If you don't charge full page rates for index pages, this flyer is for you--Save Our Court Records

[Lisa Migliore Black]

Please see attached flyer. The content speaks for itself. If your competition is charging in this manner, be vocal about the fact that YOU DON'T. Membership is free, but please forward me an email with your intent to distribute to [e-mail].

If you are currently charging full page rates for inclusion of word indexes in with your original transcripts, perhaps you can be persuaded to change your practices. There have been class action suits files in multiple venues. Most have settled or are still pending, to my knowledge, but if someone has more information, perhaps we all could be updated here with a post. Could your business afford to defend such an action? Could you afford to settle a case for $275,000? Could you afford your opposition's attorneys' fees if awarded?

Much more prudent and much more economical in the long run to avoid controversy, in my humble opinion.

[Rhonda Hall Breuwet, RDR CRR CLR]

Lisa, after reading your flyer, I have a question. How do you manage to get 65 pages of a word index alone, even on an all-day job? Do you not have it leave common words -- a, the of, an -- out of the index? I have never had a word index that was 65 pages. I just tested it on a 205-page transcript, and it came up with 20 pages of an index, using five columns.

[Lisa Migliore Black]

I used a comparable format to the one I've seen used by one of my competitors (four columns) and simply used the build concordance index feature in Case Catalyst. I used a day's worth of transcripts that I had at the ready for my exemplar. It was a full day of testimony, but there were three witnesses.

[Rhonda Hall Breuwet, RDR CRR CLR]

OMG, I just did it on the same file, using four columns. It added 74 pages. Holy #*%##*!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is insane that attorneys pay for 280 pages when the transcript is only 206! Unbelievable.

[Lisa Migliore Black]

But, Rhonda, you do bring up a good point in that formats do vary vendor to vendor. If I can compile more information, I can edit the article to quote a range.

You also inspired me on an idea of how to demonstrate the value of firms that utilize NCRA transcript format guidelines, so today you are my muse. Of course, this particular project has only sat for nine months unfinished, so don't expect any fruit from your inspiration any time soon:)

[Rhonda Hall Breuwet, RDR CRR CLR]

certainly glad to be a muse. I can also amuse. LOL

[Glen Warner]

Lisa --

Nice one!

Back in my transcription days, I would manually (hey, it was AristoCAT for DOS!) put together a table of contents, and no index.

When we upgraded to the Windows version of AC, I continued to manually do the TOC ... then my boss would add in a word index, courtesy of eTran.

Took a look at the result, and I can't say I was impressed with that index: Every 'a,' 'the,' 'but,' etc. was in there!

Don't know if she was charging extra for that ... but I sure wouldn't be putting out such an index. Mine would be much smaller, and would probably only include terms that are important to the case!

My $.002 ....

--gdw
-------------------------
"For a Good (steno) Time ....."
http://www.cheapandsleazy.net

[Roger Flygare]

BAM! Lisa knocks another one over the fence...awesome!!