OK Court Reporter key terms

A chorded keyboard device court reporters use to record spoken testimony phonetically, pressing multiple keys at once so each stroke produces a syllable or word rather than a single letter.

The system of phonetic rules and brief forms a reporter learns to map spoken sounds onto chorded keystrokes, determining how quickly and accurately testimony can be captured.

Computer-aided transcription software that translates stenographic strokes into English text, stores dictionaries, and formats finished transcripts with page and line numbering.

The immediate conversion of stenographic strokes into readable text on a screen as testimony is spoken, often requested for attorneys or hearing-impaired participants who need simultaneous access.

A stroke or series of strokes the CAT software cannot match to an English entry, appearing on screen as raw steno and requiring the reporter to define or correct it.

The reporter's stored collection of steno-to-English entries, including briefs and phrases, that the CAT software consults; a well-built dictionary reduces untranslates and editing time.

A shortened stenographic stroke assigned to a frequently used word or phrase so the reporter can write it with fewer keystrokes while maintaining speed and accuracy.

A situation in which one stenographic stroke is assigned to two different English entries in the dictionary, forcing the reporter to choose the correct translation during editing.

An assistant who reviews and corrects a reporter's rough draft transcript for untranslates, punctuation, and spelling before the reporter certifies the final document.

The unedited output produced from a reporter's stenographic notes, containing untranslates and formatting gaps that must be corrected before the transcript is certified and delivered.

The reporter's signed statement on a transcript attesting that the document is a true and accurate record of the proceedings, which makes the reporter accountable for its contents.

The written verbatim record of a proceeding prepared by a court reporter, formatted with numbered pages and lines and delivered to the court or parties as required.

Recording testimony exactly as spoken, including repetitions, false starts, and grammatical errors, rather than cleaning up or summarizing what a witness said.

The standard transcript layout using numbered pages with each page divided into numbered lines, allowing attorneys to cite precise locations such as page 12, line 7.

A notation used when testimony cannot be understood from the recording or the reporter's notes, often shown with a parenthetical and the line or time reference so parties can resolve it.

The reporter's oral repetition of prior testimony from the stenographic record when a judge, attorney, or witness asks to have earlier statements restated during the proceeding.

A pretrial proceeding in which attorneys question a witness under oath outside the courtroom, with a court reporter recording the testimony and producing a transcript for use in the case.

A formal swearing or affirmation administered to a witness or interpreter before testimony, binding the person to tell the truth and establishing the record's legal foundation.

A solemn declaration made in place of an oath by a person who objects to swearing, carrying the same legal obligation to testify truthfully and recorded the same way.

A document, object, or recording marked for identification and offered as evidence, which the reporter must mark, describe, and track in the transcript record.

A front or back section of a transcript listing witnesses, exhibits, and page references so readers can locate testimony and evidence quickly in a long proceeding.

A private bench conference between the judge and attorneys outside the jury's hearing, which may be reported, placed off the record, or summarized depending on the judge's direction.

A judge's direction that statements not be included in the official transcript, requiring the reporter to stop recording and later note the interruption in the record.

A temporary suspension of proceedings ordered by the judge, which the reporter notes in the transcript along with the time court resumed.

An objection stated aloud in front of the jury rather than at sidebar, which the reporter records verbatim along with the court's ruling on the objection.

A formal statement by an attorney challenging the admissibility of evidence or the propriety of a question, which the reporter transcribes word for word with the court's response.

The judge's decision on a legal question or objection, which the reporter records exactly as delivered so the appellate record reflects what the court decided.

The questioning of prospective jurors to determine their qualifications and impartiality, or in some contexts the examination of a witness's competence, both of which the reporter transcribes.

The group of jurors sworn and seated to hear a case, whose selection and swearing the reporter documents in the transcript record.

The defendant's opportunity to address the court personally before sentencing, which the reporter records verbatim as part of the sentencing proceeding.

A party representing themselves without an attorney, a situation that may require the reporter to clarify the record and ensure self-represented speakers are identified by name.

The exchange of remarks among the judge, attorneys, and witnesses during a proceeding, which the reporter transcribes as a back-and-forth dialogue with speaker identifications.

A bracketed or parenthesized notation in a transcript, such as (Indicating) or (Whereupon, the witness resumed the stand), describing non-verbal events without altering spoken words.

The final careful review of a transcript for spelling, punctuation, speaker attribution, and formatting errors before the reporter signs the certification.

The marks a reporter inserts to make spoken testimony readable, guided by grammar rules and accepted transcript conventions rather than by the speaker's pauses alone.

A public officer authorized to administer oaths and certify documents, whose commission may be held by reporters so they can swear witnesses and certify deposition transcripts.

The ethical duty to keep proceedings, exhibits, and personal information from disclosure except as authorized by law, court order, or the parties' instructions.

A transcript the court orders withheld from public access, which the reporter must label, secure, and distribute only to persons the order authorizes.

The reporter's responsibility for safeguarding notes, recordings, and exhibits from loss or alteration, and for producing them when lawfully requested by the court or parties.

A secondary sound recording made alongside stenographic notes to help resolve inaudible passages and verify testimony during transcript preparation.