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Question 1Literary Dictation and Transcription

In Missouri court reporting practice, a deposition transcript is being certified by the reporter. Which element must appear in the certificate for the transcript to be properly certified under Missouri rules?

  1. A statement of the reporter's opinion on the witness's credibility
  2. A statement that the deposition was taken before the reporter and that the witness was duly sworn Correct answer.
  3. A summary of the testimony prepared by the reporter
  4. A list of all objections raised by counsel

Explanation

The reporter's certificate identifies the officer before whom the deposition was taken and confirms the witness was sworn. It is not a vehicle for summarizing testimony or editorializing about credibility. Objections are recorded in the body of the transcript, not certified in the certificate.

Question 2Literary Dictation and Transcription

A court reporter is transcribing a plea hearing and the judge says 'I'll accept the plea and enter judgment.' Which punctuation of the quotation is correct in a formal transcript?

  1. The judge stated "I'll accept the plea and enter judgment".
  2. The judge stated "I'll accept the plea and enter judgment."
  3. The judge stated, "I'll accept the plea and enter judgment." Correct answer.
  4. The judge stated, "I'll accept the plea and enter judgment".

Explanation

In American style, a comma introduces a direct quotation, and periods and commas go inside the closing quotation mark. The other renderings either omit the introductory comma or place the period outside the quotation mark.

Question 3Literary Dictation and Transcription

During a jury trial, the reporter must record a juror's audible response of 'Yes' to the clerk's roll call. How should this be formatted in the transcript?

  1. As a summary line in the index
  2. As a quoted word attributed to the juror Correct answer.
  3. As a parenthetical describing the juror's response without quoting
  4. As an editorial note by the reporter

Explanation

Spoken words, including single-word answers, are transcribed as quotations attributed to the speaker. Parentheticals describe non-verbal events rather than replacing spoken words. The reporter does not editorialize or move testimony into the index.

Question 4Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter is preparing a transcript of a hearing at which an interpreter translated testimony from Spanish to English. What is the standard practice for recording the interpreted testimony?

  1. Transcribe both the Spanish original and the English rendition in parallel columns
  2. Omit the interpreted testimony and note that interpretation occurred
  3. Transcribe the Spanish original only and add an English summary
  4. Transcribe only the interpreter's English rendition as the witness's testimony Correct answer.

Explanation

When an interpreter is sworn, the interpreter's English rendition is recorded as the witness's testimony. The transcript reflects the language of the court proceedings, not a bilingual parallel text. Omitting the testimony or summarizing it would defeat the record's purpose.

Question 5Literary Dictation and Transcription

A witness testifies: 'I seen him leave around nine.' The reporter must preserve the exact words. Which transcription correctly preserves the testimony?

  1. I seen him leave around 9.
  2. I saw him leave around nine.
  3. I seen him leave around nine o'clock.
  4. I seen him leave around nine. Correct answer.

Explanation

The reporter records verbatim what the witness said, including nonstandard grammar, without correcting it. Altering 'seen' to 'saw' would change the record. Times are typically rendered in words as spoken rather than converted to numerals or expanded.

Question 6Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter transcribes a sidebar conference that the judge ordered off the record. What is the correct treatment of that sidebar in the transcript?

  1. Omit any reference to the sidebar entirely
  2. Transcribe the sidebar and mark it confidential
  3. Transcribe the sidebar in full because it occurred in open court
  4. Note that a sidebar was held off the record without transcribing its content Correct answer.

Explanation

When the judge directs that a sidebar be off the record, the reporter notes that a discussion occurred but does not record its content. The notation preserves the sequence of proceedings without disclosing off-record discussion. Transcribing the content would violate the court's direction.

Question 7Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter must mark and identify an exhibit during a trial. Which notation correctly reflects that an exhibit was offered and admitted?

  1. Exhibit 5 was offered and received into evidence. Correct answer.
  2. Exhibit 5 was discussed by counsel.
  3. Exhibit 5 is attached hereto.
  4. Exhibit 5 was marked for identification only.

Explanation

An exhibit notation should reflect its procedural status, such as offered and received into evidence. 'Marked for identification' means it was not admitted. Mere discussion or attachment language does not establish admission.

Question 8Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter encounters an unintelligible passage while transcribing an audio recording of testimony. What is the accepted convention for handling it?

  1. Insert a bracketed notation such as [inaudible] at that point Correct answer.
  2. Leave a blank space in the transcript
  3. Summarize the passage in a parenthetical
  4. Guess the likely words and transcribe them without comment

Explanation

Unintelligible speech is marked with a bracketed notation such as [inaudible] so the reader knows the gap is in the source, not the transcription. Guessing fabricates the record, and blank spaces or summaries obscure what occurred.

Question 9Literary Dictation and Transcription

In a transcript, a speaker is identified for the first time as 'THE WITNESS.' On subsequent pages, the same speaker continues. What is the standard convention for the speaker designation?

  1. Abbreviate to 'WIT.:' after the first appearance
  2. Replace it with the witness's name after the first appearance
  3. Repeat the full designation 'THE WITNESS:' at each new page
  4. Use the designation 'THE WITNESS:' consistently at each speech block Correct answer.

Explanation

Speaker designations are repeated consistently at each speech block so the reader can follow who is speaking, especially across page breaks. Abbreviating or switching to a name without instruction creates inconsistency. The designation remains as established in the record.

Question 10Literary Dictation and Transcription

A court reporter is transcribing a proceeding in which the judge says: 'Let the record reflect that the jury has returned.' How should the reporter treat this statement?

  1. As an instruction to omit the statement from the record
  2. As a parenthetical describing the jury's return
  3. As an aside to be placed in a footnote
  4. As a directive to be transcribed as spoken words of the judge Correct answer.

Explanation

The judge's spoken words, including directions to the reporter, are transcribed as spoken. The statement is part of the record and is not converted to a parenthetical or omitted. Footnotes are not used to relocate spoken testimony.

Question 11Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter is preparing a daily transcript (rough draft) for a judge during trial. Which statement best describes the standard for a daily transcript?

  1. It replaces the official transcript permanently
  2. It is an uncertified working draft subject to later correction Correct answer.
  3. It omits all objections and sidebars
  4. It must be certified and final before delivery

Explanation

A daily or rough transcript is an expedited, uncertified working product used during trial and later superseded by the certified transcript. It is not final and does not replace the official record. It still reflects the proceedings, including objections.

Question 12Literary Dictation and Transcription

A witness spells a surname aloud: 'K-A-T-Z.' How should the reporter transcribe the spelled letters?

  1. K-A-T-Z Correct answer.
  2. K A T Z
  3. Katz
  4. K.A.T.Z.

Explanation

Spelled-out letters are transcribed with hyphens between the letters to show the witness spelled the name. Rendering the assembled name would lose the spelling testimony. Spaces or periods between letters do not follow standard spelling conventions.

Question 13Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter is transcribing a colloquy in which two attorneys speak at once. What is the proper approach?

  1. Transcribe both speakers simultaneously in overlapping columns
  2. Omit the overlapping portion entirely
  3. Attribute all overlapping speech to the first speaker
  4. Note that the speakers talked over one another and transcribe what is discernible Correct answer.

Explanation

When speakers overlap, the reporter notes the overlap and transcribes what can be distinguished. Simultaneous columns are not standard, and omitting or misattributing speech distorts the record. The notation alerts the reader to the condition.

Question 14Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter must handle a witness who answers a question with a nod of the head. How should the reporter record this?

  1. As a footnote explaining the gesture
  2. As the word 'Yes' in quotation marks
  3. As a parenthetical, such as (Witness nods.) Correct answer.
  4. As an editorial comment on the witness's meaning

Explanation

Non-verbal responses are recorded in parentheticals describing the action, such as a nod. The reporter does not interpret the gesture as a spoken word or editorialize about its meaning. Footnotes are not used for this purpose.

Question 15Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter is preparing an index for a trial transcript. Which item properly belongs in the index of witnesses?

  1. The page where each exhibit was admitted
  2. The name of each witness and the page of first testimony Correct answer.
  3. A summary of each attorney's objections
  4. The judge's rulings on motions

Explanation

An index of witnesses lists each witness's name and the page where testimony begins. Exhibits belong in a separate exhibit index. Objections and rulings are not indexed as witnesses.

Question 16Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter transcribes the phrase 'the 1999 statute' as spoken. Which rendering best follows standard transcript conventions for numbers?

  1. the 1999 statute Correct answer.
  2. the nineteen ninety-nine statute
  3. the nineteen-hundred ninety-nine statute
  4. the 1,999 statute

Explanation

Years are conventionally transcribed in numerals in transcripts, matching common usage. Spelling out the year or inserting a thousands separator would be nonstandard. The numeral form preserves clarity without altering the spoken content.

Question 17Literary Dictation and Transcription

During a deposition, counsel says: 'Let the record show the witness is crying.' How should the reporter handle this statement?

  1. Record it only in a footnote
  2. Ignore the statement as argumentative
  3. Transcribe counsel's statement as spoken words Correct answer.
  4. Convert it to a parenthetical describing the witness's condition

Explanation

Counsel's spoken statement is transcribed as spoken words, even if it describes the witness's condition. The reporter does not convert a speaker's words into a parenthetical or suppress them. Footnotes are not used to relocate spoken statements.

Question 18Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter must transcribe a witness who uses a profanity during testimony. What is the accepted practice?

  1. Omit the profanity and note its removal
  2. Transcribe the profanity verbatim as spoken Correct answer.
  3. Replace the profanity with '[expletive]' in all cases
  4. Substitute a milder synonym

Explanation

Testimony is transcribed verbatim, including profanity, because the record must reflect what was said. Automatic substitution or omission alters the evidence. Bracketed substitutions are reserved for genuinely unintelligible speech.

Question 19Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter transcribes a question by counsel that draws an objection and a ruling. Which sequence correctly reflects the record?

  1. Question, objection, ruling, then the witness's answer Correct answer.
  2. Objection, ruling, question, then the witness's answer
  3. Objection, question, answer, then the ruling
  4. Question, answer, objection, then the ruling

Explanation

The transcript follows the chronological order of events: the question is asked, the objection is made, the court rules, and then the witness answers if permitted. Reordering these events misrepresents the sequence. The chronology is central to a faithful record.

Question 20Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter is asked to transcribe a proceeding in which the court goes on the record at 9:05 a.m. and off the record at 10:20 a.m. What is the standard notation?

  1. (Whereupon, the proceedings were had.)
  2. (Court convened at 9:05 a.m.; recessed at 10:20 a.m.) Correct answer.
  3. (Session.)
  4. (Time noted.)

Explanation

Times on and off the record are noted in parentheticals stating when the court convened and recessed. Vague notations such as 'time noted' do not specify the times. The parenthetical supplies the reader with the actual recorded times.

Question 21Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter must transcribe the oath administered to a witness. Which rendering is standard?

  1. OATH ADMINISTERED
  2. The witness was sworn.
  3. (Witness sworn.) Correct answer.
  4. THE COURT: Do you swear to tell the truth?

Explanation

The administration of the oath is conventionally recorded in a parenthetical, such as (Witness sworn.), placed at the point it occurred. This documents the oath without transcribing the full ceremony. A bare statement or all-caps label is not the standard format.

Question 22Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter transcribes testimony referring to 'Exhibit 12-A.' How should the exhibit designation be handled in the body of the transcript?

  1. Exhibit 12-A Correct answer.
  2. Exhibit 12A
  3. Exhibit Twelve-A
  4. Exhibit Twelve A

Explanation

Exhibit designations are transcribed as marked, preserving the number and letter with the hyphen. Spelling out the number or dropping the hyphen changes the designation. Consistency with the exhibit marking is essential for cross-reference.

Question 23Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter is transcribing a hearing where the judge reads a lengthy statute into the record. How should the reporter handle the reading?

  1. Omit the reading and cite the statute number
  2. Summarize the statute in a parenthetical
  3. Transcribe the statute as read into the record Correct answer.
  4. Transcribe only the first and last sentences

Explanation

Material read into the record is transcribed as read, because it becomes part of the proceedings. Summarizing, omitting, or truncating the reading would leave the record incomplete. The reporter does not substitute a citation for the actual reading.

Question 24Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter encounters a speaker who identifies himself as 'Doctor Smith' but is later referred to as 'Mr. Smith.' How should the reporter handle the designations?

  1. Use only the surname without a title
  2. Use the first designation throughout for consistency
  3. Follow each speaker's designation as used at the time Correct answer.
  4. Alternate randomly between the two

Explanation

The reporter follows the designations as they are used in the proceedings rather than imposing uniformity. Changing a designation can misstate how the person was addressed. Consistency is achieved by reflecting actual usage, not by overriding it.

Question 25Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter is transcribing a witness's answer that includes a long pause and then a change of mind: 'I think-no, I'm certain it was Tuesday.' How should this be transcribed?

  1. I think-no, I'm certain it was Tuesday. Correct answer.
  2. I think, no, I'm certain it was Tuesday.
  3. I think no I'm certain it was Tuesday.
  4. I think; no; I'm certain it was Tuesday.

Explanation

An em dash marks the self-interruption and shift in the witness's statement, preserving the spoken break. Commas, omitted punctuation, or semicolons do not convey the abrupt change of thought. The dash reflects the actual delivery.

Question 26Literary Dictation and Transcription

In a literary dictation exercise, the reader recites a passage containing the word 'ledger.' Which transcription demonstrates correct homophone discrimination?

  1. The clerk opened the leadger and read the entry aloud.
  2. The clerk opened the leger and read the entry aloud.
  3. The clerk opened the ledjer and read the entry aloud.
  4. The clerk opened the ledger and read the entry aloud. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Ledger' is the standard spelling for an account book, and only the first option uses it. The other spellings are nonstandard variants that a competent transcriber would not produce from dictation.

Question 27Literary Dictation and Transcription

A dictation passage includes the sentence 'The committee will reconvene at two.' Which punctuation choice correctly reflects a reporter's rendering of the spoken pause after 'committee'?

  1. The committee; will reconvene at two.
  2. The committee: will reconvene at two.
  3. The committee will reconvene at two. Correct answer.
  4. The committee, will reconvene at two.

Explanation

A brief pause in speech does not automatically call for punctuation; the sentence reads cleanly without it. Inserting a comma, semicolon, or colon between a subject and its verb misrepresents the syntax.

Question 28Literary Dictation and Transcription

During dictation, the reader says 'the plaintiff's attorney's objection.' How should the reporter render the possessive chain?

  1. the plaintiff's attorneys objection
  2. the plaintiffs attorney's objection
  3. the plaintiffs' attorney's objection
  4. the plaintiff's attorney's objection Correct answer.

Explanation

Both 'plaintiff' and 'attorney' are singular possessives, so each takes an apostrophe before the 's.' The other renderings either drop an apostrophe or misplace it.

Question 29Literary Dictation and Transcription

A dictation passage contains the phrase 'not guilty.' Which capitalization rule governs the rendering in a transcript?

  1. Capitalize only 'guilty.'
  2. Capitalize only 'not.'
  3. Capitalize neither word. Correct answer.
  4. Capitalize both words as a formal verdict.

Explanation

'Not guilty' is a verdict phrase but is not a proper noun, so standard style lowercases both words. Capitalizing it would imply a title or formal name that the phrase does not carry.

Question 30Literary Dictation and Transcription

In a literary dictation passage, the reader states: 'The witness testified that she had seen the defendant leave.' Which tense sequence is correct?

  1. The witness testified that she had seen the defendant leave. Correct answer.
  2. The witness testified that she seen the defendant leave.
  3. The witness testified that she had saw the defendant leave.
  4. The witness testified that she has seen the defendant leave.

Explanation

Reported speech about an earlier event takes the past perfect 'had seen,' matching the past-tense reporting verb. The other options use a present perfect, omit the auxiliary, or use a nonstandard past participle.

Question 31Literary Dictation and Transcription

A dictation passage includes the word 'voir dire.' How should the reporter render this term in a transcript?

  1. voir dier
  2. voir dire Correct answer.
  3. vwar dire
  4. voir diree

Explanation

'Voir dire' is the standard spelling of the French-derived legal term for jury examination. The other options are phonetic or misspelled variants that do not reflect the accepted form.

Question 32Literary Dictation and Transcription

During dictation, the reader says 'the court's ruling stands.' Which rendering correctly uses the apostrophe?

  1. the courts' ruling stands
  2. the court ruling stands
  3. the court's ruling stands Correct answer.
  4. the courts ruling stands

Explanation

'Court' is singular and possessive, so it takes an apostrophe before the 's.' The other options either drop the apostrophe or use the plural possessive.

Question 33Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter is transcribing a dictated passage that quotes a statute: 'No person shall be denied equal protection.' Which quotation treatment is correct?

  1. The statute provides that "no person shall be denied equal protection." Correct answer.
  2. The statute provides that "No Person shall be denied equal protection".
  3. The statute provides that 'No Person Shall Be Denied Equal Protection.'
  4. The statute provides that no person shall be denied equal protection.

Explanation

A direct quotation is enclosed in quotation marks, and the final period goes inside the closing quotation mark. The other options drop the quotation marks, use title case, or place the period outside.

Question 34Literary Dictation and Transcription

In a dictation exercise, the reader recites a list: 'The exhibits were marked A, B, C, and D.' Which rendering follows standard serial-comma style?

  1. The exhibits were marked A; B; C; and D.
  2. The exhibits were marked A, B, C and D.
  3. The exhibits were marked A B C and D.
  4. The exhibits were marked A, B, C, and D. Correct answer.

Explanation

The serial comma before the conjunction in a list of three or more items is standard in American legal transcription. The other options omit the comma, use semicolons, or drop separators entirely.

Question 35Literary Dictation and Transcription

A dictation passage contains the sentence 'The defendant, who was represented by counsel, waived arraignment.' Which element is the nonrestrictive clause?

  1. by counsel
  2. The defendant
  3. who was represented by counsel Correct answer.
  4. waived arraignment

Explanation

A nonrestrictive clause adds information and is set off by commas; here 'who was represented by counsel' fits that role. The other elements are the subject, the verb phrase, and a prepositional phrase.

Question 36Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter is transcribing a dictated passage in which the speaker uses the word 'principal' and then 'principle' in the same sentence. Which rendering correctly distinguishes the two?

  1. The principle principal at issue is the school's liability.
  2. The principal principle at issue is the school's liability. Correct answer.
  3. The principle principle at issue is the school's liability.
  4. The principal principal at issue is the school's liability.

Explanation

'Principal' as an adjective means main or chief, while 'principle' as a noun means a rule or tenet. Only the first option uses each word according to its meaning.

Question 37Literary Dictation and Transcription

A dictation passage contains the phrase 'the lessee's lessor.' Which rendering correctly reflects the relationship between the parties?

  1. the lessor's lessor
  2. the lessee's lessor Correct answer.
  3. the lessee's lessee
  4. the lessor's lessee

Explanation

The lessee is the tenant and the lessor is the landlord; the possessive form 'the lessee's lessor' identifies the landlord of the tenant. The other options either reverse the parties or repeat the same party.

Question 38Literary Dictation and Transcription

A reporter is transcribing a dictated passage that contains the sentence 'Had the witness been present, the outcome might have differed.' Which grammatical structure does this sentence employ?

  1. A past counterfactual conditional Correct answer.
  2. A present real conditional
  3. An imperative construction
  4. A future conditional

Explanation

The inverted 'Had...been' plus 'might have differed' marks a past counterfactual condition contrary to fact. The other options describe conditions that do not match this structure.

Question 39Literary Dictation and Transcription

A literary dictation passage contains the homophones 'council' and 'counsel.' Which rendering correctly distinguishes the two words as they are used in the passage?

  1. The city counsel met in closed session, and the defendant's counsel objected to the ruling.
  2. The city counsel met in closed session, and the defendant's council objected to the ruling.
  3. The city council met in closed session, and the defendant's counsel objected to the ruling. Correct answer.
  4. The city council met in closed session, and the defendant's council objected to the ruling.

Explanation

'Council' is a governing or advisory body, so it is the correct spelling for the city's legislative body. 'Counsel' means a legal adviser or attorney, so it is the correct spelling for the defendant's lawyer. A reporter must choose between homophones by meaning, not by sound alone, because the transcript must preserve the speaker's intended sense.

Question 40Literary Dictation and Transcription

A dictation passage reads: 'The witness said, I never signed that document, and then she paused.' The reporter must render the quoted words as direct speech. Which transcription correctly applies quotation punctuation to the dictated passage?

  1. The witness said, "I never signed that document", and then she paused.
  2. The witness said "I never signed that document," and then she paused.
  3. The witness said, "I never signed that document." and then she paused.
  4. The witness said, "I never signed that document," and then she paused. Correct answer.

Explanation

When a reporting clause introduces a direct quotation, a comma precedes the opening quotation mark, and the comma separating the quotation from the continuing sentence goes inside the closing quotation mark. The sentence then continues with the conjunction 'and' in lower case, so the period cannot end the quotation. Only the rendering with a comma before the quote and a comma inside the closing quote satisfies all three conventions.

Question 41Jury Charge Dictation and Transcription

In Missouri court reporting practice, the jury charge is read aloud by the judge and must be captured verbatim. Which term describes the reporter's duty to record every spoken word of the charge exactly as delivered?

  1. Selective reporting
  2. Summarized notation
  3. Verbatim transcription Correct answer.
  4. Paraphrase capture

Explanation

Court reporters must capture the record exactly as spoken, which is the definition of verbatim transcription. Summarizing or paraphrasing would alter the official record and is not permitted for jury charge dictation.

Question 42Jury Charge Dictation and Transcription

A judge dictates the jury charge and pauses at a paragraph break. What should the reporter do to preserve the structure of the written charge in the transcript?

  1. Omit the pause entirely
  2. Continue the text on the same line
  3. Insert a paragraph break at the pause Correct answer.
  4. Add a bracketed editorial note

Explanation

Paragraph breaks in the charge reflect the judge's organization and must be preserved so the transcript mirrors the delivered instruction. A pause at a logical division signals a new paragraph in the record.

Question 43Jury Charge Dictation and Transcription

During jury charge dictation, the judge says a case citation aloud. Which convention governs how the reporter should render the citation in the transcript?

  1. Render it in standard legal citation form Correct answer.
  2. Spell it phonetically as heard
  3. Replace it with a generic placeholder
  4. Delete it as nonessential

Explanation

Citations spoken in the charge are transcribed in proper legal citation format so the record remains usable on appeal. Phonetic or placeholder renderings would obscure the authority the judge relied on.

Question 44Jury Charge Dictation and Transcription

The judge reading the jury charge states a statutory section number. How should the reporter verify the number before finalizing the transcript?

  1. Check it against the cited statute Correct answer.
  2. Ask a colleague to guess
  3. Leave the number blank
  4. Trust the first transcription pass

Explanation

Section numbers must be accurate, so the reporter verifies them against the actual statute rather than relying on a single hearing. Accuracy in statutory references protects the integrity of the charge on review.

Question 45Jury Charge Dictation and Transcription

Which punctuation mark typically introduces a direct quotation of statutory language within a dictated jury charge?

  1. An em dash
  2. A colon Correct answer.
  3. A comma
  4. A semicolon

Explanation

A colon commonly introduces a formal quotation of statutory text, signaling that the exact language follows. Semicolons join clauses, dashes mark interruption, and commas are too weak for this function.

Question 46Jury Charge Dictation and Transcription

When the judge dictates the verdict forms portion of the jury charge, the reporter should treat the forms as:

  1. Verbal filler to be skipped
  2. Part of the record to be transcribed Correct answer.
  3. Optional if time permits
  4. Outside the reporter's scope

Explanation

Verdict forms are read as part of the charge and must be captured in the record. They are substantive instructions that guide the jury's decision.

Question 47Jury Charge Dictation and Transcription

A judge speaks the phrase 'burden of proof' during the charge. Which standard is the reporter most likely to hear defined immediately afterward in a civil case?

  1. Preponderance of the evidence Correct answer.
  2. Reasonable suspicion
  3. Beyond a reasonable doubt
  4. Clear and convincing evidence

Explanation

In civil jury charges, the burden of proof is typically defined as preponderance of the evidence. Beyond a reasonable doubt applies in criminal cases, and reasonable suspicion is not a civil burden standard.

Question 48Jury Charge Dictation and Transcription

Which element of the Missouri court reporter's role most directly protects the accuracy of the jury charge record for appellate review?

  1. Scheduling the reading
  2. Certifying the transcript's correctness Correct answer.
  3. Selecting the jury
  4. Drafting the instructions

Explanation

The reporter's certification attests that the transcript accurately reflects the proceedings, which is what appellate courts rely upon. Drafting instructions and selecting jurors are duties of the judge and counsel, not the reporter.

Question 49Jury Charge Dictation and Transcription

During charge dictation the judge says 'the plaintiff' but the written instruction reads 'the petitioner.' The reporter should transcribe:

  1. A merged version of both
  2. The written instruction's wording
  3. A note flagging the discrepancy only
  4. Exactly what the judge spoke aloud Correct answer.

Explanation

The reporter records the proceedings as they occurred, meaning the spoken words control the transcript. If the judge departs from the written text, that departure is part of the record.

Question 50Jury Charge Dictation and Transcription

The judge dictates a numbered list of elements in the jury charge. How should the reporter format these in the transcript?

  1. As a block quotation without numbers
  2. As a single run-on paragraph
  3. As a numbered list matching the dictation Correct answer.
  4. As a footnote

Explanation

Numbered elements should be preserved as a numbered list so the jury's required findings remain clear. Collapsing them into prose would obscure the structure the judge delivered.