expedite rate

[Kyung]

So I had a deposition where the witness basically walked out after the beginning admonitions and a few background questions. Still turns out to be about a dozen pages or so.

The attorney calls the agency and wants it asap.

Do you think I should get an expedite for that or just turn it in asap and not get an expedite fee?

[Cathryn Bauer]

Greetings:

Definitely get the expedite fee, and this is one situation where I know I would really push it.

Why? Because it's expedited. And if you do not get insist on getting the expedited fee, you're giving the agency permission to take advantage of you, perhaps more egregiously, in future cases.

Blessings, Cathryn

[Patricia Babits]

An expedite is an expedite. I don't see why this would by different.

Did the witness have an attorney? Just curious if their attorney tried to stop them or told them to leave.

[Karen Margolis]

Absolutely. I agree with everyone else. It is an expedite.

[Stacy Tegner]

I agree ~ min. transcript fee plus expedite on the pages definitely!!

[Sharon Cahn]

Minimum Expedite Fee. Nothing should be before a two week delivery without a surcharge!

[Susan T. DeMichelle]

Susan DeMichelle here with DeMichelle Deposition Reporters of Northern CA. Absolutely, without a doubt you should get overnight, 2nd day expedite fee and half day reporting fee. Plus, you should be paid a minimum page count on a deposition. Sometimes firms charge a minimum of 25 or 30 pages. If it was just a statement on the record, no witness, that would be something different. Take care. Oh, one other thing......whenever transcripts are expedited, we always or try to deliver them C.O.D.

Susan DeMichelle, CSR #3095
www.demichelle.com

[Phil]

Charge an expedite.... we have a delivery time of 7 to 10 working days, and I always tell them the 7 to 10 days is MY choice. If I am light on pages, they might get it on the 7th working day, but if not, they will get it on the 10th. And whoever it is shouldn't complain. Even with an expidite fee, it is not going to be a huge bill. And you are getting into that lull for Xmas, so every little $$$ helps.

[Mary Motley O'Brien]

I agree with all...and here, instead of starting my own question, I'll just add on to this one, regarding minimums. Let's say there's three short depos back-to-back, all of which would be a minimum transcript fee if taken on different days(let's say they were 30 pages each) the agency charges a minimum per transcript; am I correct? So the reporter should get three minimum transcript fees, NOT the page rate times 90 pages (3 X 90) right?

[Karen Margolis]

Hi Mary,

My experience with this, and, again, my "minimal" experience, is that when I've taken three depos on the same day like that, I've only been paid the page rate, not minimums. Two agencies I've worked with have done this this way. Unless I was to have several hours between each, I've only been paid per page.

BTW, let us all know when your daughter is born!!!!

[Kyung]

I personally think the reporter should get three minimums, but I don't know many agencies that do it that way. I think there are some that do it that way though, but not that many.

I've gotten a minimum for one, and then just the page rate for the other two. I think this is the more prevalent method.

[Mary Motley O'Brien]

I'd be interested in hearing truthfully from agency owners. I have to believe that they do charge a minimum for each one, but may not pay the reporters. I have a few clients of my own, and where it has never happened with my clients, the woman who used to do my processing did tell me that is how I would want to handle it if it did happen. I don't know if it's different with "agencies" as opposed to "reporters with their own clients" since as we know, working overflow for a reporter with their own clients pays a higher page rate than agencies. I also know there's some agencies out there who wouldn't think twice about charging, yet NOT pay the reporter. Kinda sad we get taken advantage of, but that's why we need to be on the up and up. I have a list of the agencies(there's only two) that won't pay me for the little things, and I just won't take work from them.
Karen, I'll definitely let you guys know when Olivia arrives. It looks like it's going to be next Monday, Dec 15th =)