AL Court Reporter flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Verbatim record

A complete, word-for-word transcription of all spoken proceedings, including objections, rulings, and colloquy, preserved without paraphrase or summary.

Off the record

A portion of proceedings excluded from the transcript by the judge's direction; reporters note the exclusion but do not transcribe the excluded discussion.

Reporter conflict of interest

A relationship (familial, financial, or prior representation) with a party, counsel, or witness that could impair impartiality and must be disclosed on the record.

Sua sponte

An action taken by the court on its own initiative, without a motion or request from any party.

Ex parte

A proceeding or communication involving only one party, typically sought for emergency relief without notice to the opposing side.

Res judicata

The doctrine barring relitigation of a claim that has already been finally adjudicated on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Motion in limine

A pretrial request asking the court to exclude or limit certain evidence before it is offered to the jury.

Nunc pro tunc

A Latin phrase meaning 'now for then'; an order given effect as of an earlier date to correct the record retroactively.

Serial comma

A comma placed before the coordinating conjunction in a series of three or more items, as in 'red, white, and blue.'

Comma splice

An error in which two independent clauses are joined only by a comma without a coordinating conjunction; use a semicolon or period instead.

Restrictive clause

A clause essential to the meaning of the sentence that is not set off by commas, as in 'the witness who testified first.'

Singular possessive apostrophe

A singular noun forms its possessive by adding apostrophe-s, as in 'the witness's statement.'

Suffix -ectomy

A medical suffix meaning surgical removal of a structure, as in appendectomy (removal of the appendix).

Suffix -ostomy

A medical suffix meaning the surgical creation of an opening, as in colostomy (an opening from the colon to the abdominal surface).

Proximal versus distal

Proximal means nearer to the trunk or point of attachment; distal means farther from it along a limb or structure.

Myocardial infarction

Damage to heart muscle caused by obstruction of coronary blood flow, commonly called a heart attack.

Subdural hematoma

A collection of blood between the dura mater and the arachnoid membrane, usually from torn bridging veins after head trauma.

Steno number bar

A bar above the keys that, when pressed with letter keys, produces numerals; the pattern AO commonly yields 0.

Steno brief

A shortened stroke or combination of strokes assigned to a word or phrase to increase writing speed, memorized and applied consistently.

Writing conflict

A situation where one stroke would translate to two different words; resolved with alternate strokes or dictionary entries.

Untranslate

A stroke or series of strokes the CAT software cannot convert to text, often from misstrokes or missing dictionary entries.

Transcript caption page

The first page identifying the court, case number, parties, and proceeding type, followed by appearances and the index.

Inaudible notation

A bracketed marker such as '[inaudible]' used when speech cannot be understood; reporters never guess at the words.

Sic notation

A bracketed '[sic]' inserted after an apparent error in the original statement to show the error is in the source, not the transcript.

Line numbering

Sequential numbers 1 through 25 placed at the left margin of each transcript page to allow precise citation of testimony.

Contingent compensation

A fee arrangement based on the content or outcome of a case, prohibited for court reporters as an ethical violation.

Errata sheet

A formal list of corrections to a certified transcript, agreed by stipulation or ordered by the court, rather than silent alteration.

Deposition

Sworn out-of-court testimony recorded by a reporter for use in discovery or at trial, subject to the same oath as in-court testimony.

Sustained objection

A ruling in which the judge agrees with an objection, excluding the answer; the reporter records the objection and ruling but not stricken testimony as evidence.

Preponderance of the evidence

The civil burden of proof requiring that a fact be more likely true than not, generally understood as greater than 50 percent likelihood.

Dangling modifier

An introductory phrase that fails to modify the subject of the main clause, creating ambiguity or unintended meaning.

Tachycardia versus bradycardia

Tachycardia is an abnormally fast heart rate, typically above 100 beats per minute; bradycardia is an abnormally slow rate, typically below 60.