Important Questions To Ask When Choosing County Court Reporters There is no one who can replace the important role that the court reporters play in the legal system. If this is your first time to hire one, it is wise to start off by knowing the important things that you need to consider when hiring a court reporter. As a litigator, you may need to hire a certified court reporter for litigation, deposition, and other legal or judicial proceedings every now and then. There are a lot of court reporting firms in and nearby Georgia. And not all of them are highly reliable and competitive. You must be careful in selecting who to hire and which firm to choose. To help you find the right candidate, we have here some tips and a few important questions that you can use whenever you need to hire reliable and professional county court reporters.
Can you cater last minute schedule? There may be times in the future that you need to hire a court reporter for last-minute proceedings. Make sure that the court reporting firm you are working with can cater your needs whenever you have to schedule a court reporter only a few days before the court proceeding.
How do you protect client privacy and confidentiality? A court reporting firm should be able to maintain and thoroughly protect client privacy and confidentiality. Make sure that the firm religiously maintains and observes the highest standards of ethics and professionalism and that no one in their team will disclose any of your confidential and sensitive information.
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How much do I need to pay to order a transcript and to hire certified court reporter? Before hiring a court reporter, you have to first ask for the cost of ordering a transcript and hiring a court reporter. Other firms may charge you more for a low-quality transcript while others can provide you with a good price for an excellent output. The firm should be able to give you a quote for the appearance fee, per page rate for a transcript, and the charge for other extra services provided.
What is your turn-around time? It is important that you know the firm's turn-around time, especially for expedited transcripts. Ask the firm if they can be able to deliver transcripts on an expedited or rush basis. ​ ​
Are your court reporters trained and certified? There is a strict rule in the State of Georgia when it comes to court reporting firms and court reporters. If you are not a certified court reporter or perhaps you do not have any emergency judicial permit, the state suggests that you may not engage in court reporting practice.
Before working in the field, a court reporter may need to get a certification for machine shorthand, voice writing, and/or any method authorized by law. Court reporters are also required to have appropriate education, and to undergo extensive training.
How long have you been in the industry? The background and the experience of the court reporting firm or the individual court reporter are critical to the success and the quality of the task you want to be done. You would want a firm that has been in the industry for quite some time already and that has a team of highly experienced professional national court reporters.
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If you are looking for excellent court reporters who can provide you with the best services in town, you would never want to hire an incompetent court reporter or perhaps be the first client of a new court reporting firm. Look for a firm that has an established background in the court reporting industry and has an excellent track record. Do a thorough background check first before hiring the potential court reporter.