12.2 Log Notes, Case Information, the Court Reporter & Judgment Calls on Names and Speakers

Blueprint topics 30401 to 30405 ask you to describe annotations, the case information or appearance sheet, the transcriber's role in interacting with the court reporter, and the judgment calls on proper names, speaker IDs, (phonetic) and (indiscernible).

Annotations (log notes)

A digital reporter records the proceeding and simultaneously keeps log notes, also called annotations: time-stamped entries that guide the transcriber. On the CET practical, "Log Annotations are linked under the TheRecordXchange player."

AAERT's Scalini log shows what they contain:

How to use them

• Before you start: read them through to learn names, the channel map and the sequence of events.
• While drafting: use the time stamps to jump to events and check speaker changes.
• When stuck: check the log at that time stamp for key words and spellings.

Their limits

The log is a guide, not the record. Notes are short and taken live; the Scalini log has I come around four where the audio has I come in around four. When the log and the audio disagree, the audio controls. Never copy log phrases into the transcript as if they were testimony.

AAERT's blog on reporter materials adds that an AI-generated file (such as a meeting app's captions) "is NOT a substitute for a reporter's notes."

The case information (appearance) sheet

The case information record gives the facts needed for the title page and speaker IDs. AAERT's Scalini sheet includes:

• court and courtroom address; presiding judge and title;
• court reporter's name and credential (Sarah Smith, CER);
• transcription service;
• case caption and case number;
• case type or proceeding (Bail Review Hearing);
• date and time;
• counsel, the party each represents, and addresses and telephone numbers;
• a summary of witnesses and exhibits (which examinations occurred; exhibits marked and received).

Use it to build the title page exactly and to spell names. Treat the witness and exhibit summary as a checklist and verify it against the audio: the index reflects what actually happened.

Working with the court reporter

Blueprint topic 30403 asks about "the transcriber's role in interacting with the court reporter." Ideally the reporter transcribes their own jobs, but agencies often divide work, so the reporter and transcriber must cooperate.

What the transcriber needs from the reporter (per AAERT's blog): good audio, detailed notes and annotations, the exhibits if possible, and a screen-capture video for remote jobs.

How to interact:

• Ask through the agency's channel or as the job instructions direct.
• Ask specific questions with time stamps: "At 10:42:15, Channel 3, whose voice is this? Log shows no entry."
• Request word lists, spellings and exhibits early.
• Report audio problems promptly (Chapter 3).
• Do not contact attorneys or parties directly unless the client authorizes it. Direct contact raises confidentiality and impartiality concerns.
• Credit the reporter's notes but decide by the audio. The transcriber certifies the transcript, so the final judgment is the transcriber's.

Judgment calls: proper names

When a name is clear on the audio:

1. Case information and appearances (parties, counsel, judge).
2. Log notes, especially names spelled on the record.
3. Exhibits and case documents.
4. Reliable outside sources: official court, agency and business websites, bar directories, maps (Chapter 13).

If a clearly heard name still cannot be verified, spell it phonetically and add (phonetic), usually at its first occurrence:

A. I spoke with Officer Dziedzic (phonetic) about the report.

Some style sheets repeat (phonetic) at each use; many mark only the first. Be consistent.

(phonetic) vs. (indiscernible)

Judgment calls: speaker identification

A wrong speaker ID puts words in the wrong mouth. To identify a speaker:

• Channel strength: whose microphone carries the voice most strongly (Chapter 3).
• The log's speaker entries at that time.
• Voice characteristics learned from earlier, clearly identified passages.
• Context: who is examining, who would say this, who is addressed next ("Thank you, Ms. Lee").
• Role logic: only the judge rules on objections; only the examining attorney asks Q-line questions.

If a speaker truly cannot be identified, use a neutral ID such as UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (following the client's style), rather than guessing. Never assign a statement to a party because it "sounds like" something they would say.