15.2 Reading Legal Documents & Using the Docket
Key Takeaways
The caption of any filing gives the court, the parties and their roles, and the case number, which are the core facts for a transcript's title page.
Under FRCP 30(b)(3)(A), the party noticing a deposition must state in the notice the method for recording the testimony.
A docket is the court's chronological list of every filing and event in a case; a court calendar lists scheduled hearings by date, time and courtroom.
Federal transcripts are ordered on Form AO 435 (Transcript Order), and federal audio recordings on Form AO 436 (Audio Recording Order).
Blueprint topics 40305 and 40306 ask you to read and interpret legal documents that apply to transcriptionists, and to describe the use, key elements and benefits of a docket or court calendar.
Documents a transcriber reads
The caption
Every filing starts with a caption:
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN
SARAH SMYTHE-RICHARDS and
ELIZABETH ANN MOODY,
Plaintiffs,
v. Docket No. 07-CV-2735-JCS
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
BOARD OF REGENTS, et al.,
Defendants.
From it you get the court, each party and their role, and the case number, which must match the title page exactly. et al. ("and others") signals parties not listed in the short caption.
Reading a federal case number
Federal case numbers usually follow a pattern such as 1:24-cv-01234-ABC:
| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 | The division or office within the district |
| 24 | The year filed |
| cv / cr / mj | Case type: civil, criminal, magistrate judge |
| 01234 | Sequence number |
| ABC | Initials of the assigned judge (some courts) |
AAERT's sample uses the older style 07-CV-2735-JCS. State formats vary widely (3994-10-13Cr in the Scalini hearing). Copy the number exactly; never "correct" its format.
Other documents and what they tell you
| Document | Useful for |
|---|---|
| Complaint / petition / indictment | Parties, claims or charges, key names and places |
| Notice of deposition | Deponent's name, date, time, place, and, under FRCP 30(b)(3)(A), "the method for recording the testimony" |
| Subpoena / subpoena duces tecum | A non-party witness's name; documents they must bring |
| Protective order | What may be designated confidential and who may see it (Chapter 11) |
| Orders (scheduling, sealing, in limine) | Deadlines, sealed portions, excluded topics |
| Exhibits | Spellings, quoted passages, numbers |
| Transcript order form | What was ordered, delivery category, number of copies. Federal courts use Form AO 435 (Transcript Order), and audio copies are ordered on Form AO 436 (Guide to Judiciary Policy § 510.40) |
| Case information sheet | The job's key facts (Chapter 12) |
How to read efficiently
- Start with the caption and signature blocks. Attorneys' names, firms and addresses are in the signature block at the end of each filing, which is the best source for appearances.
- Skim headings, not every paragraph, for context.
- Build the word list from names, places, technical terms and drug names.
- Trust the document for spelling, the audio for words.
The docket and the court calendar
What a docket is
A docket (sometimes "docket sheet" or "case history") is the court's official chronological record of a case: every filing, order, hearing, and minute entry, numbered in sequence. In federal courts it is kept in CM/ECF and viewable through PACER. When a transcript is filed, it appears as a docket entry, and redaction deadlines run from that entry (Chapter 11).
Key elements of a docket
- the case number, caption and assigned judge;
- the attorneys of record for each party, with contact details;
- each entry's date, number and description (Motion to Compel, Minute Entry for Motion Hearing);
- links to filed documents;
- the status of the case.
What a court calendar is
A court calendar (also called a hearing list or daily docket) lists scheduled proceedings: date, time, courtroom, judge, case name and number, and hearing type.
Benefits to the transcriber
| Need | How the docket or calendar helps |
|---|---|
| Correct caption and case number | Copy from the docket, not memory |
| Judge's exact name and title | Assigned judge field |
| Attorney names and firms | Attorneys-of-record list |
| Hearing type and time | Calendar and minute entries |
| Context | What motion was being argued, what was decided before |
| Exhibits and filings mentioned on the record | Docket descriptions and linked documents |
When a speaker refers to "Docket 45" or "our motion at ECF 45," the docket entry identifies the document.
Access to PACER may involve fees, and some records are sealed. Use the docket only as your client authorizes, and keep what you learn confidential.
Worked example: a deposition notice
A notice (in outline) reads:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Rule 30 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Plaintiff will take the deposition of Dana Whitfield on March 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., at the offices of Ruiz & Park LLP, 400 Harbor Street, Suite 12, Burlington, Vermont. The deposition will be recorded by audio and audiovisual means before an officer authorized to administer oaths and will continue from day to day until completed.
Signed: Maria Ruiz, Esq., Attorney for Plaintiff
What the transcriber takes from it:
| Fact | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Deponent's full name | Title page (DEPOSITION OF DANA WHITFIELD), oath line, speaker IDs |
| Date, time, place | Title page; check against the officer's opening statement |
| Rule 30 | Federal deposition rules apply (read and sign under 30(e)) |
| Audio and audiovisual recording | Expect a videographer and media units (Chapter 11) |
| Noticing attorney and firm | Appearances; usually the party ordering the original (Chapter 13) |
The notice tells you what should happen; the recording tells you what did. If the deposition actually started at 10:20 a.m., the transcript shows 10:20 a.m.
Practice: which source answers the question?
| Question | Best source |
|---|---|
| How is the assigned judge's name spelled? | Docket or case information sheet |
| What motion was argued at this hearing? | Court calendar or docket entry for that date |
| What did the witness say at 10:42? | The audio |
| Which firm represents the third-party defendant? | Docket attorney list or signature blocks |
| Was Exhibit 7 received? | The audio, then the index you build from it |
Under FRCP 30(b)(3)(A), what must the party noticing a deposition state in the notice?
The transcriber's name and certification number
The method for recording the testimony
The page rate for the transcript
The expected number of transcript pages
What is a docket?
A list of jurors called for a trial
The transcriber's list of spellings for a job
A sealed envelope containing a deposition
The court's chronological record of every filing, order and event in a case
In the federal case number 1:24-cv-01234, what does "cv" indicate?
A civil case
A criminal case
A case assigned to a court of appeals
A case heard by a magistrate judge
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.