CER Certified Electronic Reporter flashcards

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

Redundant recording

Capturing the proceeding simultaneously to two independent media or storage locations so that failure of one device does not destroy the only audio record of the testimony.

Clipping

Distortion occurring when an audio signal exceeds the recorder's maximum level, flattening the waveform peaks; the resulting testimony is often unintelligible and cannot be restored afterward.

Sample rate

The number of audio samples captured per second; 44.1 kHz or higher preserves speech detail, while a low rate degrades quality and reduces intelligibility of fast or accented testimony.

Boundary microphone

A flat microphone placed against a table or wall that captures sound reflected from the surface, used to pick up several speakers in a courtroom or hearing room.

Reporter log notes

Time-stamped annotations made during a proceeding identifying speakers, exhibits, objections, and rulings, giving the transcriber a reliable index for aligning text with the audio.

Chain of custody

The documented, unbroken record of who handled the audio files from capture through storage and delivery, used to establish authenticity if the recording is challenged.

Write-once media

Storage such as DVD-R or WORM drives that cannot be overwritten after writing, used to preserve a verifiably unaltered copy of the proceeding audio.

Playback verification

Monitoring a portion of the captured audio immediately after recording to confirm every channel is audible and correctly assigned before the proceeding continues.

Voir dire

The questioning of prospective jurors to test qualifications, bias, or hardship before the jury is seated; the term also covers preliminary questioning of a witness's qualifications.

Peremptory challenge

A party's removal of a prospective juror without stating a reason; the number allowed is limited by rule and may not be used to exclude jurors on prohibited grounds.

Offer of proof

A statement made outside the jury's hearing describing the evidence an attorney would have introduced, preserving the issue for appeal after an objection is sustained.

Sidebar conference

A discussion between the judge and counsel at the bench, held away from the jury; it may be reported and later sealed or excluded from what the jury hears.

Sua sponte

Latin for 'of one's own accord'; it describes a judge acting without any request from the parties, such as declaring a mistrial or dismissing a claim.

Subpoena duces tecum

A command requiring a person to appear and bring specified documents or tangible things, distinguished from a subpoena that requires testimony alone.

Deposition

Sworn testimony taken outside the courtroom before trial and recorded by a reporter; it may be used to impeach a witness or, under rules, read at trial.

Affirmation

A solemn declaration made instead of an oath by a witness who objects to swearing on religious grounds; it carries the same legal force as an oath.

Ex parte communication

Contact about a pending matter with the judge or one party outside the presence of the others; reporters must avoid it and disclose any that occurs.

Sealed record

Portions of a case file closed to public access by court order, requiring the reporter to restrict transcription, storage, and release to persons the order authorizes.

Grand jury secrecy

A legal rule restricting disclosure of grand jury testimony and deliberations; reporters may not reveal that content except as a court order permits.

Court reporter impartiality

The duty to record all proceedings accurately regardless of which party benefits, without editing out, summarizing, or commenting on any portion of the testimony.

Transcript certification

A signed statement, frequently notarized, that the transcript truly and accurately reflects the proceedings; a false certification exposes the reporter to perjury or contempt.

Conflict of interest

A personal, financial, or family relationship with a participant or attorney that could bias the reporter and must be disclosed so the court can decide on disqualification.

Record retention schedule

The rule-specified period for keeping audio and transcripts, varying by jurisdiction and case type; destroying records earlier can constitute spoliation of evidence.

Attorney-client privilege

Protection covering confidential communications between a client and lawyer; reporters must not disclose such content overheard off the record and must note if it is spoken on the record.

Condensed transcript

A page format reproducing several transcript pages on one sheet for convenient attorney reference; the text is identical to the full-size version of the same record.

Errata sheet

A witness's signed written list of corrections to a deposition transcript, returned by the deadline set in the applicable rules, after which the transcript stands as accurate.

Colloquy

Dialogue among the judge, counsel, and others in a proceeding, as distinct from question-and-answer witness testimony; it is usually transcribed in narrative paragraphs.

Inaudible notation

A bracketed marker such as (inaudible) or (phonetic) flagging unclear audio or uncertain spelling so the reader knows the rendering is approximate rather than definite.

Title page

The first page of a transcript, showing the case caption, court, parties, type of proceeding, date, location, and the reporter's name and certification.

ASCII transcript

A plain-text computer-readable version of the transcript used for full-text searching, deposition databases, and e-filing; it retains page and line markers for citation.

Parenthetical annotation

A bracketed description of a non-verbal event, such as (Whereupon, Exhibit 5 was marked for identification), inserted at the point in the record where it occurred.

Page-line reference

The citation format giving transcript page and line, used in briefs and objections so the court can locate the precise testimony being discussed.