Hiring a Court Reporter in New Brunswick

Hiring a court reporter, stenographer, or transcriptionist in New Brunswick is mostly done through word of mouth and “knowing someone who knows someone”. The online presence for local court reporters in New Brunswick is small, mostly due to the success of more traditional marketing methods used by veteran court reporters. Word of mouth is very important in this field as most law firms have a go-to person that they hire over and over. But just because you’ve always hired someone doesn’t always mean they’re the best choice. When hiring someone to collect important evidence for your next discovery or meeting, consider the following:

Are they insured?

As in any business, insurance is important when dealing with high stake meetings. Before agreeing to hire a court reporter or transcriptionist, make sure that they are working with proper business insurance. These should include Errors and Omissions, Liability, and Privacy Breach Liability insurance policies at the very least. If your court reporter has insurance, you know that your personal information and collected data is protected.

Are they certified to produce official transcripts in your chosen language?

There is a certification process in New Brunswick to ensure that all stenographers meet a high level of accuracy when they transcribe a recording. This test is completed in both official languages and a stenographer needs to be certified in the language of transcript you are requesting to ensure it is official and able to be used in the courts. In New Brunswick, these options are French or English as New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in Canada.

What kind of cyber security practices are they using to protect your sensitive information?

If records are stored online (or on the cloud), what strategies are being used to ensure protection against hacking? Are they updating their computer and website regularly? You need to make sure that these are things that your court reporter ha thought of before agreeing to work with them. In New Brunswick, the industry is slowing moving towards online storage and sharing. Make sure that your confidential audio and transcript files are treated with caution as they are shared between members of the team working on your case.

Are they willing to provide an undertakings list?

It is crucial that everyone in a meeting be on the same page when it comes to undertakings. If you’re unsure as to what an undertaking is, click here for more information. Sometimes, one or more undertakings can be misunderstood or missed completely by one party, thus prolonging the process. Ensure that your New Brunswick court reporter is able to provide a third-party summary list of undertakings to both parties after the meeting is over so everyone is working from the same document.

What are the turnaround times for transcripts?

The production of transcripts in English and French can be lengthy. The transcriptionist must first complete a rough draft, then proofread several times, and check for grammar, punctuation, etc. As a general rule, one hour of audio recording in a New Brunswick discovery leads to about 50-55 pages of transcription. Ensure that you ask what the turnaround time is for that particular court reporter. In larger cities like New York City, turnaround times are very fast (2 weeks). In New Brunswick, they can vary significantly depending on the workload. In Moncton, you can generally expect your transcript to be completed within 30 days.

Is there a rush option available for transcripts in New Brunswick?

Ask your private sector court reporter if they have a rush option for your transcript. Most charge between $40-50 for a rush order depending on their personal workload. Eunota Court Reporting in Moncton has a rush option available most of the time and is capable of completing transcripts using audio from Saint John, Fredericton, Edmunston, Bathurst, and other communities where discoveries are held.  Audio must be graded for clarity before starting the work.

Book Eunota Court Reporting Today!

You can trust that Eunota Court Reporting meets all of these qualifications. We are insured, certified to produce official transcripts in both French and English, employ several cyber security methods to safeguard your confidential data, provide complimentary undertakings lists and exhibit markings, have the fasted turnaround times for transcript production in New Brunswick, and offer rush options to our clients when available. Please contact us to get a free estimate or to make a booking today!