“To err is human, to forgive, divine”. What a wonderful phrase that was given to us by the English 18th-century writer, Alexander Pope. We all make mistakes but our worst critics are often ourselves. An untrained court reporter in Fort Lauderdale needs to both forgive themselves and ask for help as much as possible. Forgiveness and support are how we learn and keep ourselves motivated.
Watch These Mistakes as A Court Reporter in Fort Lauderdale
Whenever you work with a newly licensed court reporter in Lauderdale, it’s worth keeping these common mistakes in mind. That way, you can support them to pre-empt those mistakes. As a colleague, you know that we all have to start somewhere.
As someone who’s hiring court reporter services, you probably want a more experienced court reporter in Fort Lauderdale. In that case, make sure you target local companies that have decades of experience. They know how to provide you with the right person specific for your case.
While any court reporter in Fort Lauderdale has a full license, they tend to have different specialties covering specific areas of the law. No one can know everything about the law. Simply make sure that your case is clearly explained and that your court reporter company can explain how their expertise can support you.
Some of these common mistakes will also help you identify the best companies that support their teams.
1- Overwhelmed with stress
The demands on a court reporter in Fort Lauderdale can be a shock to any newly certified person. It’s hard to imagine being in court until you’ve been there although most new starters should have some experience already.
Either way, most of us aren’t prepared for the stress that comes with entering the workforce. It’s a different type of demand on our time and suddenly we have to be extra organized. This is particularly true for a court reporter in Fort Lauderdale who has to produce expert transcript documents almost immediately.
A common mistake a new court reporter in Fort Lauderdale makes is not taking care of their health. They need to make sure they have proper breaks when these come up. It’s also critical to be organized and, for example, to eat before any court hearing starts as these can take several hours.
2- Lack of technology use
Depending on where they did their training, a court reporter in Fort Lauderdale might not be up to date with technology. Although, a good company can train them and make sure they’re comfortable with computer-aided transcription software and the relevant voice-to-text equipment.
It can be very stressful to have to adapt to new technology while being in court. A new court reporter might not be able to focus and they could miss critical details. Instead, a savvy new starter will practice beforehand. They will also have calming techniques to manage their emotions such as breathing exercises.
3- Being late
As a professional of the courts, a court reporter in Fort Lauderdale is responsible for upholding the expected qualities such as exactitude and professionalism. Being late simply isn’t an option.
Nevertheless, things go wrong such as equipment breaking down at the last minute or transport not arriving on time. The difference with an experienced court reporter is that they’ve seen it all before. They, therefore, having a plan B and a plan C in place to ensure that they are early as required.
4- Missing important details
A primary goal for any court reporter in Fort Lauderdale is to produce accurate and timely transcripts. These are critical documents for the lawyers and any mistake could bias the outcome in court. This is a big responsibility that demands good attention to detail.
When a new court reporter starts their career, they don’t have the years of practice that an experienced colleague might have. They might be fast note-takers but they’re not quite fully at ease with the technical and legal jargon. So, mistakes can happen.
Instead, newly certified court reporters need to edit and proofread even more carefully and attentively. It’s also a good idea to have a mentor check over the transcripts, especially at the beginning. Again, it comes down to how the firm supports its new starters and ensures mistakes get stopped in time.
5- Not reviewing all the information beforehand
When a court reporter in Fort Lauderdale starts their career, it might not be second nature yet to fully research their court hearing. The more they read about the subject and get familiar with the industry, the more likely they’ll be comfortable with any acronyms and technical terminology.
Another point to note is that court reporters often help with logistics in the background. For instance, they might gather all the information regarding the witnesses as well as check all the equipment. The more upfront planning and research court reporters do, the more likely there will be a seamless hearing.
Final Thoughts on Mistakes from an Untrained Court Reporter in Fort Lauderdale
Mistakes are part of how we learn and it’s important to make them to then know how to avoid them. The top firms have systems in place to support their new starters to make sure that clients don’t have to suffer the impact of any mistakes.
It’s also important for any new court reporter in Fort Lauderdale to take extra care with editing, ask for help, and to practice as much as possible outside their normal hearings. Then, they also can become a respected and sought-after court reporter.
