IL Court Reporter flashcards

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

CSR certification in Illinois

Certified Shorthand Reporter certification is administered by the Illinois Supreme Court's Board of Certified Shorthand Reporters and requires passing both a written knowledge test and a three-leg skills test.

Accuracy percentage formula

Accuracy equals correct words divided by total dictated words, multiplied by 100. A misspelled or omitted word counts as one error regardless of word length.

Standard skills test speeds

Commonly cited certification targets are 180 words per minute for literary, 200 for jury charge, and 225 for question-and-answer dictation, each requiring 95 percent accuracy or better.

Briefs and phrases purpose

Briefs map multi-word strings to single strokes or short spoken phrases, increasing writing speed and reducing dropped words during high-speed dictation.

Literary dictation content

Literary dictation uses general English prose such as novels, essays, or speeches, stressing punctuation, capitalization, homophones, and proper nouns rather than legal terminology.

Transcribing spoken words exactly

The reporter records what the speaker actually said, not what was intended. If a reader misreads a word, the transcript reflects the misread word rather than the source text.

Numbers in literary prose

Spell out one through nine, use figures for 10 and above, and use figures for all numbers in a series containing a number of 10 or more.

Common literary homophones

Frequently confused pairs include their, there, and they're; its and it's; principal and principle; council and counsel; and capital and capitol. Context determines the correct form.

Q and A transcript format

Questions begin with Q. and answers with A. at the left margin, with text indented consistently, preserving the examiner-witness exchange as spoken.

Transcribing nonverbal responses

Nodding, pointing, and gestures must be described in parentheses or brackets so a reader of the transcript can understand what the witness did.

Audible witness answers

Responses such as uh-huh or mm-hmm are transcribed as spoken rather than converted to yes or no, preserving the actual audible record.

Colloquy identification

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

Transcript page format

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.

Reporter certificate contents

The certificate states the transcript is a true and correct transcription of the proceedings and is signed and dated by the certified shorthand reporter with the CSR number.

Deposition errata sheet

A witness may review the deposition and submit an errata sheet changing form or substance. The original answers remain, and the errata is attached to the certified transcript.

Appearance page contents

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

Illinois court levels

Illinois has Circuit Courts as trial courts, an Appellate Court with five districts, and a Supreme Court with seven justices elected from districts for 10-year terms.

Judicial discipline in Illinois

The Judicial Inquiry Board investigates complaints against judges, and the Courts Commission may censure, suspend, or remove a judge under the Illinois Constitution.

Sidebar reporting rule

Sidebar conferences are off the record unless the judge orders them reported. The reporter follows the judge's direction and notes on the record when a sidebar is not reported.

Illinois Supreme Court authority

The Illinois Supreme Court has general administrative authority over all state courts and adopts rules of practice, procedure, and the certified shorthand reporter program.

Res ipsa loquitur

A Latin legal phrase meaning the thing speaks for itself, used in negligence cases where the nature of an accident implies negligence without direct proof.

Anatomical direction pairs

Anterior and posterior, superior and inferior, medial and lateral, and proximal and distal are paired terms. Reversing them can invert the meaning of medical testimony.

Illinois case citation format

Illinois Supreme Court decisions are cited to Ill. 2d and Appellate Court decisions to Ill. App. 3d, with volume, reporter, and page number.

Medical imaging abbreviations

MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, and PET scan are capitalized imaging terms, often paired with a body region such as MRI of the lumbar spine.

Restrictive versus nonrestrictive

Restrictive clauses take that without commas and identify the noun. Nonrestrictive clauses take which with commas and add nonessential information about an already identified noun.

Possessive apostrophe rules

A singular possessive adds apostrophe s, as in the witness's statement. A plural possessive adds only an apostrophe, as in the witnesses' statements.

Quotation mark punctuation

Commas and periods go inside the closing quotation mark. Semicolons and colons go outside the closing quotation mark under standard American style.

Serial comma rule

In a series of three or more items, a comma precedes and or or before the final item. Consistency within a document is required.

Reporter impartiality duty

Certified shorthand reporters are officers of the court and may not give legal advice, summarize testimony, or alter the record to favor any party.

Deposition officer restriction

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 conflict of interest

An Illinois notary may not notarize a document in which the notary is a party or has a beneficial interest, and must personally witness the signature or administer the oath.

Deposition objection handling

Objections 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.