When it comes to Phone and Zoom Depositions, a fair amount can go wrong.
➤ Wifi issues cutting out at critical moments
➤ People speaking at the same time so only one voice is transmitted
➤ Technical difficulties with mic and speaker settings –
All can lead to unintelligible transcripts jam-packed with indecipherable sections.
While we might not be able to solve your wifi issues for you, there are some steps you can take to help your court reporter create a more accurate transcript.
On a Zoom depo, help your court reporter by:
- Providing contact information; your name, firm name and address, email and phone number, who you represent – just like when doing in-person depos.
- During admonition, explain the importance of speaking one at a time, so no testimony is lost. Only one person can be heard when more than one person is speaking at the same time. And a reporter can only take down what she hears.
- Keep your face directed at your computer microphone so your speech remains distinct.
- If using an interpreter, allow sufficient time for the interpreter to translate your question.
- Do not let the deponent testify while in an automobile.
These simple tips will help your court reporter accurately capture who said what, giving you the highest quality transcript possible.