To Depo Firms Everywhere

[Katy Cuellar]

Times have changed. It's time to get rid of your ridiculous cover sheet formats that were designed for typewriters and come up with a standard deposition cover page format, including appearance and index page, certs, etc., that all freelance reporters can know and use. Yes, you should all be the same! Who cares if you don't number the first page? Who cares if you leave the line numbers off the first page? Come on! Give us one good format. Freelancers are having to work for multiple firms now, and this format thing is just ridiculous. If you must keep your old formats, at least come up with a generic one that "outside" reporters can use. And this includes those onerous worksheets.

[Naola "Sam" Vaughn]

But characters per line don't matter when you can stretch out the indivdual characters in most CAT software. I think at least a minimum and maximum for each should be required. But who would enforce it? The transcript police? Some states don't even enforce uncertified reporters working when certification is mandatory.

[Sara Green]

"The ultimate end user here is the judge, so I think that alone would be good enough reason for uniformity."

Well said, Katy!

[Katy Cuellar]

Sorry, I meant under 56, as already pointed out, is against the law in California.

[Patricia Babits]

56 characters per line in California. I think it's 52 w/ timestamps.

[Katy Cuellar]

Sara, California addressed this, too, somewhat, when they came up with "minimum transcript guidelines," where an actual page was produced to show where exactly to put the Q's and A's, paragraphs, etc. Until then, you would see all sorts of creative formats. Problem is, they should have gone farther and given us a cover pages sample like they have in Texas. Why? Well, as Mary Ann points out, branding is nice to help distinguish these for the depo firms, but this is, in effect, a court document. The ultimate end user here is the judge, so I think that alone would be good enough reason for uniformity..

[Sara Green]

In Texas we have a Uniform Format that addresses just these types of issues.

[Angie]

Great topic. This is an issue that should be addressed.

I work for several firms and they all vary in style. Double checking to make sure each different job matches in style to each firm is very time consuming. Sign me up!

[Katy Cuellar]

Dowloadable cover sheet info that also goes right onto your worksheet, so you're halfway there.

I think this would be a good topic for the depo firms when they have their next conference.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I agree with you... as a videographer I am shocked at the old format, repetitive and useless information that some agencies request.
and the most shocking of all i am shocked at the fact that some still require you still mail them paper work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean common! use email already!


I have an idea. Why not call up on all agencies and reporters on this and other reporting forums and draft a unified paper work that everyone would uniformly use?
I know am dreaming but it would streamline everyones work.. its good for everyone involved.

[Patricia Babits]

Wow, wouldn't that be nice??