what was said. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Download marked exhibits during breaks; platform access can expire. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • In a hybrid room, let one device carry the room's audio and have the others leave computer audio. In-person deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • If the interpreter uses the platform's interpretation channel, check what your recording will capture. Every job. With: Interpreter present; Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Use a wired connection, check its speed, and put the router and laptop on a battery backup. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources
  • Keep a phone hotspot or the dial-in number ready as a fallback. Every job. With: Remote participants (remote or hybrid). Sources

Realtime, drafts, and daily copy

  • Plan the daily-copy team before trial: scopist, proofreader, or alternating reporter where allowed. Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Ask for appearances each day and keep a running word list. Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources

Power and backup

  • Bring a power strip with a long cord, and tape for the cables. Every job. Sources
  • Carry spares of the essentials: cables, chargers, and a backup writer, mask path, or recorder if you can. Every job. Sources
  • Run an independent, battery-powered backup recorder outside the main audio chain. Every job. Sources
  • Write the recording to two storage devices at once. Every job. Sources
  • Budget recorder batteries from the maker's figure for your actual load (track count, phantom power, headphones), not the headline. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Assume there's no outlet: charge everything and plan battery for the whole day. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Carry spare lithium batteries and power banks in the cabin, and check each Wh label. Every job. With: No power, travel, or a restricted site (jail, prison, field). Sources
  • Know your fallback if the system fails: spare computer, laptop recorder, or backup recorder with handwritten log notes. Court hearing or trial. Sources

Files, security, and retention

  • Back up job files off the laptop daily to an encrypted drive or service, and keep one copy elsewhere. Every job. Sources
  • Encrypt external drives on their own; Windows device encryption doesn't cover them. Every job. Sources
  • Use MFA, current antivirus, and a passcode on every work device. Every job. Sources
  • Send transcripts, audio, and exhibits by encrypted email or file transfer. Every job. Sources
  • When you must delete files, delete them from cloud backups too. Every job. Sources
  • Keep notes and recordings for the period your statute or court sets. In-person deposition; Remote deposition; Court hearing or trial; Arbitration, EUO, or statement; IME or medical-content job; Public meeting or hearing; Multi-day or complex litigation. Sources
  • Log each handoff of audio, notes, and exhibits: who, when, and how. Every job. Sources
  • Send the transcriber the audio, log notes, and appearance sheet, in open formats. Every job. Sources
  • Plan return or destruction of medical exhibits across every copy: cards, laptop, cloud, and scopist. IME or medical-content job. Sources
  • Don't upload proceeding content to AI or cloud tools without authorization. Every job. Sources

On the record

  • Swear the interpreter first, and mark which language each answer is in. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Don't correct the interpretation; interrupt only if no record is being made. Every job. With: Interpreter present. Sources
  • Note the videographer's on- and off-video announcements, with times. Every job. With: Legal videographer present. Sources
  • Record sidebars unless the judge orders otherwise, and log each speaker. Court hearing or trial. Sources

A checklist, sourced line by line.

The picker draws on one long Field Note, Court reporting setups by job type, which sets out what statutes, court rules, licensing boards, professional bodies and makers’ own documentation say about each method and job. Each line here links to the section that sources it. Products are never named in the checklist; where the guide names one, it is an example of what that maker’s documentation says, not a recommendation.

Some lines are checks rather than setups: where a rule limits a method for a job, the checklist says to check your jurisdiction and links the rules. The checklist is a starting point, not legal advice, and it does not certify anything: the record is the reporter’s or the transcriber’s work.

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These tools are free and need no account. DepoStack is also building software for court reporters: Exhibits by DepoStack, Transcript by DepoStack and Video by DepoStack. What they mean for a freelance reporter.