CER Certified Electronic Reporter cheat sheet

Multi-channel digital systems record each microphone to a discrete track, so overlapping speakers can be separated later; a single mixed track permanently loses that separation.

Peaks should sit around -12 to -6 dBFS; clipping at 0 dBFS is unrecoverable distortion, and clipped testimony cannot be repaired in post-production.

Uncompressed WAV at 44.1 kHz/16-bit or 48 kHz/24-bit is the archival format; lossy formats such as MP3 discard audio data and are unsuitable as the record of record.

Simultaneous recording to two independent media (internal drive plus external or network storage) is the redundancy standard; both copies are verified by playback before the proceeding is released.

Every channel is tested with spoken audio and played back before going on the record; a dead channel discovered mid-hearing means an incomplete audio record for that period.

Reporter log notes are time-stamped entries identifying speaker, exhibit number, objection, and ruling; they are the index that lets a transcriber locate events in the audio.

Integrity is documented by hash/checksum plus an unbroken chain-of-custody log; write-once media (DVD-R, WORM) preserves a copy that cannot be altered after the fact.

Battery backup (UPS) plus a second recorder guards against the two most common total losses: power interruption and single-device failure.

Examination order: direct examination by the calling party, cross-examination (leading questions permitted), redirect limited to matters raised on cross, then recross.

Voir dire is jury selection; challenges are peremptory (no reason stated, limited in number) or for cause (bias, hardship, disqualification, no numerical limit).

Objections recorded verbatim include leading, hearsay, foundation, relevance, speculation, asked and answered, compound question, narrative, and argumentative.

Only the judge rules: 'sustained' means the objection is upheld and the answer excluded; 'overruled' means the answer proceeds; the objection, ruling, and any offer of proof are all recorded.

Bench/sidebar conferences and in camera reviews may be reported but are commonly sealed or withheld from the jury; the record notes who was present and what was excluded.

Participants include judge, clerk, bailiff, counsel, parties, witnesses, court reporter, interpreter, and guardian ad litem; the reporter administers the oath or affirmation to witnesses.

A subpoena ad testificandum compels testimony; a subpoena duces tecum compels production of documents or things; depositions are sworn testimony taken outside the courtroom.

Terminology: sua sponte (court's own motion), pro se (self-represented), ex parte (one side only), allocution (defendant's statement before sentencing), mistrial, continuance.

Impartiality rule: the reporter records every proceeding identically regardless of which side benefits, and never summarizes, edits, or comments on testimony.

No ex parte contact with the judge or a party about a pending matter; any incidental contact is disclosed and placed on the record.

Sealed, in camera, grand jury, and juvenile proceedings are restricted: transcription, storage, and release occur only as the order or rule authorizes.

A certified transcript is corrected only by court order or on-the-record stipulation; a reporter never unilaterally alters testimony already filed.

Conflicts of interest (family, financial, or employment relationship with a participant or counsel) are disclosed so the court can rule on disqualification.

Compensation may not depend on the content or outcome of a case; contingent-fee arrangements are prohibited as incompatible with impartiality.

Audio and transcripts are retained per the jurisdiction's retention schedule, stored with access controls and encryption, and destroyed only with documented authorization.

Certification language ('I certify that the foregoing is a true and correct transcript...') is signed, often notarized, and exposes the reporter to perjury or contempt if false.

Standard transcript page is 25 numbered lines with continuous page numbers, so citations read page:line (for example, 42:15).

Front matter order: title page (caption, court, parties, hearing type, date, location, reporter), appearances of counsel, index of witnesses and exhibits, then the body.

Q/A format opens a new paragraph for each speaker with the name or designation capitalized; colloquy among the judge and counsel is set in narrative paragraphs without Q/A numbering.

Non-verbal events appear in parentheticals set off by blank lines, e.g., '(Whereupon, Exhibit 12 was marked for identification.)'

Unclear audio is flagged rather than guessed: (inaudible), (phonetic), (spelling requested); an unflagged guess misstates the record.

Full-size, condensed, and compressed formats carry identical text; ASCII and e-transcript versions preserve pagination with page-line markers so the text remains citable and searchable.

Deposition distribution: original to the noticing party, copies to parties who ordered them; the witness returns an errata sheet by the deadline set in the applicable rules.

Redaction of protected identifiers (Social Security numbers, minors' names, medical detail) follows the court's rule or protective order, and the reporter documents what was removed and why.