Why hiring a court reporter is better than using the digital recording technology
Many people are now making use of the advancement of technology in the legal world. The digital recording device, for instance, is getting more popular today because many lawyers find it more economical and convenient to use than the typical court reporting services. If you are running a court reporting agency or if you are torn between hiring a court reporter and using the digital reporting technology, this blog post can definitely help you.
In this highly technologically advanced era, almost everything has gone digital. Technology has greatly impacted the way we connect with our friends, loved ones, and the rest of the world, the way we shop, the way we live our daily lives and the way products are being manufactured, among others. With the new innovations, life has been made easier and work has become more convenient and quicker to complete. One of the latest innovations of today is the development of recording technology which can be used in the legal arena.
The use of advanced recording technology in legal procedures, court trials, and depositions are becoming more and more popular these days. Since many lawyers find it more economical and convenient to use digital recorders than to hire court reporter services, a lot of people are now doubtful if it is still practical to go with the traditional way of court reporting or not anymore.
The big question is: Will these advanced recording technologies take over the traditional court reporting industry? Does this mean the end of the career of the court reporters?
If you are running a court reporting agency, here are a few reasons why you should not worry about closing your firm very soon. These reasons can likewise help those who need court reporting services but are torn between hiring a court reporter and using the digital reporting technology.
Accuracy in recording
When it comes to the accuracy in recording, the court reporter can capture the testimony or record the entire court proceeding or legal deposition with 99% accuracy. If there are words that are uttered vaguely, the court reporter can ask the speaker to reiterate the words in a clearer way. On the other hand, the digital recording technology can't do the same.
Translation of testimony
There are times that translation of testimony is needed during court proceedings. A digital recorder can't be able to provide you with a real-time testimony translation in case the situation calls for it. The verbatim or stenographic reporter, however, can translate the testimony on the spot.
Training and expertise
The digital recording device is being handled by a digital recorder who has undergone one to two weeks of training. Unlike the digital recorder, the certified court reporters need to complete a two-year college diploma and to go through an extensive training program before they can be able to practice their profession. They are expert in courtroom protocol, medical terminology, and legal terminology, among others.
Handling of multiple speakers
When multiple people speak at a time, the certified court reporter can ask the court to let them speak one by one. The digital recorders can't be able to do this as they only rely on the recording device to record the testimony.
Noise management
Court reporters are already used to working with all the noise and nuances around. When the courtroom gets too noisy, they can still be able to know, hear, and capture those things that need to be recorded. However, when the digital recorder captures all the nuances and unnecessary noise inside the courtroom, it would be challenging for the transcriber to transcribe the recorded testimony, thus affecting the accuracy and reliability of the transcribed document.
You see, a certified court reporter can offer more advantages than a digital recording technology. Aside from the 5 mentioned above, there are still a few more good reasons why a court reporter is better than a digital recorder.
