Posts Tagged ‘Reporting’

What To Know About Court Reporting

June 17th, 2010

The job of court reporting is very worthwhile. Someone is always desired to document what goes on during a trial. This can be done with what is called short hand so nothing is missed when the reporter is typing. Voice recording is the other type of documenting and this is when everything that is said from the witnesses, the judge and the attorneys is recorded at during the proceedings.

The task of being a court reporter is not an easy one. He or she will be getting a two year degree before even having enough training. This degree is the same as any other degree. The same basic classes of English, science, history and math will still be required for the education of the student.

Being successful at voice recognition after learning how to do it will be a necessary ability for the students of court reporting. The voice writing is so very technical that 3-4 hours are needed to be spent on completing homework a night. To be successful in using the short hand the candidate will need to go to school for two to four years at least to know enough about the craft.

Experience under an apprentice is needed before a court reporter is given a job, even with a degree. Practice of the skills they have learned is still necessary, even after training with an apprentice. They will need to improve their skills by attending classes.

These court reporters are going to need to be very fast typists. There are two different associations that require their members to type over 200 words per minute. One organization requires them to type 225 words per minute while the other needs to type 250. The one with the higher words requires its members to record verbatim what is said in the courtroom.

Reporting as as freelance is what many have chosen to do. There is a lot of work that is done outside of the courtroom because of the abilities they have. These trancriptionists can type for services at churches or broadcasts. They are willing to help the deaf by typing what is said on the TV for the networks. Journalism is a draw for these people as well due to the skill set they possess. Lots of different things need both fast typing and great listening ability.

An annual salary of thirty to sixty thousand is possible for a court reporter. More money can be made by a recent program that has been made for these trancriptionists. Witnesses can purchase the work of the reporter for more research should be needed. This will provide residual income for typists. They can continue to make money even after they are done with a case.

Court reporting is a very necessary profession. It allows the court proceedings to be recorded so they can be accessed later. It makes the court system flow smoothly because of the organization they bring to the legal system. It would not be as efficient as it is now without these reporters. This is certainly a job that will remain around for the long haul.

Finding the best litigation support services is crucial to succeeding in the legal community. From real-time reporting to streaming live videos, our superior court reporter services provide documentation, information, and consultation to all clients.


Litigation Support Is Here To Help

May 9th, 2010

Litigation support 101 is all about assisting attorneys and their law staff with the modern computer resources they need for the winning edge they need in this competitive legal system. If you can remember going to law library then you need all the help you can adapting to new computer resources.

The law library is now on your computer screen thanks to paid services that bring the law library to you.

However, you need now more than online research resources to make you competitive is this legal technological world you practice in because no matter how good you case is or how effective your staff is. The side that wins knows how to make technology work for them.

Automated litigation support is an umbrella term used to describe the simplest of word processing programs to the most complex trial presentation software used in highly complex jury trials.

The automated system can be used to match your deposition testimony with on screen presentations to make a cohesive verbal and visual presentation to grab and keep the attention of any jury.

Part of the challenge with a complex jury trial is taking the facts and presenting them so that the jury will be able to understand the issues, the facts, and the law, as they pertain to your client’s case.

But this program does more than put together presentations for jury trials. It helps keep your cases organized. If you have ever lost hours looking for files, telephone numbers, client notes or records, you know how frustrating it is and how each time you pledge to create a better system of organization.

This program will help you organize you files so you will have all your information on your computer monitor whenever you need it. You will be able to pull up phone conversations, documents, filing deadlines, and any and all information you need for your case.

You do not need a computer science degree to use the system, so breathe a sigh of relief. It is simple to use; your case information is easy to input and easy to access when you need it. This makes it different from other software on the market that was built for the computer minded it would seem.

Many programs on the market are created by individuals with a computer mindset. This is not there fault that their systems require lawyers to adapt to their software rather than adopting their software to the legal profession.

This program is made for the legal field so you will not have to adapt a new way of thinking in order to get all you can from it.

If you are a litigation veteran or if you are just starting out in this challenging area of law, this system will serve you well. If you are a paralegal and you know how to use this program, you will greatly increase your value in your law office.

Litigation support 101 is the program every law office needs to have the winning edge.

Finding the best court reporting services is crucial to succeeding in the legal community. From real-time reporting to streaming live videos, our superior litigation support services team provides stellar documentation, information, and consultation to all clients.


Are There Any Places That Provide Litigation Support Services?

April 12th, 2010

No one enjoys having to go to court, for any reason. There are, however, situations where doing so cannot be avoided. When you find yourself facing such an event, it can be very hard to understand everything that might be going on. If this is the case, then you may find yourself needing litigation support services.

These types of services can be of great benefit to people. They help you wade through the legal morass, to enable you to understand exactly what is going on. They can assist you ever step of the way and keep you apprised of exactly what to expect next.

They anticipate obstacles and will let you know ahead of time the best way to handle them. They are also knowledgeable on any type of paperwork that my be needed by the courts. This means they can help you put it all together, in advance, to save a lot of hassles and frustration.

The litigation support will consult with you to discover how to best use technology. Taking their advice can definitely be to your advantage. Their assistance will be ongoing, they stay with you through the entire process. The litigation support services specialize in speed and efficiency to help their clients.

You may never have considered needing such a thing, but there are places that specialize in these services. A person involved in a court proceeding should never be left alone and guessing what they need to do next. They even assist with trial presentations, so you know everything is being handled professionally.

If there is some special equipment needed for your case, they know where to find it. They will handle all trial presentations accurately and speedily. If an expert is needed, they will make sure to find the right one. They have no problem finding the best person in any given field.

On the rare occasion you find yourself involved in a court case, you should make sure you have litigation support services. They can help you cut through the red-tape and keep your piece of mind intact. These professionals are always ahead of the game.

Finding the best court reporting services is crucial to succeeding in the legal community. From real-time reporting to streaming live videos, our superior court reporter team provides stellar documentation, information, and consultation to all clients.


There Are Many Who Needs Litigation Support Services

February 20th, 2010

Many different things may crop up to where a litigation service might be needed. There are a lot of companies and professionals that will discover that they need to take advantage of this type of service. So who needs litigation support services is explored below.

Lawyers are probably the most common group that relies on this type of service. They benefit from the help of paralegals, court recorders, expert witnesses, etc. All of which are considered to be part of litigation services. But; lawyers are not the only ones who can benefit from litigation services.

Occasionally nursing homes may find themselves in need of litigation for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they will hire this type of business to help them organize their administrative management, problems with the quality of care and to offer consultations on overall clinical care.

Companies that have extremely sensitive material stored on computers and servers, it is sometimes a wise thing to hire a litigation service to either help avoid any type of security breaches, or they might be called in to investigate a breach of security.

The medical world especially when it comes to doctors and dentists can be hit hard by malpractice suits that a litigation service is hired to help them recover from such a hard hit, or to help them win their case with the support of expert witnesses.

Sports equipment and the places that either use them or sell them can all at one time or another find themselves in need of litigation services. It could be anything from faulty equipment to improper training on using the equipment.

A large chunk of litigation services are probably seen handling issues for construction companies that deal with contractors that do HVAC, plumbing, electrical wiring, etc. There are many times that faulty equipment and procedures may be questioned and litigation services can help in this area.

Another huge group that might find itself in need of these litigation support services would be the entertainment world. All groups might find themselves in legal disputes like actors and their contracts, writers, directors, producers, singers, etc. Just about anyone in the entertainment world could end up needing these services.

General contractors as well as building contractors run into a variety of issues that would not be advisable for them to handle on their own so the use of a litigation service would not only be beneficial but could save a lot of headaches down the road.

Large equipment and their users a long with big trucks and their drivers might find themselves in hot water after an accident and the company that is behind them may need to hire this kind of service to investigate the incident as well as serve as expert witnesses in case court is involved.

There are also those who deal with website design, Internet marketing, networking, business advertising, advertising for radio and television might run into issues that could hamper their business and they would more than likely find this type of service a benefit.

If a company suspects that some sort of fraud has taken place within their company or by an outsider, it is the litigation service that take these matters from the company hands and investigate the situation themselves. This will not only save time but money as well.

Trying to list everyone who needs litigation support services could go on and on, but this should give you an idea on how wide a variety of people and organizations utilize litigation services.

Finding the best court reporting services is crucial to succeeding in the legal community. From real-time reporting to streaming live videos, our superior litigation services provide stellar documentation, information, and consultation to all clients.


Who Has Hear Of Litigation Support Services – (what Is This)

December 20th, 2009

Have you heard of litigation support services – (What is this). This is a litigation service which helps lawyers present a better case. The better your case the better chance you have to win. Many cases do not get to the trial stage. They are negotiated before trial and both parties agree to a settlement. Or there are cases that are settled in conflict resolution settings. But you have to be ready for trials that do go to trial.

Who can say why the public is fascinated by jury trials? Movies and television depict them as high drama. We see the wrongly accused being defended by the courageous truth seeking trial lawyer who only wants to find out the truth. The lawyer backs the diffident witness into a corner and she is able to squeeze out the fact that the witness is trying to protect a friend who was the real criminal in all of this. The witness breaks down in tears and the wrongly accused is free thanks to his lawyers tenacity and quest for justice.

Today in real life court you will have a better chance of winning if you present your case in video rather than audio testimony. One way litigation support services can help your case is putting together video testimony that will help support or explain your case. If your client was hit by a car while he was crossing the street you can better prove this when you can show a video reconstruction of the incident. Litigation support services have experts in video technology who can do this for your case.

Let us face reality the modern jury is made up of people who watch television, who like movies with special effects, and who go to the internet and watch videos demonstrating everything from how to install a dishwasher to how to cook lasagna. People, even members of juries want to see a video. Litigation support services have experts in video creation.

If your client has suffered from an alleged malpractice you can show an animated video to the jury showing the procedure that was supposed to be performed on your client. You can then explain to the jury how the procedure was fouled up. When they see the correct way the procedure was to be done they will understand why your client is in court seeking a remedy. The litigation support staff can create these videos for your case.

You might need an expert witness to support your case. But many experts while doing well on direct examination sink under cross examination. You can look to litigation support services for the best qualified and most trial experienced expert witnesses to hold fast under tough cross examination.

Some in the legal field think that if they have a video camera they can record their own depositions. Then they realize that they have no audio on their recording. Before this happens to you spend the money and look for a litigation support service to do all your video recording you will need to make your case air tight. Some services even keep back up tapes in case you lose the one you are taking to court.

You need today in this complicated practice of law a litigation support service on your team. Look one up today.

Our superior court reporting service maintains most stringent guidelines and guarantees that our court reporters and litigation support services are certified and skilled in the latest technologies. For more information on litigation support, please visit us.


Court Translators Versus Court Interpreters

November 27th, 2009

The demand for multilingual professionals is ever important in today’s multicultural world. This is especially true in the court system, where it is vital that all participants be able to understand each other clearly. Court interpreters and court translators make this possible. There is a common misunderstanding that a “court interpreter” and a “court translator” are the same thing but in actual fact, they are two very different jobs and require different sets of skill. Some things they do have in common, are the absolute fluency in two or more languages (generally the language of the court system and at least one other), an understanding of legal terms in those languages, and a general “feel” for how people understand the words in those languages – beyond simple word-for-word conversion. There is more to translating and interpreting than just those things, however.

Court Interpreter

Court interpreters work with the spoken word. They listen to people as they speak in one language, and repeat the same thing in another language immediately after that. The court interpreter’s job function is sometimes called “simultaneous translation” and this could be one of the reasons why they can be confused for court translators.

A court interpreter needs to be very alert and to have excellent listening skills. In addition, court interpreters need to be familiar with the subject matter of the court case other than legal terminology. Since people usually do not speak in one sentence at a time, a good memory is a very useful trait as well. Their job is essential to the conduct of court proceedings when the witnesses come from diverse backgrounds.

Court Translator

While the court interpreter works with the spoken word, the written word is the court translator’s area of expertise. Their job is to convert documents written in one language into another.

Court translators need to be familiar with the languages that they work in on a literary level, because the written word is more complex and more formal than the spoken word. Their job is especially important because of the very specific way in which legal documents are written. It is for this reason that court translators need to have highly analytical minds and excellent research skills, so that they can learn the vocabularies of many subjects in two or more languages while they work. Legal proceedings usually have hard deadlines, so they need to be diligent, conscientious, constant workers. Finally, court reporters work with official documents, so their spelling and grammar needs to be perfect. A court translator needs all the skills of a writer and an editor, in addition to an excellent command of two or more languages. Today, almost all translation work is performed on a computer, and most work projects are received and submitted electronically.

Both Court Translators and Court Interpreters are a valuable part of the court system. Neither job is more important than the other, less difficult than the other, and both are very much in demand because they are extremely important in maintaining the accurate and effective operation of the court system.

Our superior court reporting service maintains most stringent guidelines and guarantees that our court reporters and videographers are certified and skilled in the latest technologies – from real-time reporting to streaming video via remote Internet access.


Factors to Notice When a Crime Occurs

November 6th, 2009

Witnessing or being a victim of crime can be a very traumatic experience. If one witnesses a crime, it is important to make a note of the details of the crime scene and even the criminal act. This will ensure that the accused gets a fair trial and legitimate evidence is submitted at trial. Because there is so much crime taking place everyday across the country, it is important to be prepared in the event that you suddenly find yourself a witness to a crime.

Some factors to notice when a crime occurs include:

1. Physical Description of the Suspect: If you actually see the perpetrator of the crime, you should make a note of his or hers physical appearance. This includes the height, ethnicity, gender, weight, and any unusual way of running or walking. You should also make note of the clothing and any unique characteristics such as a logo, particular word, sports team name..etc. Are the clothes casual, formal, dirty, torn, bloody..etc? The facial features are also important and include complexion, hair color, eye color, hair length, body hair..etc. As well, note any unusual traits such as tattoos, piercings, unusual hair cut, deformities, scars..etc. As well, note if there is more than one suspect and try to remember their features.

2. Voice Recognition: Note any accent or speech characteristics such as slurring, stuttering..etc. Does the perpetrator have a deep voice or high voice? Is the voice gruff, wheezy, or shrill?

3. Accessories: Did the perpetrator have a gun, bag, umbrella, knife, tire iron, baseball bat, or carrying an object such as item that could have been stolen.

4. Familiarity of the Suspect: If the suspect seems familiar, think about where you have been recently and who you have seen them. This can include: mall, retail store, school, department store, supermarket…etc. If possible, get the suspect’s car license plate number.

5. Damaged Items: Note any damage that you see around the crime scene such as vandalized cars, broken windows, open door or smashed open door, open cash register, items spilled over the floor..etc.

If you witness a crime, immediately call 911. Provide as much information as you can over the phone as a recording will be made. Try to be detailed. After you thoroughly look around the crime scene without contaminating it, write down everything you see and remember about the crime. As well, do not talk to other witnesses as it can confuse what you observed. One other thing you can do if you don’t have a pen and paper is to call your voice messaging service and record everything you remember about the crime.

When observing a crime or a crime that just taken place, it is important to be as accurate as possible when giving details to the police officers. This will make things a lot easier if you have to give testimony in a criminal trial for the court reporter to record. To be a reliable witness, your testimony will have to be consistent. Whatever you do, make sure you do not contaminate the crime scene or become involved in a situation that is dangerous.

Our superior court reporting service maintains most stringent guidelines and guarantees that our court reporters and litigation support services are certified and skilled in the latest technologies – from real-time reporting to streaming video via remote Internet access.


How To Become A Legal Videographer

October 23rd, 2009

Advancements in technology have made criminal investigations much more efficient and effective. As well, there have been significant increases in a variety of technological jobs in the justice system. One such career is a legal videographer. This career is also known as a forensic videographer, court videographer, or video court reporter, is responsible for using multimedia equipment to record digital images and video for court cases, recording evidence at crime scenes, enhancing poor quality analog and digital images, assessing the validity of video, and recording court trials. They are also involved with recording contracts, wills, and reconstructing incidents such as accident scenes. This professional produces legal video, forensic video, and courtroom video evidence. The practice is also referred to as forensic videography, legal videography, and court videography.

There are number of steps one can take to become a legal videographer that include:

Experience: Experience is essential to obtaining a career in legal videography. You should work or volunteer helping others You can also practice by making your own compilation of videos such as short films or documentaries. As well, you can take training workshops taught by professional videographers. Ask other colleages for advice about gaining experience. One may even offer you the chance volunteer with him or her.

Education: Currently it is not compulsory to have a degree in videography, but it would give you a competitive edge to have completed courses in videography, forensics and criminal justice. It is important to have some type of education background in videography and criminal justice. There are videography programs available at a number of trade schools. You will learn all about videography such as the process of editing.

Acquire videography Equipment: If you are working with a videographer or taking a videography program, you will need such equipment as film or digital video-camera, a tripod, hand-held lights, monitors, editing equipment, and other video camera gear. With a digital video camera, there is excellent software on the market that allows for editing.

Certification: The American Guild of Certified Videographers states that “a certified professional is not only better equipped to handle jobs once he starts working, but is also in a better position as far as marketing.” Becoming a Certified Legal Videographer is not a complicated endeavor. The types of certification available include: Certified Deposition Video Specialist, Certified Video Documentary Specialist, Certified Court Video Specialist (certified to do both video depositions and settlement documentaries,) Certified Legal Video Instructor (certified to instruct and validate other videographers,) and a Certified Senior Court Videographer. It is recommended that you obtain a combination of certificates.

This career is fast becoming an indispensable part of the criminal justice system. Career options are increasing across the country. There is also a shortage of professionally-trained which makes this career a great choice.

The services of are expected to increase in demand. A career in legal videography is an exciting and fascinating field for anyone who has a passion to work in the justice system.

Court reporting provides a broad selection of reporting as well as document & case management services to the legal industry, we continually set the standard for court reporter.