OK Court Reporter flashcards

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

Deposition notice

A written notice stating the time, place, and manner of recording a deposition, served on all parties so they may attend and cross-examine.

Subpoena duces tecum

A subpoena commanding a witness to produce documents or things at a deposition or trial; in Oklahoma civil cases it is governed by 12 O.S. § 2004.1.

Oath administration

The swearing or affirming of a witness before testimony; the reporter records that the oath was given and by whom it was administered.

Certified transcript

A transcript signed by the reporter attesting it is a true and correct record of the proceedings, which makes it prima facie evidence of what occurred.

Voir dire

The examination of prospective jurors to determine fitness and bias; the term also refers to a preliminary hearing on the admissibility of evidence outside the jury's presence.

Sustained versus overruled

Sustained means the court grants an objection and the answer is excluded; overruled means the objection is denied and the testimony proceeds.

Proffer

An offer of proof describing excluded testimony so the appellate court can assess the ruling; it is made outside the jury's hearing and transcribed for the record.

Res judicata

A final judgment on the merits bars a later suit between the same parties on the same claim, preventing relitigation of matters that were or could have been raised.

Sua sponte

Latin for 'of its own accord'; describes a court acting on its own motion without a request from either party.

Serial comma

The comma placed before the final conjunction in a series of three or more items, as in 'red, white, and blue'; usage should be consistent throughout a transcript.

Restrictive clause

A clause essential to the meaning of the sentence, not set off by commas, as in 'the witness who testified first'; removing it changes the meaning.

Em dash

A long dash marking an abrupt break or interruption in speech; it differs from an ellipsis, which marks a trailing off or an omission.

Sic notation

Bracketed [sic] inserted after a quoted error to show the error was in the original and was reproduced verbatim rather than introduced by the reporter.

Dangling modifier

An introductory phrase that does not grammatically modify the subject of the main clause, producing ambiguity or unintentional meaning.

Title page elements

The first page of a transcript identifying the court, case caption and number, parties, judge, proceeding type, date, and the reporter's name.

Colloquy format

Transcript layout in which each speaker's name appears in capitals at the left margin followed by a colon, with a blank line separating speakers.

Exhibit index

A list of exhibits with their marks and the page of first reference, placed at the front or back of the transcript for quick location.

Reporter's certificate

The signed statement at the end of a transcript declaring the record true and correct, naming the reporter and the date of certification.

Errata sheet

A document listing corrections to a delivered transcript, filed with the court so the record can be amended by order rather than silently altered.

Verbatim record

A word-for-word transcription of proceedings that preserves testimony exactly, including errors and repetitions, rather than summarizing or editing for clarity.

Inaudible notation

The bracketed marker [inaudible] used when speech cannot be understood; reporters never guess at words that were not heard.

Homophone risk

Words that sound alike but differ in meaning, such as counsel and council or waiver and waver, requiring context-based proofreading after transcription.

Overlapping speech

Simultaneous talking by two or more speakers; the reporter transcribes the audible portion and notes the interruption without attributing unheard words.

Real-time accuracy

The percentage of correctly translated words in a live feed, commonly targeted at 96 to 98 percent, with residual errors corrected before certification.

Officer of the court

The status of a court reporter that requires impartiality, prohibits legal advice, and forbids altering testimony to favor any party.

Grand jury secrecy

The rule that grand jury proceedings and transcripts are confidential and may not be disclosed except as authorized by law or court order.

Conflict of interest

A personal, familial, or financial relationship with a party or counsel that could compromise impartiality and must be disclosed before accepting an assignment.

Transcript release

Provision of a transcript to a party or by court order; release to a nonparty requires authorization because the record may be sealed or confidential.

CAT software

Computer-aided transcription software that translates stenographic stroke codes into text using a writer-maintained dictionary of strokes and words.

Real-time feed

A live text stream sent from the reporter's computer to counsel or the judge, dependent on dictionary depth, writer speed, and a stable connection.

Uninterruptible power supply

A battery backup device that keeps the stenotype machine and computer running during a power failure so the record is not lost mid-hearing.

Digital audio backup

A secondary audio recording made alongside the stenographic record, with levels and time sync verified before the proceeding, to resolve later disputes.