CSR Certified Shorthand Reporter key terms

Material such as essays, stories, or poetry read aloud at a measured pace for the reporter to capture word for word. Because there are no question-and-answer cues, the reporter must infer punctuation and paragraph breaks from the reader's phrasing.

The reporter's placement of paragraph breaks in a transcript, especially in literary or narrative material, to reflect changes of topic, speaker, or thought. Consistent paragraphing makes long passages readable without altering the words spoken.

A short shorthand outline or abbreviation assigned to a frequent word or phrase so it can be written with fewer strokes. Reporters build and maintain brief forms to increase speed without sacrificing accuracy.

The judge's formal explanation to the jury of the legal rules it must apply when deciding the case. Also called jury instructions, the charge is read into the record and must be transcribed precisely.

A meeting between the judge and the attorneys, usually held on the record, to settle the exact wording of jury instructions before they are delivered. The reporter records objections and the court's rulings on proposed language.

A transcript layout in which each attorney question and each witness answer begins its own paragraph and is labeled with the speaker's designation, preserving the exact order and wording of the exchange.

Spoken exchange among the judge, attorneys, and witnesses, including bench conferences and procedural discussions. Colloquy is recorded in the order spoken and distinguished in the transcript from formal question-and-answer testimony.

Recording exactly what was said, including false starts, repetitions, slang, and grammatical errors, without editing for clarity. Reporters depart from verbatim only where a rule or the speaker's instruction permits.

A request that the reporter repeat previously recorded testimony, usually so a witness can refresh recollection or so the court can resolve a dispute about what was said. The reporter reads from the record without summarizing.

The reporter's labeling of who is speaking-judge, witness, or a named attorney-so that every statement in the transcript is attributed correctly, even when several people speak in succession.

A compact keyboard with far fewer keys than a standard keyboard, used to write spoken words as phonetic chords. Translation software converts the strokes into text that becomes the transcript.

Two or more people speaking at the same time. Because overlapping speech cannot be captured cleanly, the reporter may note the conflict, ask for clarification, or reconstruct the exchange from context.

A judge's direction that discussion is not to be transcribed. The reporter notes the pause parenthetically in the transcript and resumes recording when the court returns to the record.

The comma placed before the conjunction in a list of three or more items, as in "documents, exhibits, and recordings." A transcript follows one consistent style, often set by the court or publisher.

A word that sounds the same as another but differs in spelling and meaning, such as "counsel" and "council." Homophones are a common source of transcription error and require context-based proofreading.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, as in "the witness was" versus "the witnesses were." Errors are preserved in verbatim testimony but corrected in editorial matter.

A descriptive word or phrase that does not logically attach to the word it is meant to modify, creating ambiguity, as in "Having sworn the witness, the question was asked." Careful editing removes such confusion from editorial text.

A pair of hyphens (--) used in transcripts to mark an interruption or a sentence broken off mid-word by another speaker. It signals that the words stopped abruptly rather than that text was omitted.

Sworn testimony taken outside court before trial, recorded by a reporter at the request of a party. A deposition preserves testimony, supports discovery, and may be used to impeach a witness later.

A criminal court appearance in which the defendant is informed of the charges, advised of rights, and asked to enter a plea. The reporter records the plea, bail discussion, and any scheduling orders.

Questioning of prospective jurors by the judge and attorneys to identify bias or inability to serve before the jury is seated. The term also describes preliminary questioning of a witness's qualifications.

An out-of-court statement offered to prove the truth of what it asserts. It is generally inadmissible unless an exception applies, and reporters must capture objections and rulings on it exactly.

A judge's ruling that agrees with an objection. The question or answer does not stand, and the witness is ordinarily instructed not to answer, though counsel may rephrase.

A judge's ruling that rejects an objection. The question may be answered or the evidence received, and the objection remains in the record for possible appeal.

A voluntary agreement between opposing parties about a fact, document, or procedure, accepted by the court. Stipulations are stated on the record and must be transcribed accurately because they bind the parties.

Appearing in a case on one's own behalf without a licensed attorney. A pro se party may need extra guidance on courtroom protocol, and the reporter still identifies that speaker clearly.

A document or object marked for identification and offered or admitted into evidence. The reporter records its number, the sponsoring witness, and any objection or ruling.

A formal promise to tell the truth, administered to witnesses before testimony and to interpreters and officers of the court. The reporter notes when the oath was given and any challenge to its form.

A note in parentheses or brackets describing an event or direction rather than spoken words, such as "(Off the record)" or "(Whereupon the jury retired)." Parentheticals keep the record complete without inventing dialogue.

The heading identifying the court, parties, case number, and title of the proceeding. In a transcript it usually appears on the title page and sometimes at the top of later pages.

The reporter's signed statement at the end of a transcript affirming that the pages are a true and accurate record of the proceedings. It often includes a jurat sworn before a notary.

A front-matter list giving page and line locations for witnesses, exhibits, and major events in the transcript so readers can locate material quickly without reading every page.

Consecutive numbers printed down the left side of each transcript page, commonly 1 through 25. They allow any statement to be cited precisely by page and line.

A reporting mode in which the reporter's strokes are translated and displayed almost instantly on monitors for the judge or attorneys. It demands a well-maintained dictionary and high accuracy.

The duty to protect information learned during proceedings, including sealed records, personal identifiers, and grand jury material, disclosing it only when law, court order, or the parties authorize it.

A personal, financial, or professional relationship that could bias a reporter's work or appear to do so. The reporter should disclose the situation and may need to decline the assignment.

The crime of knowingly making a false statement about a material matter under oath. An accurate verbatim record is the primary evidence used to prove or disprove such a charge.

A person commissioned by the state to administer oaths, witness signatures, and certify documents. Many reporters hold this commission so they can swear witnesses and attach jurats to transcripts.

The certificate, usually signed by a notary, stating when, where, and before whom a person swore to the truth of a document. It commonly appears at the end of a deposition transcript.