LA Superior Courts - CSRNation2024-03-29T08:05:38Zhttp://csrnation.ning.com/forum/topics/la-superior-courts?commentId=1736041%3AComment%3A1225669&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHi Martha and everybody invol…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-04-21:1736041:Comment:12256922012-04-21T17:28:28.238ZJan Roperhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/JanRoper
<p>Hi Martha and everybody involved in this thread:</p>
<p>The following quote is re-printed from "CCRA Ten Tips: The Freelancer's Guide to Court Work," located under Tip No. 7:</p>
<p><strong><em>"If you are hired privately by the attorneys, you are not governed by the fees that the officials are required to charge. If you are hired by the court, you are governed by the fee structure of that court."</em></strong></p>
<p>You can find the above-referenced tips on the CCRA's website. This is…</p>
<p>Hi Martha and everybody involved in this thread:</p>
<p>The following quote is re-printed from "CCRA Ten Tips: The Freelancer's Guide to Court Work," located under Tip No. 7:</p>
<p><strong><em>"If you are hired privately by the attorneys, you are not governed by the fees that the officials are required to charge. If you are hired by the court, you are governed by the fee structure of that court."</em></strong></p>
<p>You can find the above-referenced tips on the CCRA's website. This is what CCRA is positing. However, I don't know if their statement is true or untrue.</p>
<p>It's a confusing mess.</p>
<p>Jan Roper</p>
<p></p> Not to belabor all the issues…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-04-20:1736041:Comment:12258412012-04-20T22:29:23.770ZDean Morrishttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/molas
<p>Not to belabor all the issues, but the amount the Freelancer/Per Diem should be paid is an amount that is equal to their former salary, plus the costs of obtaining benefits. </p>
<p>Court work is not for the faint of heart, nor temperament.</p>
<p>Regular court hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or 8:30 a.m.to 5:00 p.m., not until 6:00 p.m. </p>
<p>Working in court before or after regular court hours is subject to overtime pay.</p>
<p>Solidarity among the former Reporters will help bring…</p>
<p>Not to belabor all the issues, but the amount the Freelancer/Per Diem should be paid is an amount that is equal to their former salary, plus the costs of obtaining benefits. </p>
<p>Court work is not for the faint of heart, nor temperament.</p>
<p>Regular court hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or 8:30 a.m.to 5:00 p.m., not until 6:00 p.m. </p>
<p>Working in court before or after regular court hours is subject to overtime pay.</p>
<p>Solidarity among the former Reporters will help bring pressure on the court to rehire. I would imagine the very strong and knowledgeable DRA is advising and assisting.</p>
<p>Current Freelance Reporters will not run to fill low-paid, per-diem court positions, especially when the days are long, the work is difficult, and the ambiance is challenging. I don't believe Freelancers were running to fill per-diem positions before the massive layoffs.</p>
<p>As Martha wrote, she worked a lot on a per-diem basis and hated it. I've heard that expressed many times before. It seems improbable that Freelance Reporters will run to fill these unappealing-compared-to-deposition-work positions.</p>
<p>Some states have hired inexperienced, uncertified Freelance Reporters, only to later rue the day they ever did, when the inexperienced, uncertified Freelance Reporter could not produce the required transcripts,</p>
<p>Most Freelancers realize working per-diem in court is not worth the aggravation, nor the low pay.</p>
<p>My suspicion is the courts would not want to pay appropriate per-diem fees. </p>
<p>Surcharges, copies - are you kidding?</p>
<p>What may happen is that the current surviving Officials who are presently working in "challenging" courtrooms may be moved to the more desirable positions, opening per-diem positions in the court for the least-desirable positions.</p>
<p>Hopefully, all of the wonderfully-talented, certified, former Officials will be welcomed with open arms into the freelance arena, appreciated for their experience and certifications.</p>
<p>Freelancers, run like the wind. Have faith. JUST SAY NO!!!</p> If court work paid like arbit…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-04-20:1736041:Comment:12256782012-04-20T20:11:27.145ZMarge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)http://csrnation.ning.com/profile/MargeTeilhaber
<p>If court work paid like arbitrations (higher attendance and page rate than deps), would it really be wrong for a freelancer to take this work? It seems to be a non-issue since we're now hearing that these numbnuts think they can get coverage and transcripts for the same low page rate that is OK if you're getting an annual salary and benefits but LAUGHABLE as a freelancer. But if freelancers WITH SPINE (including former officials who are now scrambling to make a damn living) demanded (and…</p>
<p>If court work paid like arbitrations (higher attendance and page rate than deps), would it really be wrong for a freelancer to take this work? It seems to be a non-issue since we're now hearing that these numbnuts think they can get coverage and transcripts for the same low page rate that is OK if you're getting an annual salary and benefits but LAUGHABLE as a freelancer. But if freelancers WITH SPINE (including former officials who are now scrambling to make a damn living) demanded (and got signed agreement on) freelance rates including all the customary surcharges, minimums, delivery, additional hourly rates before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m. (I do know people who charge hourly after 5 p.m.; I might switch to 5 p.m.), would it be terrible? No free copies to ANYONE, including a judge. It would hit them where it hurts and maybe that would get lawyers to rise up in support of official court reporters?</p>
<p></p>
<p>I'm happy to wrong here. Just throwing it out there.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p> Freelance Reporters should JU…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-04-20:1736041:Comment:12255332012-04-20T17:31:21.966ZDean Morrishttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/molas
<p>Freelance Reporters should JUST SAY NO to covering courts, particularly in states where there have been massive layoffs.</p>
<p>Many states which tried "E. R." have discovered the error of their ways and rehired Reporters.</p>
<p>Think Long-term. Think Solidarity.</p>
<p>Don't be a scab:</p>
<h2 class="def-header"><span>Definition of <em>SCAB</em></span></h2>
<p></p>
<div class="KonaBody" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="sblk"><div class="snum">1…</div>
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<p>Freelance Reporters should JUST SAY NO to covering courts, particularly in states where there have been massive layoffs.</p>
<p>Many states which tried "E. R." have discovered the error of their ways and rehired Reporters.</p>
<p>Think Long-term. Think Solidarity.</p>
<p>Don't be a scab:</p>
<h2 class="def-header"><span>Definition of <em>SCAB</em></span></h2>
<p></p>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="KonaBody"><div class="sblk"><div class="snum">1</div>
<div class="scnt"><span class="ssens"><strong>:</strong> <a class="formulaic" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scabies">scabies</a> of domestic animals</span></div>
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<div class="sblk"><div class="snum">2</div>
<div class="scnt"><span class="ssens"><strong>:</strong> a crust of hardened blood and serum over a wound</span></div>
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<div class="sblk"><div class="snum">3</div>
<div class="scnt"><span class="ssens"><em class="sn">a</em> <strong>:</strong> a contemptible person</span> <span class="ssens"><em class="sn">b</em> <em class="ssn">(1)</em> <strong>:</strong> a worker who refuses to join a labor union</span> <span class="ssens"><em class="ssn">(2)</em> <strong>:</strong> a union member who refuses to strike or returns to work before a strike has ended</span> <em><strong><span class="ssens">(3) : a worker who accepts employment or replaces a union worker during a strike</span> <span class="ssens">(4) : one who works for less than union wages or on nonunion terms</span></strong></em></div>
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<div class="sblk"><div class="snum">4</div>
<div class="scnt"><span class="ssens"><strong>:</strong> any of various bacterial or fungus diseases of plants characterized by crustaceous spots; <em>also</em> <strong>:</strong> one of the spots</span> <span class="ssens">.....</span></div>
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<div class="scnt"><span class="ssens">Have faith.</span></div>
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<div class="scnt"><span class="ssens">JUST SAY NO!!!</span></div>
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<p></p> I know so many reporters that…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-04-20:1736041:Comment:12256692012-04-20T16:29:49.859ZShanna Grayhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/ShannaGray
<p>I know so many reporters that are deathly afraid of court. Now, if they are scared of court the way it used to be with the high salary and great benefits, why in the heck would any of them want to go in pro-tem? I was thinking that many of these firms would just hire former officials, but how will the firms know how to contact them? A colleague of mine thinks they would just call their normal go-to agencies, which makes sense to me. And that agency may or may not have any of those former…</p>
<p>I know so many reporters that are deathly afraid of court. Now, if they are scared of court the way it used to be with the high salary and great benefits, why in the heck would any of them want to go in pro-tem? I was thinking that many of these firms would just hire former officials, but how will the firms know how to contact them? A colleague of mine thinks they would just call their normal go-to agencies, which makes sense to me. And that agency may or may not have any of those former officials on their staff. What a mess. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I also agree, even though some aspects of court appeal to me, that I would just say no. I'm leery of that folio/page rate issue. I'd rather not put my neck on the line. And who wants to do that amount of work for peanuts? </p>
<p>But if so many of us say no, will they then try to get E.R. installed in there? Sheesh, I'm trying not to freak out about all this. I have a job right now that I do three days a week, only two of which are during the week. I do it from home, so a lot of times I am able to work on transcripts. I take depos on the other three days of the week, so I'm essentially doing this part time. I want to go full time, but I just don't see the stability yet to be able to do so. I like having a "base pay" in a sense, and then all my depo work is an added bonus. Anyway, I have digressed from my original idea, but basically what I'm saying is this new development is not helping me to think that I can become a full-time reporter anytime soon.</p> You are so right about court…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-04-19:1736041:Comment:12255112012-04-19T19:11:03.099ZMartha Rhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/MarthaRuble
<p>You are so right about court being a different animal than depos. I think it's overall faster and very confusing if you are not experienced. I did a lot of per diem work for court when I started reporting and hated it. I loved the casualness and intimacy of depositions. So that's why I decided not to go to court to work. It's something you could get used to, of course, but just being thrown into a situation like that is very tough.</p>
<p>You are so right about court being a different animal than depos. I think it's overall faster and very confusing if you are not experienced. I did a lot of per diem work for court when I started reporting and hated it. I loved the casualness and intimacy of depositions. So that's why I decided not to go to court to work. It's something you could get used to, of course, but just being thrown into a situation like that is very tough.</p> Echo Bill's and Marge's comme…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-04-19:1736041:Comment:12255082012-04-19T18:45:57.503ZDean Morrishttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/molas
<p>Echo Bill's and Marge's comments.</p>
<p>Hiring court reporters for civil trials occurs in very few areas in the country, VA and FL, perhaps a few others.</p>
<p>Courts should be ashamed of themselves. Official court reporting is very different and more demanding (respectfully written to all freelancers) than deposition reporting. Requires a different skill set and also lots of patience and tongue-holding when working with judges, court personnel, and administrators. Court work is more…</p>
<p>Echo Bill's and Marge's comments.</p>
<p>Hiring court reporters for civil trials occurs in very few areas in the country, VA and FL, perhaps a few others.</p>
<p>Courts should be ashamed of themselves. Official court reporting is very different and more demanding (respectfully written to all freelancers) than deposition reporting. Requires a different skill set and also lots of patience and tongue-holding when working with judges, court personnel, and administrators. Court work is more difficult because many courtrooms are uncontrolled "zoos," (due to inexperienced judges or judges who choose to allow the zoo-like atmosphere to perpetuate) and require a well-experienced, certified reporter to know how to report proceedings.</p>
<p>In the past two years, many states have seen Officials lose their jobs; namely, NY and CA, along with many others. Official reporters are re-entering the freelance field in droves. Yet, schools keep churning out graduated-but-non-certified students, filled with wide-eyed expectations of making lots of money, when the reality is that many freelancers are struggling to find work, as a result of agencies not having raised page rates in decades, more of the reporter's efforts being paid to agency family members and "salespeople," and now the plethora of Official-returning-to-freelance Reporters.</p>
<p>Some state courts no longer hire per-diem reporters, or they pay them a very low per-diem fee. This is unacceptable. Official court work is very difficult. Freelance Reporters should just refuse to go into court. </p>
<p>As Marge says: JUST SAY NO.</p>
<p>When courtrooms "go down," are forced to close, because the court cannot locate an experienced, Certified Court Reporter, thus realizing the benefits to employing certified Official Court Reporters, then, the courts will hire.</p>
<p>Word should spread that, because court work is very difficult, as anyone who's worked in court realizes, reporters deserve an excellent salary and paid benefits.</p>
<p>The last time masses of people lost their jobs was The Great Depression.</p>
<p>Can you say those words now? </p>
<p>Do you dare to say those words now?</p>
<p> </p> Then everybody should JUST SA…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-04-19:1736041:Comment:12256452012-04-19T17:12:22.690ZMarge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)http://csrnation.ning.com/profile/MargeTeilhaber
<p>Then everybody should JUST SAY NO. What a nerve to try to enforce on freelancers the low "official" rates. Unbelievable. That is just awful. SAY NO!!!!!</p>
<p>Then everybody should JUST SAY NO. What a nerve to try to enforce on freelancers the low "official" rates. Unbelievable. That is just awful. SAY NO!!!!!</p> It's terrible. And now, when…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-04-19:1736041:Comment:12255532012-04-19T16:51:29.720ZDeborah M.http://csrnation.ning.com/profile/DeborahMeyers
<p>It's terrible. And now, when the economy is finally getting better, to start doing this? What a mess. It already takes years to get to trial. Now how long will it take?</p>
<p>It's terrible. And now, when the economy is finally getting better, to start doing this? What a mess. It already takes years to get to trial. Now how long will it take?</p> Another crazy thing about thi…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-04-19:1736041:Comment:12255522012-04-19T16:06:26.854ZMartha Rhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/MarthaRuble
<p>Another crazy thing about this situation is, I heard a panel at the DRA Convention of a CSR Board member stating any reporters hired to do this civil work in court by Code has to charge the mandated folio rate for transcript, which is pitiful compensation, especially for reporters who don't have the benefits that employee-court reporters would have.</p>
<p>Of course, reporters are charging more as we speak, but the CSR Board says if you are called out on it, if an attorney discovers that in…</p>
<p>Another crazy thing about this situation is, I heard a panel at the DRA Convention of a CSR Board member stating any reporters hired to do this civil work in court by Code has to charge the mandated folio rate for transcript, which is pitiful compensation, especially for reporters who don't have the benefits that employee-court reporters would have.</p>
<p>Of course, reporters are charging more as we speak, but the CSR Board says if you are called out on it, if an attorney discovers that in the Code you can only charge this folio rate, then the CSR will not back you up.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Just another one of many things that are screwed up in California. This lists goes on and on. Very dysfunctional state.</p>