8.2 The Title Page

Blueprint topic 30102 asks you to identify correct title page formatting. The CET practical requires a title page, and every element on it is checkable against the case information sheet.

Required contents (federal)

The Guide to Judiciary Policy, § 520.43.10, requires each transcript to include a title page showing:

1. court name;
2. district;
3. case name;
4. civil or criminal docket number;
5. name and title of the judge or other judicial officer presiding;
6. type of proceeding;
7. date and time of the proceeding;
8. volume number (if multi-volume);
9. name and address of each attorney and the party represented;
10. whether a jury was present;
11. the court reporter's name, address and telephone number, if the record was made by stenography;
12. the audio operator's name, plus the name, address and telephone number of the transcription company, if the record was made by electronic sound recording;
13. the method by which the proceedings were recorded; and
14. the method by which the transcript was produced.

For electronic recording, the Guide's example method statement is: "Proceedings recorded by electronic sound recording, transcript produced by transcription service." AAERT's sample uses the same words with a semicolon, and its margin note says "a comment on the method of capturing the record is required."

Under § 520.43.20, the complete record of appearances begins on the title page. The title page may be charged as a full page (§ 520.43.30).

AAERT's sample federal title page

Reduced to its structure (line numbers 1 to 25 run down the left margin on the real page):

                    UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
                    WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN
                          EASTERN DIVISION

SARAH SMYTHE-RICHARDS and   .   Docket No. 07-CV-2735-JCS
ELIZABETH ANN MOODY,        .
                            .
     Plaintiffs,            .   Madison, Wisconsin
                            .   Monday, July 9, 2007
          v.                .   9:00 a.m.
                            .
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN     .
BOARD OF REGENTS, et al.,   .
                            .
     Defendants.            .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

                             VOLUME I
                         TRANSCRIPT OF TRIAL
                 BEFORE THE HONORABLE JOHN C. SIMONE
            UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE, and a jury.

APPEARANCES:

For the Plaintiffs:      Sheridan & Fox, S.C.
                         By:  MARY R. KENNELLY, ESQ.
                         49 East Midland Street, Suite 7
                         Madison, Wisconsin  53703
                         (608) 258-9625

For the Defendants:      State Attorney General's Office
                         By:  NADIM ETAN SABRAHAR, ESQ.
                              MICHAEL P. FONTELLE, ESQ.
                         ...

Court Reporter:          Renee DuPont
                         ...

Transcription Service:   Blaupunkt Reporting Co.
                         ...

Proceedings recorded by electronic sound recording;
transcript produced by transcription service.

Reading it line by line

AAERT's margin notes add two practical points: title page accuracy "is critical," so double-check every entry, and telephone numbers for counsel "are optional, but are helpful to include."

The Scalini version

AAERT's Scalini key applies the same layout to a state bail hearing: IN THE VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT / WILLISTON CRIMINAL DIVISION, caption STATE OF VERMONT, Plaintiff, v. ANTHONY SCALINI, Defendant., Case No. 3994-10-13Cr, TRANSCRIPT OF BAIL REVIEW HEARING, BEFORE THE HONORABLE ALISON FLOWERS, SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE, and a Court Reporter: Sarah Smith, CER line. On the practical, copy the court, caption, case number, date, time, judge and counsel from the case information sheet exactly.

The transcription service block on the exam

In AAERT's Federal Format Template, the transcription service line reads "Redacted for CET Exam," with the instruction "Do not add your name here." The certificate's signature block carries the same instruction. The practical is graded anonymously, which is also why the PDF file name uses initials only.

Title page variations

• Redacted transcripts: the notation REDACTED TRANSCRIPT goes on a blank line immediately below the case caption and before the volume number and the judge's name, without changing the length of the title page (§ 520.70.20).
• Criminal cases: the caption reads UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, v. [NAME], Defendant. in federal court, or STATE OF..., PEOPLE OF..., COMMONWEALTH OF... in state courts.
• In re matters: bankruptcy and similar proceedings use In re [NAME], Debtor.
• Depositions: the title page names the deponent (DEPOSITION OF...) and the notice or rule under which it was taken, and the appearances often include ALSO PRESENT lines for the videographer or interpreter (Chapter 11).

Common title page errors

• Wrong or missing docket number, or a number copied inconsistently with the case information.
• Missing jury notation, or and a jury on a bench proceeding.
• Counsel listed under the wrong party.
• Missing method statement.
• A volume number on a one-day proceeding.
• The transcriber's own name added on the exam title page.