What to Provide Your Court Reporting Team for a Successful Trial
Preparing for trial is a stressful process. You need to contact witnesses, gather evidence, prepare outlines, file motions and more. Oh, and you’ll need a court reporter for the proceedings…and maybe a trial tech as well. Aptus Court Reporting can help with those two specific needs. When contacting Aptus to help you prepare for a trial, there are five things we need to know beforehand.
Five Tips for a Successful Trial
1. Scheduling a Trial
Schedule the trial is easy. Simply email our offices at scheduling@aptuscr.com or call us at 866-999-8310. Think of scheduling a court reporter for trial like making reservations at a popular restaurant: The further in advance you schedule; the easier it will be for us to provide a top-notch reporter. Remember, if the case settles or gets extended, Aptus does not charge for canceling within 24 hours.
2. Estimating the Length of Trial
Our sales team receives a lot of calls asking us to provide a reporter on a specific date, which is certainly not a problem, but providing an estimate of how long the trial may go, will help the reporter plan their schedule accordingly as well. Remember the deposition admonition about estimates being okay? If you’re not sure, but think the trial might last two weeks, let us know, even if there’s a chance it will be longer or shorter. There are no wrong answers with an estimate.
3. Providing Trial Transcripts
Aptus’ standard turnaround time for deposition transcripts is 10 business days. That flies out the window come trial. If you anticipate needing daily transcripts and/or roughs produced, please let us know at the time of scheduling. This serves two purposes:
- It will help the reporter plan their time accordingly
- If he the reporter uses the services of proofreaders or scopists, they can get it to them faster and, in turn, to you faster
4. Using a Trial Technician
Some cases need the aid of technology and the assistance of an experienced trial technician. The “tech” can help you present exhibits and video, digitally, all with the press of a few keys! If you think a tech will be beneficial during your trial, let us know at the time of scheduling. Additionally, we need to know:
- How many exhibits you have (again, an estimate is perfectly fine)
- If you plan on using any video testimony from transcripts.
Our trial team will follow up with a complimentary consultation.
5. Covering Trial Expenses
It is quite common for both parties to share the cost of the court reporter. Aptus can accommodate those arrangements. We will need written confirmation from both parties that says as much. This way, upon conclusion of trial, we can quickly bill it out to the correct parties.
At Aptus, we have staff with specific skills and technical knowledge. We have the experience to assist with unique situations, like a recent trial that required video conferencing with someone in another country. Contact Aptus today to get a demo tailored specifically for your trial needs.
