Parentheticals - Let me translate them for you.

[Kyung]

(Exhibit __ marked.) I'll mark that exhibit that you're trying to hand me as you continue to describe what the exhibit is as soon as you stop talking.

(Plaintiff's Exhibit __ marked.) or (Defendant's Exhibit ___ marked.) For those depositions where the attorney wants to make sure you know whose toys belong to who.

(Exhibit ___ marked but not attached.) Inevitably, the attorney probably read this exhibit as fast as possible and it will have all the spellings that you need to produce the deposition, but unfortunately you will not be allowed access to it.

(Simultaneous speakers interrupted by the reporter.) That's a nice way to say you're telling them to shut the hell up!!! God how I love this parenthetical.

(Pause in the proceedings.) Someone has to go to the restroom or they need a cigarette break really baad.

(Luncheon recess.) Court reporter has demanded five minutes to eat something before passing out.

(Whereupon, at ______ the deposition was adjourned.) Used in case the deposition will continue on another day for a second volume bec. they can't stop talking.

(Whereupon, at ______ the deposition concluded.) They've beaten the horse to death.
(Deposition concluded at ______.)

(Record read back.) The attorney was talking too fast and nobody really understood what they said, including you the reporter. Inevitably the most incoherent question of the whole deposition.

(Interruption in proceedings.) Used when people randomly walk into the room.

(Telephonic interruption.) Cell phones. Turn off your damn cell phones, blackberries, or other beeping equipment.

(Discussion held off the record.) When the attorney is whispering to the client and you can only make out every third word that they're saying.

(This portion of the deposition reported by ______________, commenced at ________.) For those attorneys who cannot seem to stop talking and a relief reporter was sent in so that the other reporter wouldn't kill the attorney, the deponent, and never report again.

(The following realtime transcript is provided for your immediate review of the proceedings and is not intended nor meant to be used or cited from in any legal proceeding.) A way for the attorney to keep torturing you long after the deposition is over, used at the beginning of all rough drafts.

(No audible response.) You've finally gone deaf.

Additional parentheticals

(Mumbling) (Unintelligible)(Indecipherable) - A point in the transcript where you, the scopist, your significant other, and the cat have all listened five billion times and you cannot figure out what the hell they're saying. (Only to be used in extreme circumstances.)

You can change the wording around, make it more formal or less formal by throwing in the random whereupon or forthwith or whatnot.

(The following pages from XX to XX contain confidential testimony) - No one knows, no one cares. Just another way to make production crazy. Reporter is usually notified of confidentiality by the following statement, please mark all portions of the discussion relating to that as confidential (with no clarification of that). My mind immediately thinks, wth are they talking about. Usually then leads to a long discussion where you tell them, I have no idea what portions or subjects you want marked confidential. Let's mark the whole transcript confidential, or you must tell me specifically which pages or subjects or words used are to be marked confidential. Fun for all.

[Elizabeth A. Willis-Lewis]

This is the best blog I have ever read. I was just telling my husband the other day how frustrating it is to have an atty say, "Please mark this. Could you mark this? We are waiting for the reporter to mark this." IF YOU WOULD SHUSH I COULD MARK IT. I have finally gotten to the point where I hold up my hands and say, "I only have two. Sorry."

[Brenda Rogers]

I saw one similar to that posted on another forum which used "admonished" rather than "interrupted." I really like that one! "scolded like the children they are" would be even better. But that might look like padding. >:)

[Kyung]

Of course, the reporter does have to try and interrupt the people talking over each other.

[Linda C.]

I, too, love the simultaneous parenthetical. As a scopist, I am going to try this one out on a few of my reporters. I wonder how many will like it? Anyone else using something like this? I've haven't seen it before, but it's definitely a keeper in my books!

[Kyung]

Same thing w/read back. They ask you to read back. You start scrolling back to read back, then they start talking about asking you to read back. A vicious, vicious cycle.

[Tracy Perry]

I'm sooooo using the simultaneous blurb as soon as possible. I LOVE this!

[Kyung]

I love the look they give you like you're the crazy one. Duh. Do you see my hands moving? Do you feel your gums flapping?

[Quyen]

Haha! Very funny!

I love when they hand me the exhibit to be marked, but they don't just put it on the table, but keep holding it over my laptop and continue to speak and then repeat that they want to have the exhibit marked! Like, I didn't hear you the first time! Just stop talking, and I can finally mark your danged exhibit! Sheesh! Lol!

[Rhoda Collins]

LOL! I love the cell phone one! And the Simultaneous speakers! Too funny!

[Linda C.]

Ha! Too funny. You made my day! Thanks for the laugh :D