IL Court Reporter cheat sheet

Illinois CSR certification requires passing the Certified Shorthand Reporter examination, which includes a skills component of literary, jury charge, and question-and-answer dictation at speeds set by the Illinois Supreme Court's Board of Certified Shorthand Reporters.

Standard practice targets for the three dictation legs are commonly 180 wpm literary, 200 wpm jury charge, and 225 wpm Q&A, each with a minimum 95% accuracy for certification-level performance.

Accuracy is computed as (correct words ÷ total dictated words) × 100; errors are counted per word, with a misspelled or omitted word counted as one error regardless of length.

Real-time writing requires sustaining a conflict-free stroke rate; a stenographer writing at 225 wpm is producing roughly 3.75 words per second, so hesitation of a single second costs about four words.

Voice writing uses speech recognition with a stenomask; the writer must maintain a steady cadence and avoid trailing off, since recognition engines lose accuracy when volume drops below the trained threshold.

Briefs and phrases increase speed by mapping multi-word strings to single strokes; a well-maintained brief dictionary is the primary defense against dropped words at high speed.

Practice should be scored under test conditions: same duration (typically 5 minutes per leg), same error-counting rules, and same playback speed, so that scores are comparable across sessions.

Speed gains follow a plateau pattern; increasing dictation speed by 10 wpm increments while holding 95% accuracy is the standard progression rule before advancing further.

Literary dictation tests general English prose, not legal argument; it stresses punctuation, capitalization, homophones, and proper nouns rather than case-specific terminology.

Transcription of literary material must preserve the speaker's exact words; do not correct grammar or word choice in the transcript, even when the speaker misspeaks.

Where a speaker reads from a prepared text, the transcript should follow the spoken words, not the written source, when the two differ.

Punctuation is supplied by the reporter based on meaning and intonation; a pause does not automatically require a comma, and a comma does not automatically follow every pause.

Homophone pairs common in literary dictation include 'their/there/they're', 'its/it's', 'principal/principle', 'council/counsel', and 'capital/capitol'; context determines the correct form.

Numbers: spell out whole numbers from one through nine in general prose, use figures for 10 and above, and use figures for all numbers in a series containing a number of 10 or more.

Quotations within literary dictation require quotation marks and correct placement of commas and periods inside the closing quotation mark under standard American style.

Transcription review should include a read-back against the audio for dropped words, since literary passages often contain long subordinate clauses that invite omission.

Jury charge dictation is read from a prepared written charge; the reporter should follow the reader's spoken words and mark any deviation from the written text.

Q&A dictation includes examiner questions, witness answers, and colloquy; the transcript must identify the speaker and preserve the question-and-answer format.

In Q&A format, each question begins with 'Q.' and each answer with 'A.', with the designations at the left margin and the text indented consistently.

Colloquy among counsel and the court is transcribed verbatim and identified by speaker, typically with the attorney's name followed by a colon.

Nonverbal responses such as nodding or pointing must be described in the transcript in parentheses or brackets so the record is intelligible to a reader.

Where a witness answers 'uh-huh' or 'mm-hmm', the reporter transcribes the audible response as spoken rather than converting it to 'yes' or 'no'.

Interruptions and overlapping speech are transcribed in the order heard, with the reporter noting the overlap where the record would otherwise be confusing.

Jury charge material frequently includes statutory citations and defined terms; the reporter should verify citation format and spelled-out terms against the written charge after transcription.

Illinois transcripts typically use 25 numbered lines per page, with line numbers at the left margin and page numbers at the top of each page.

Each page commonly carries a caption or appearance block on the first page identifying the court, case number, parties, and proceeding.

The certificate page is signed by the certified shorthand reporter and states that the transcript is a true and correct transcription of the proceedings.

A certified transcript includes the reporter's certificate, the title page, the appearance page, the index (where required), the body, and the reporter's signature and CSR number.

Deposition transcripts must include the deposition officer's statement, the witness's oath or affirmation, and any stipulations placed on the record.

Errata: a witness may review the deposition transcript and submit an errata sheet changing form or substance; the reporter attaches the errata to the certified original.

Transcripts delivered to the court must be filed in the format the court requires; electronic filing typically requires a text-searchable PDF with the certificate included.

Retention rules require the reporter to preserve stenographic notes and audio for the period set by Illinois Supreme Court rule; the notes are the reporter's working record and may be needed for read-back.

Illinois has three court levels: Circuit Courts (trial), the Appellate Court (five districts), and the Supreme Court (seven justices).

Illinois Supreme Court justices are elected by district for 10-year terms; Appellate Court judges serve 10-year terms, and Circuit judges serve 6-year terms.

The Illinois Supreme Court has general administrative authority over all courts in the state and adopts rules governing practice, procedure, and the CSR program.

The Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board investigates and the Courts Commission adjudicates complaints against judges under the Illinois Constitution's judicial discipline provisions.

Judicial ethics in Illinois are governed by the Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct, modeled on the ABA Model Code, covering impartiality, ex parte communications, and disqualification.

Courtroom protocol: all persons rise when the judge enters and leaves; the reporter should be seated and ready before the judge takes the bench.

Sidebar conferences are typically not reported unless the judge orders them reported; the reporter must follow the judge's direction and note on the record when a sidebar is off the record.

Jurors are instructed not to discuss the case; the reporter must not disclose jury deliberations or communicate with jurors about the case.

Latin legal terms common in the record include 'res ipsa loquitur', 'mens rea', 'sua sponte', 'ex parte', 'voir dire', 'prima facie', and 'de facto'; spelling must be exact because meaning depends on it.

Civil procedure terms: plaintiff, defendant, complaint, answer, discovery, interrogatories, deposition, summary judgment, verdict, and judgment notwithstanding the verdict.

Criminal terms: indictment, information, arraignment, plea, allocution, sentencing, probation, and post-conviction relief.

Medical terms in personal injury and medical malpractice cases include 'cervical', 'lumbar', 'radiculopathy', 'myocardial infarction', 'arthroscopy', and 'prognosis'; many are dictated with Latin or Greek roots.

Anatomical direction pairs: anterior/posterior, superior/inferior, medial/lateral, proximal/distal; errors in these terms can invert the meaning of testimony.

Common medication and dosage terms include 'milligrams', 'PRN', 'q.i.d.', and 'p.o.'; reporters should confirm unusual drug names with the speaker or by reference after the proceeding.

Diagnostic imaging terms: MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, and PET scan; each is capitalized and often used with the body region, as in 'MRI of the lumbar spine'.

Legal citation format in transcripts follows the court's local rules; Illinois citations commonly use the 'Ill. 2d' and 'Ill. App. 3d' reporters.

Subject-verb agreement: a compound subject joined by 'and' takes a plural verb; joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject.

Collective nouns such as 'jury', 'court', and 'committee' take a singular verb when acting as a unit and a plural verb when the members act individually.

The serial comma is used before 'and' or 'or' in a series of three or more items; consistency within a document is required.

Restrictive clauses take 'that' without commas; nonrestrictive clauses take 'which' with commas. Example: 'the statute that governs' versus 'the statute, which governs'.

Apostrophes: singular possessive adds 's' (the witness's statement); plural possessive adds only an apostrophe (the witnesses' statements).

Quotation marks enclose exact words; commas and periods go inside the closing quotation mark, while semicolons and colons go outside.

Dashes: an em dash (-) marks an abrupt break; an en dash (–) marks ranges; a hyphen joins compound modifiers before a noun.

Pronoun case after 'between' and prepositions is objective: 'between you and me', 'for the witness and me'.

Illinois CSRs are officers of the court and are bound by the Illinois Supreme Court rules governing the CSR program, including the Code of Ethics for certified shorthand reporters.

Reporters must be impartial; they may not give legal advice, summarize testimony, or alter the record to favor a party.

Confidentiality: grand jury proceedings, juvenile matters, and certain protective-order materials may not be disclosed except as authorized by law or court order.

A deposition officer may not be a relative, employee, or attorney of any party, and may not have a financial interest in the outcome of the case.

Notary rules: an Illinois notary public may not notarize a document in which the notary is a party or has a beneficial interest; the notary must personally witness the signature or administer the oath.

Depositions in Illinois are governed by Illinois Supreme Court Rule 202 et seq.; the officer administers the oath and records the testimony, and the transcript is certified by the officer.

Objections at deposition must be stated concisely and non-argumentatively; the reporter records the objection and any instruction not to answer, then continues unless the question is withdrawn.

A reporter who is also a notary may administer the oath and certify the deposition, but must disclose the dual role and avoid any conflict of interest.

The Illinois CSR examination is administered by the Board of Certified Shorthand Reporters under the Illinois Supreme Court; candidates must pass both a written knowledge test and a skills test.

Skills testing typically requires passing all three legs (literary, jury charge, Q&A) at the required speeds and accuracy; failing one leg requires retaking that leg.

Accuracy standards for certification-level performance are commonly 95% or better per leg; errors are counted per word, and uncorrected errors count against the score.

Real-time certification in Illinois requires demonstrated accuracy and speed beyond the basic CSR level; real-time writers must maintain a clean translation stream.

Machine shorthand theory varies by program, but the standard Stenograph keyboard layout and the ability to write all 26 letters plus numbers and punctuation are universal requirements.

Voice writing candidates must demonstrate the ability to produce a verbatim record using speech recognition and a stenomask, including proper handling of speaker identification.

Practice dictation should include legal and medical vocabulary, proper nouns, and numbers, since these account for a disproportionate share of errors at high speed.

Speed and accuracy degrade when a writer pauses to correct; the standard technique is to keep writing and correct during breaks or at the end of the dictation leg.

Literary dictation in Illinois testing uses published prose, often from novels, essays, or speeches, and tests general English rather than legal vocabulary.

The reporter transcribes what is said, not what was intended; if the reader misreads a word, the transcript reflects the misread word.

Sentence boundaries are determined by the reporter from grammar and intonation; run-on sentences in speech are punctuated into readable sentences without changing words.

Capitalization rules: capitalize proper nouns, titles before names, the first word of a sentence, and the first word of a direct quotation.

Numbers in literary text: use figures for ages, dates, times, money, and measurements; spell out numbers at the start of a sentence.

Abbreviations in literary text are spelled out on first use unless the abbreviation is more common than the full form, such as 'U.S.' or 'NASA'.

Transcription quality checks include reading the transcript aloud, verifying homophones, and checking that every paragraph begins with a capital letter.

Where the speaker quotes a written document, the reporter may verify the quoted text against the document after the proceeding, but must not alter the spoken words.

Jury charge dictation requires the reporter to follow the judge's reading of the charge, including any additions or deletions announced from the bench.

Q&A transcripts use 'Q.' and 'A.' designations; where the examiner's question is interrupted, the reporter transcribes the fragment as spoken and marks the interruption.

Witness identification: on first appearance, the witness's name is spelled on the record, and the transcript uses that spelling consistently thereafter.

Exhibits are marked and referred to by number or letter; the reporter notes the marking and any ruling on admissibility in the transcript.

Where a witness testifies through an interpreter, the transcript identifies the interpreter and records the interpreted answers, with the original language noted where relevant.

Stricken testimony: if the court orders testimony stricken, the reporter notes the ruling but does not delete the testimony from the transcript unless the court orders redaction.

Read-back requests during trial require the reporter to locate and read the exact prior testimony; accuracy in note-taking and indexing is essential.

Jury charge transcripts often include statutory citations and defined terms; the reporter verifies citations against the written charge after transcription.

Illinois transcripts use a standard page format: 25 lines per page, numbered at the left margin, with the page number at the top center or right.

The first page of a transcript contains the caption: court, county, case number, parties, and the nature of the proceeding.

The appearance page lists the judge, the attorneys and their bar numbers, the parties represented, and the court reporter's name and CSR number.

The reporter's certificate states that the transcript is a true and correct transcription and is signed and dated by the reporter; the CSR number is included.

Deposition transcripts include the oath, the appearances, the stipulations, the examination, and the officer's certificate; the witness's signature page follows the certificate.

Errata sheets are attached to the certified transcript when the witness makes corrections; the original answers remain in the transcript and the changes appear on the errata.

Electronic transcripts must be text-searchable and bookmarked by witness or exhibit where the court requires it; the certificate must be included in the electronic file.

The reporter must retain stenographic notes, audio, and drafts for the period required by Illinois Supreme Court rule; notes may be needed for read-back or for challenges to the transcript.

Illinois Circuit Courts are the trial courts of general jurisdiction; Cook County has a separate circuit with its own subdivisions, including the Law Division and the Criminal Division.

The Illinois Appellate Court has five districts; the First District covers Cook County, and the others cover the remaining counties.

The Illinois Supreme Court is the state's highest court and consists of seven justices elected from districts for 10-year terms.

The Illinois Supreme Court adopts rules of practice and procedure, including the rules governing court reporting and the CSR program.

Judicial discipline: the Judicial Inquiry Board investigates complaints, and the Courts Commission may censure, suspend, or remove a judge.

Judicial ethics under the Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct require judges to avoid ex parte communications, disqualify themselves when impartiality is reasonably questioned, and refrain from political activity.

Courtroom procedure: the reporter should arrive early, test equipment, and be ready before the judge takes the bench; all rise when the judge enters and leaves.

Sidebars are off the record unless the judge orders otherwise; the reporter notes on the record when a sidebar is not reported.

Latin and legal phrases: 'res ipsa loquitur', 'sua sponte', 'ex parte', 'voir dire', 'prima facie', 'de novo', 'pro se', and 'nunc pro tunc' must be spelled exactly.

Civil litigation terms: complaint, answer, affirmative defense, discovery, interrogatories, request to produce, deposition, summary judgment, and verdict.

Criminal procedure terms: indictment, information, arraignment, plea agreement, allocution, sentencing, and post-conviction petition.

Medical specialties and terms: orthopedic, neurological, cardiology, radiology, 'myocardial infarction', 'cervical radiculopathy', and 'arthroscopic surgery'.

Anatomical terms: anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, medial, lateral, proximal, and distal; errors in these can reverse the meaning of testimony.

Medication terms: 'milligrams', 'PRN', 'q.i.d.', 'p.o.', and 'stat'; reporters should confirm unusual drug names after the proceeding.

Imaging terms: MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, and PET scan; each is capitalized and often paired with a body region.

Illinois citation format: 'Ill. 2d' for Supreme Court and 'Ill. App. 3d' for Appellate Court; citation format in transcripts follows local rules.

Subject-verb agreement: compound subjects joined by 'and' take a plural verb; joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject.

Collective nouns such as 'jury', 'court', and 'committee' take a singular verb when acting as a unit and a plural verb when members act individually.

The serial comma is used before 'and' or 'or' in a series of three or more items; consistency within a document is required.

Restrictive clauses take 'that' without commas; nonrestrictive clauses take 'which' with commas.

Apostrophes: singular possessive adds 's' (the witness's statement); plural possessive adds only an apostrophe (the witnesses' statements).

Quotation marks enclose exact words; commas and periods go inside the closing quotation mark, while semicolons and colons go outside.

Em dashes mark abrupt breaks, en dashes mark ranges, and hyphens join compound modifiers before a noun.

Pronoun case after prepositions is objective: 'between you and me', 'for the witness and me'.

Illinois CSRs are officers of the court and are bound by the Illinois Supreme Court rules and the Code of Ethics for certified shorthand reporters.

Reporters must be impartial; they may not give legal advice, summarize testimony, or alter the record to favor a party.

Confidentiality: grand jury proceedings, juvenile matters, and materials under protective order may not be disclosed except as authorized by law or court order.

A deposition officer may not be a relative, employee, or attorney of any party and may not have a financial interest in the outcome.

Notary rules: an Illinois notary may not notarize a document in which the notary is a party or has a beneficial interest; the notary must personally witness the signature or administer the oath.

Illinois depositions are governed by Illinois Supreme Court Rule 202 et seq.; the officer administers the oath and certifies the transcript.

Objections at deposition must be stated concisely and non-argumentatively; the reporter records the objection and any instruction not to answer, then continues unless the question is withdrawn.

A reporter who is also a notary may administer the oath and certify the deposition but must disclose the dual role and avoid any conflict of interest.

The Illinois CSR examination includes a written knowledge test and a skills test; candidates must pass all three skills legs at the required speeds and accuracy.

Standard target speeds are commonly 180 wpm literary, 200 wpm jury charge, and 225 wpm Q&A, with 95% accuracy or better per leg.

Accuracy is computed as (correct words ÷ total dictated words) × 100; a misspelled or omitted word counts as one error.

Real-time writing requires a clean translation stream; briefs and phrases are the primary defense against dropped words at high speed.

Voice writing requires a steady cadence and consistent volume into the stenomask; recognition accuracy drops when the writer trails off.

Practice should be scored under test conditions: same duration, same error-counting rules, and same playback speed, so scores are comparable.

Speed progression: increase dictation speed by 10 wpm increments while holding 95% accuracy before advancing further.

Practice material should include legal and medical vocabulary, proper nouns, and numbers, which account for a disproportionate share of errors at high speed.

Literary dictation tests general English prose and stresses punctuation, capitalization, homophones, and proper nouns rather than legal terminology.

The reporter transcribes the spoken words exactly; do not correct grammar or word choice in the transcript.

Where a speaker reads from a prepared text, the transcript follows the spoken words when the two differ.

Punctuation is supplied by the reporter based on meaning and intonation; a pause does not automatically require a comma.

Common homophones: 'their/there/they're', 'its/it's', 'principal/principle', 'council/counsel', and 'capital/capitol'.

Numbers: spell out one through nine in general prose, use figures for 10 and above, and use figures for all numbers in a series containing a number of 10 or more.

Quotations require quotation marks, with commas and periods inside the closing quotation mark under standard American style.

Quality checks include reading the transcript aloud, verifying homophones, and confirming every paragraph begins with a capital letter.

Jury charge dictation is read from a prepared written charge; the reporter follows the spoken words and marks any deviation from the written text.

Q&A transcripts use 'Q.' and 'A.' designations at the left margin, with the text indented consistently.

Colloquy among counsel and the court is transcribed verbatim and identified by speaker, typically with the attorney's name followed by a colon.

Nonverbal responses such as nodding or pointing must be described in the transcript in parentheses or brackets.

Audible responses such as 'uh-huh' or 'mm-hmm' are transcribed as spoken rather than converted to 'yes' or 'no'.

Interruptions and overlapping speech are transcribed in the order heard, with the overlap noted where the record would otherwise be confusing.

Witness names are spelled on the record at first appearance and used consistently thereafter.

Stricken testimony is noted by ruling but not deleted from the transcript unless the court orders redaction.

Illinois transcripts use 25 numbered lines per page, with line numbers at the left margin and page numbers at the top.

The first page contains the caption: court, county, case number, parties, and the nature of the proceeding.

The appearance page lists the judge, attorneys and bar numbers, parties represented, and the reporter's name and CSR number.

The reporter's certificate states that the transcript is a true and correct transcription and is signed and dated by the reporter.

Deposition transcripts include the oath, appearances, stipulations, examination, and the officer's certificate, followed by the witness's signature page.

Errata sheets are attached to the certified transcript when the witness makes corrections; original answers remain in the transcript.

Electronic transcripts must be text-searchable and bookmarked by witness or exhibit where the court requires it, with the certificate included.

The reporter must retain stenographic notes, audio, and drafts for the period required by Illinois Supreme Court rule.

Illinois has three court levels: Circuit Courts (trial), the Appellate Court (five districts), and the Supreme Court (seven justices).

Illinois Supreme Court justices are elected by district for 10-year terms; Appellate Court judges serve 10-year terms, and Circuit judges serve 6-year terms.

The Illinois Supreme Court has general administrative authority over all courts and adopts rules governing practice, procedure, and the CSR program.

The Judicial Inquiry Board investigates complaints, and the Courts Commission may censure, suspend, or remove a judge.

The Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct governs impartiality, ex parte communications, disqualification, and political activity.

Courtroom protocol: all persons rise when the judge enters and leaves; the reporter should be seated and ready before the judge takes the bench.

Sidebars are off the record unless the judge orders otherwise; the reporter notes on the record when a sidebar is not reported.

The reporter must not disclose jury deliberations or communicate with jurors about the case.

Latin legal terms: 'res ipsa loquitur', 'mens rea', 'sua sponte', 'ex parte', 'voir dire', 'prima facie', and 'de facto'; spelling must be exact.

Civil procedure terms: plaintiff, defendant, complaint, answer, discovery, interrogatories, deposition, summary judgment, and verdict.

Criminal terms: indictment, information, arraignment, plea, allocution, sentencing, probation, and post-conviction relief.

Medical terms in personal injury cases: 'cervical', 'lumbar', 'radiculopathy', 'myocardial infarction', 'arthroscopy', and 'prognosis'.

Anatomical direction pairs: anterior/posterior, superior/inferior, medial/lateral, and proximal/distal; errors can invert meaning.

Medication terms: 'milligrams', 'PRN', 'q.i.d.', and 'p.o.'; unusual drug names should be confirmed after the proceeding.

Imaging terms: MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, and PET scan; each is capitalized and often paired with a body region.

Illinois citation format uses 'Ill. 2d' for Supreme Court and 'Ill. App. 3d' for Appellate Court.

Subject-verb agreement: compound subjects joined by 'and' take a plural verb; joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject.

Collective nouns such as 'jury', 'court', and 'committee' take a singular verb when acting as a unit and a plural verb when members act individually.

The serial comma is used before 'and' or 'or' in a series of three or more items; consistency within a document is required.

Restrictive clauses take 'that' without commas; nonrestrictive clauses take 'which' with commas.

Apostrophes: singular possessive adds 's' (the witness's statement); plural possessive adds only an apostrophe (the witnesses' statements).

Quotation marks enclose exact words; commas and periods go inside the closing quotation mark, while semicolons and colons go outside.

Em dashes mark abrupt breaks, en dashes mark ranges, and hyphens join compound modifiers before a noun.

Pronoun case after prepositions is objective: 'between you and me', 'for the witness and me'.

Illinois CSRs are officers of the court and are bound by the Illinois Supreme Court rules and the Code of Ethics for certified shorthand reporters.

Reporters must be impartial; they may not give legal advice, summarize testimony, or alter the record to favor a party.

Confidentiality: grand jury proceedings, juvenile matters, and materials under protective order may not be disclosed except as authorized by law or court order.

A deposition officer may not be a relative, employee, or attorney of any party and may not have a financial interest in the outcome.

Notary rules: an Illinois notary may not notarize a document in which the notary is a party or has a beneficial interest; the notary must personally witness the signature or administer the oath.

Illinois depositions are governed by Illinois Supreme Court Rule 202 et seq.; the officer administers the oath and certifies the transcript.

Objections at deposition must be stated concisely and non-argumentatively; the reporter records the objection and any instruction not to answer.

A reporter who is also a notary may administer the oath and certify the deposition but must disclose the dual role and avoid any conflict of interest.