Last week’s discussions in the forum focused on some of the real-world challenges court reporters face, both technical and practical. Members shared experiences and sought advice on maintaining accuracy in noisy environments, managing crosstalk during remote depositions, and improving transcript precision through continuing education. There was also an engaging conversation about developing a neutral parenthetical style sheet, which sparked interest among many members.
This Week’s Hot Topics
Realtime blooper at 260 WPM
A lively discussion unfolded around handling unintended errors that occur during high-speed transcription. It’s a common scenario that many reporters can relate to. Read more here
Maintaining accuracy when the room gets loud
This thread offers practical tips for staying precise when external noise levels rise, a situation familiar to many in the field. Read more here
Crosstalk headaches on Zoom depos
Members shared strategies to handle overlapping voices during virtual depositions, a growing concern with the rise of remote proceedings. Read more here
Clarifying overlaps on the record
The challenge of accurately capturing overlapping dialogue was tackled, with insights shared on making clean records. Read more here
Looking for neutral parenthetical style sheet
A search for a standardized parenthetical style sheet generated interest, with suggestions on achieving consistency and neutrality. Read more here
CE courses that sharpen transcript precision
Discussions highlighted courses that help reporters enhance their precision and technique, reflecting a commitment to continuous improvement. Read more here
A calmer realtime screen for new reporters
This thread focused on creating a more user-friendly realtime display to ease the transition for newcomers to the profession. Read more here
Thank you for staying engaged with our community. Keep sharing your experiences and supporting each other in this unique profession.
@jessica_94m I stopped the whisper-clipping by unchecking Zoom’s “Automatically adjust mic volume” and fixing input around 80%; it keeps consonants intact at 260 WPM, but expect a little more room tone — worth it for clarity?
I mapped a one-key macro in Case CATalyst to drop a visible “[OVL]” tag the instant I hear overlap, then I Search that in edit to split speakers. It’s saved me on remote depos with “noisy environments,” but it can clutter the realtime if you lean on it too much.
But i use a cheap USB foot pedal to drop a quick [split] tag any time two speakers overlap, so my hands stay on the writer; @brian_lee2023, it’s been faster than a hand macro for me. Caveat: if I get pedal-happy, I spend extra minutes pruning tags later, like pulling extra staples from a file.
Quick example: I keep a bright ‘ONE AT A TIME’ card just off-camera and flash it when two speakers collide; it halts overlap faster than interjecting, and I’ve got a soft chime tied to an extra key for remote days. Small caveat: a few judges hate props, so with them I switch to a calm ‘Counsel, overlap’ prompt and a quick timestamp note.
I’ve had good results running remote audio through Krisp before it hits my CAT feed; it strips HVAC and chair squeaks, and my realtime stayed cleaner at 240–260, but it can nibble soft consonants, so I mapped one key to drop “could you repeat the last name?” with a timestamp. It’s like putting a muffler on chaos — useful, but don’t lean on it when counsel whisper.
At 260 WPM, I map a cheap USB foot pedal to drop a timecode and ‘VERIFY’ note in my CAT whenever the audio turns messy, so I stay on the rails and fix the spot quickly on review, @alisa_CCR. Downside: you’ll create a few extra flags on clean days, but it’s still faster than stopping to interject in a noisy environment.