National Court Reporters Association Registered Skilled Reporter (RSR)

The NCRA Code of Professional Ethics (COPE) allows reporters to accept gifts that do not exceed $150 in the aggregate per recipient per year. Accepting a $200 gift violates this rule and compromises the appearance of impartiality. The other options either misstate the dollar limit or propose incorrect mitigation strategies.

A court reporter’s primary duty is to protect the integrity and accuracy of the record. Interrupting immediately ensures the missed terminology is captured correctly while the witness is still present. Guessing, asking one attorney privately, or completely stopping writing compromises the official record and violates professional standards.

Under NCRA guidelines, Backup Audio Media (BAM) is the personal property of the reporter used exclusively to ensure the accuracy of the transcript. It cannot be distributed to any party without the express stipulation of all parties involved. Providing it to one or both parties without agreement violates professional protocols.

Words ending in ‘-ly’ are adverbs and do not take a hyphen when combined with an adjective to modify a noun. Therefore, ‘highly effective’ requires no hyphenation. The other options apply incorrect compound modifier rules.

Realtime transmission via serial connection requires both the sending and receiving software to communicate on the same COM port and at the same baud rate. Mismatched settings are the most common cause of failed realtime feeds. The steno machine’s memory or proprietary software requirements are not the standard causes for this issue.

‘Voir dire’ is a French legal term that translates to ‘to speak the truth,’ and it refers to the questioning of prospective jurors to assess their suitability for jury service. The other options describe an arraignment, a sidebar, and the admission of exhibits, respectively.

Court reporters are bound by strict confidentiality and must preserve the secrecy of proceedings until they are officially made public. Discussing testimony with a journalist, even off the record or anonymously, is a severe violation of the NCRA Code of Professional Ethics.

In medical terminology, the suffix ‘-plasty’ means surgical repair or reconstruction, and the root ‘arthro-‘ refers to a joint. Therefore, arthroplasty is the surgical reconstruction or replacement of a joint. The other options describe a meniscectomy, an arthrodesis, and an arthroscopy.

A court reporter must preserve the condition of physical exhibits while ensuring they are properly identified for the record. Marking directly on a fragile or antique item destroys its evidentiary value, so using tags, labels, or protective sleeves is the correct procedure.

NCRA’s standard transcript formatting guidelines mandate 25 numbered lines per page to ensure consistency, fairness in billing, and uniformity across the profession. Deviating from this standard can result in unethical billing practices (page padding) or non-compliance with court rules.

An affirmation has the exact same legal binding effect as a traditional sworn oath and accommodates individuals who cannot swear for religious or personal reasons. A reporter must never skip the swearing-in process, as unsworn testimony is not legally valid for a deposition.

Resolving dictionary conflicts by creating distinct outlines or utilizing CAT software conflict-resolution logic is essential for clean translation and efficient editing. Relying on spell-check or global replacements will result in contextual errors, and interrupting the witness for spelling common words is unprofessional.

A Writ of Mandamus is an extraordinary court order compelling a government official or lower court to properly execute their official duties. Habeas corpus refers to unlawful detention, a subpoena duces tecum requires documents, and a writ of certiorari is a request for Supreme Court review.

NCRA COPE strictly prohibits reporters from taking the record when there is a conflict of interest, such as a close familial relationship with a party, because it destroys the appearance of impartiality. The reporter must disclose the conflict and withdraw, as partial disclosure or third-party proofreading does not cure the ethical violation.

When performing a readback for a jury, the reporter must only read the evidence that was officially admitted; therefore, sustained objections, colloquy, and stricken testimony must be omitted. Providing uncertified drafts or paraphrasing testimony violates the reporter’s duty to provide an exact, legally accurate record.

According to standard transcript style guides like Morson’s, when numbers in a related series appear in the same sentence and at least one number is over ten, all numbers in that category should be written as numerals for consistency. Writing a mix of words and numerals for related items is incorrect.

PTX and specialized PDF formats are industry standards for delivering condensed transcripts with hyperlinked concordances (word indexes) to attorneys. ASCII and RTF are basic text formats that do not natively support hyperlinked condensed views, and raw steno notes are unreadable to attorneys.

The prefix ‘vaso-‘ refers to blood vessels, and ‘dilator’ means to expand or open. Therefore, a vasodilator widens blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. The other options describe vasoconstrictors, anticoagulants, and sedatives.

A court reporter cannot go off the record unless there is a mutual agreement among all counsel present or a direct order from the presiding judge or officer. If there is a dispute, the reporter must continue writing to preserve the record of the disagreement.

Note retention policies vary significantly by jurisdiction; therefore, reporters must adhere to the specific state statutes or local court rules governing their area. NCRA provides guidelines, but local laws always supersede association guidelines, and notes are the property of the reporter, not the hiring attorney.