Proper Blurbs

[Erin Murray]

I have a couple of scenarios that require blurbs, and was wondering if anyone out there had some proper ones. Any help would be much appreciated!

1. A blurb for an attorney's cell phone ringing and he answered and proceeded to have a conversation (on the record.)
2. When an attorney and his client are conversing (on the record) in Spanish.

Thank you!

[Jennie Ann]

I have gotten so creative with parentheticals over the years.

[Interruption to proceedings: phone ringing.]
[Attorney and client speaking non-English language.]

California may have a format for these parentheticals, as they do for the transcript page.

Here in my neck of the woods, we try to keep 'em as one-liners.

[Erin Murray]

Thanks, Jennie! I really appreciate your responce.

[Erin Murray]

Does anyone know of a "parenthetical book?"

[Alice Clark]

My blurb is: (Cell phone interruption.)

For the foreign language discussion within earshot, I probably would just do: (Off-the-record discussion between the witness and his counsel.) because I think it would be assumed the reporter doesn't speak a foreign language, and even if she did, she wouldn't be allowed to translate it, which technically makes it off the record. I don't know of any blurb books myself.

[Shelley Ottwell]

I just have the generic (Interruption in proceedings.) for the phone ringing, secretary entering, etc.
When an atty and client are conversing and I can only hear part of what they're saying and I am assuming that it's to be considered off the record but nothing is said I use: (Counsel and client confer sotto voce.)

[Rosalie DeLeonardis]

My blurbs are:

(Cellular phone interruption.)

(Discussion on the record in Spanish between Attorney and Witness.)

[Sharla Preciado]

1. I use (Telephonic Interruption in Proceedings.) and automatically go off the record.

2. I haven't come across that one yet.

[Veronica Kubat]

1. "HEY, YOU! TAKE IT OUTSIDE!"

Seriously, I would stop him immediately if it was interfering with the testimony. If he was the questioning attorney and everything stopped for him to take the call, after asking, "Are we off the record?" and getting
the obvious affirmative, I would put the standard:

(Off the record from [??] a.m. to [??] p.m.)
That's pretty much the only one I use after confirming we're off the record. I don't feel the need to explain what is going on while we're off the record.

2. (Non-English conversation between witness and Mr. Counsel.)
or
(Conversation in Spanish between the witness and Mr. Counsel.)

V.

[Judy]

I kicked a party (defendant) out of a depo because of cell phone once. Ridiculous! This person was answering the phone in full voice and speaking in another language. Counsel did nothing to stop it. I finally told her that she needed to leave if she wished to continue her conversations. Her attorney actually stood up for me and told her to either mute it or take her calls outside. This person was soooo rude she actually stood up during the depo, went to the trash can, and spit into it (gross!).

Otherwise I do (Cell phone interruption.) and then whatever else happened after that. Only once have I reported the cell phone conversation.

And I agree with Phil about not identifying the language. Not my job, man.

[Phil Stillerman]

[Mr. X's cell phone ringing interrupted the proceedings. The following conversation was recorded as follows:
(paragraph) Hi Honey.
(paragraph) A loaf of bread, two pounds of chuck meat, ketchup, and what else?
(paragraph) Yes, dear. I'll be home at about 6:00.]

[Counsel and client conversed in foreign language.) I never identify the language, it might be Portuguese or Ladino that they are speaking not Spanish.

[Rosalie DeLeonardis]

Phil, even if you know they are speaking Spanish, or whatever language they are speaking, do you still just put foreign language?

[Phil Stillerman]

Yes, I don't infer anything, and I was not sworn in to testify only to report what is said.