CRYSTAL RIVER COURT REPORTERS - HOW TO GIVE THE BEST SERVICE TO OUT-OF-TOWN CLIENTS

Crystal River court reporters tend to serve the needs of out-of-town clients more often than most court reporters working in larger cities. So it is of utmost importance that we follow some basic rules to help serve the needs of our out-of-town clients to the highest level possible.

The following is a bullet list of what an attorney should expect from a court reporter and their court reporting agency when coming to take depositions in Crystal River, Homosassa, FL and the surrounding areas:

* This is the only shot the attorney has at taking their witnesses’ deposition, it can be a large inconvenience for the attorney to have to come back and plan another trip just to continue a deposition. Therefore, a court reporter should expect to work as late as the attorney sees fit. The court reporter needs to make any personal arrangements ahead of time so that he or she can free up her schedule for the entire day and into the evening hours.

* Conference rooms should be comfortable and large enough to suit the needs of even the largest cases and take into consideration video depositions so that everyone has enough room to shuffle papers and just plain be comfortable, including the comfort of the court reporter.

* The conference should have WIFI access, conference-call accessibility, copy and fax availability; as well as coffee, water, soda and some snacks so that too many breaks are not necessary.

* It is the responsibility of the court reporter to immediately let the attorney know if you are starting to lose continuity in your writing. Many court reporters are afraid to speak up when they feel they’re beginning to lose words in their writing. I believe most attorneys know that you are human and actually appreciate it when someone begins to speak too fast, that the court reporter asks them to slow down and/or repeat the question or answer being given.

* When scheduling a deposition for an out-of-town attorney, it is the responsibility of the court reporter to help the attorney make any necessary arrangements such as hotel accommodations, airport recommendations, directions and the like. Also, because the attorney may not be familiar with the area, you might suggest a different and more convenient location from where the witness is coming, as well as the attorney.

* Give the attorney fair and reasonable rates when billing your attendance and transcript fees. Because many attorneys in their hometowns usually have their own favorite court reporting agency that they deal with, many times they will get a small reduction in their rates. We should offer the attorneys the same courtesy as if they were local attorneys.

* Our turnaround time for transcript delivery should be the standard two-week turnaround but getting the transcripts out at least two or three days beforehand is recommended to leave room for mail delivery time. Making e-transcripts available is also of utmost importance in case the attorney needs to review the transcript before another pending deposition in the case.

* Make sure you are friendly and courteous. Give the attorney some nice recommendations for dining in the area, but try not to chatter too much before the deposition and during breaks because oftentimes the attorney needs to concentrate on reviewing the case, the questions he should be asking - and during breaks, reviewing his notes, etc. So try to keep the conversations friendly but at a minimum.

The advice in the bullet list above are just a few suggestions of how a court reporter in Crystal River and/or Homosassa, FL and the surroundings areas should conduct themselves and what services he or she should be rendering to these hardworking attorneys.