Hiring Georgia court reporters for depositions can be a bit costly. Moreover, finding the right professional can be quite daunting given the fact that there are now a lot of available court reporters and court reporting firms across the state. Apart from hiring court reporters, there are also other alternatives that attorneys can use during depositions. A good example of this is digital recording or reporting.
But despite all these facts, it is still better to work with a court reporter. There are a lot of things that only the certified court reporters can do. Getting a court reporting service can seem to be pricey at first, but if you try to look at the bigger picture, you can be able to save some dollars in the long run.
Deposition court reporters understand very well the importance of neutrality, confidentiality, and discretion in every legal proceeding. You can expect them to observe utmost confidentiality no matter what. Unless you are authorized to communicate with them regarding the case, they will never disclose any information or tell you anything about the sworn testimony of the witnesses.
You can easily record the entire deposition process with the use of a digital recording device or perhaps by having a transcriptionist type them manually. Though this seems to be a great idea, using a transcriptionist or a digital device during deposition offers a lot of disadvantages. One major disadvantage of these options is accuracy.
Once the recording device is turned on, it will start recording everything it captures including nuances, disturbing background noise, and unclear spoken words. On the other end, a transcriptionist can be a skilled typist but he does not have enough training and knowledge about the deposition process, legal documents, and legal terms. All these can affect the precision and accuracy of the transcript.
Another reason why a court reporter is beneficial during depositions is fast document turnaround. Certified court reporters understand very well how important it is for the reviewing attorney to have the accurate copy of the transcripts on a timely basis. You can even opt for expedited court transcription services or ask for the rough draft if you really need the documents at your desk as early as possible for immediate reviewing.
It is critical to note, though, that for you to be able to benefit from the court reporting service, you need to get the most reliable service provider. In some cases, attorneys use the cost as the deciding factor which should not be. They simply pick the national court reporting firm with the lowest rate without considering service quality and professionalism.