Author: Angie Starbuck

My Experience with Jury Duty – by Rhonda Lawrence

My Experience with Jury Duty – by Rhonda Lawrence

16140571199_fddf693906_z (1)I have been called to jury duty twice, and both times I was released immediately for the mere fact that I am a court reporter, being told I know too much about the legal process and know too many attorneys.  So you can imagine my excitement when I was asked to be a CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) provider for a hearing-impaired juror.  Not only was it my first opportunity to sit with a jury, but it was also my first murder trial.  Working as a freelance reporter, generally all of my work is civil in nature.

The trial went about as any typical trial does.  Having been an official reporter, I know the things that go on outside of the jury’s presence.  This time, since I was sitting with the juror and none of that was presented to “us,” I found myself envious of the official reporter.  I wanted to hear the bench conferences; I wanted to know why someone in the gallery was asked to leave; I wanted to know why certain witnesses and evidence was not presented; I wanted to know what both sides said about the jury instructions; I wanted to know the “history” of the case.  All things I otherwise would have known as the official reporter.

The case was closed and the time came for deliberations, which is what I was most excited about.  Having not been the CART provider for this particular voir dire selection, I did not know the background of any of the jurors.  I found myself intrigued by all of the different perspectives everyone had, wondering what their background is for them to hold the opinions they did, questioning in my mind why they thought certain things were or weren’t important to the case, and speculating on evidence that was not presented.  It was interesting that everyone heard such different testimony from the same witness.  It was very difficult for me, when they would argue over what was or wasn’t said, to not be able to just pull it up on the screen and show them, as I would do in a deposition setting.

As a freelance reporter, I usually only get to hear one side of the story and I never know the outcome of a case.  So you can imagine my frustration when the outcome ended up being a hung jury!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rhonda Lawrence is a court reporter with PRI Court Reporting, LLC, in Columbus, Ohio.  You can learn more about Rhonda here.  You can also follow PRI Court Reporting on Twitter and Facebook.

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An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Andrea Crago

An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Andrea Crago

PRI Court Reporting is lucky enough to have a very talented and experienced team of employees.  Andrea Crago is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio and she has been with PRI for 23 years.  While Andrea has concentrated her work in the CART setting for many years, she also has deposition experience as well.  Andrea is very professional, knowledgeable, and talented.  You may have met her at a deposition or CART job, so here’s a chance to get to know her a little better.

How long have you been a court reporter?
I have been a reporter for over 35 years, but took six years off (consecutive) during that time to have two children and to get them started in preschool.

How long have you been working at PRI?
I was hired by PRI in July of ’92, following my six-year hiatus from work. By the time I came back, the court reporting business had gone completely CAT (computer-assisted transcription), so I had a lot of ramping up to do, especially since I wanted to specialize in CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation). After five months of homework to build my computerized dictionary and building up my writing speed again, I went out on my first job in November of ’92. And I have been with PRI now for over 23 years.

Did you have other court reporting experience prior to joining PRI?
Yes, I have six years’ full-time experience in deposition work, trial work, and conference/meetings work, over four different states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Connecticut (my husband was in computer sales, and his job took us to four states over five years), but I never had any trouble getting a job with a freelance firm wherever we lived.

What do you like most about working at PRI?
Two things, really. Since I specialize in CART, PRI is the number one freelance firm in the state of Ohio which offers the highest quality CART/captioning writing, so we get some very high profile work, which is interesting and personally challenging. The second reason is PRI’s willingness to be flexible with my work schedule. I really only work part-time, but my availability is all over the place. I have been able to raise three children (yes, we added one more) while still being an “at-home” mom when needed.

Where are you from or where did you grow up?
I was born in Phoenix, AZ, while my dad was in the Air Force. When his tour was over, my parents moved back to Youngstown, Ohio. I was only 2 years old.

Before working as a court reporter, did you have another career or job?  If so, what?
I actually was a secretary for two lawyers in a firm after I graduated high school with clerical training. I was the person who booked the court reporter to come in for depositions. I would talk with them and ask lots of questions, and I thought it was something I would like and could do. Luckily, Youngstown State University offered an Associate’s Degree in court reporting. (They don’t anymore, sadly.) So I went to school at night after work, and three years later, I graduated at the top of my class.

What is one thing you would like our clients to know about court reporting/depositions/CART?
Not to sound flip, but to remember that even though we work with machinery and technology, that we are human – which ultimately makes for a better transcript (versus electronically recorded). But we do need periodic breaks, time for nourishment, and have busy lives outside of the courtroom/boardroom. And I wish we had super human hearing, but we don’t; so if you cannot hear a person talking, chances are we can’t, either.

What is the most unusual deposition/CART situation you’ve found yourself in?
Logistics-wise, having driven into the countryside for a deposition at someone’s home (a hostile witness) and not being able to get out of my car because of the attack dog that was at my window. Ultimately, the lawyer called me on my cell (from his car) and said that the depo was not going to take place.  Content-wise, while I was working in Connecticut, I reported the grand jury indictment proceedings, and there were always strange and unusual stories!

What’s on your iPod?
Oh, boy, I don’t own an iPod. I’m a big fan of listening to NPR on the radio.

What is one thing our clients don’t know about you?
I’m only half Italian.  (French is the other half)

What is your favorite restaurant in Columbus?
Mimi’s Cafe – best salmon.

What is your favorite app?
Google maps with audio directions. The best when driving at night and unfamiliar with the area. Second favorite: GasBuddy — finds the lowest gas prices in the area.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
Driving – picking up and dropping off kids.

What is your best tip for balancing work/life/family?
Trusting God, and looking ahead and planning for the next day or two. When the unexpected happens, put a positive spin on it and go with the flow.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Andrea.  Look for more interviews with other PRI Court Reporting staff in the future.

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Are YOU Your Toughest Competitor?

Are YOU Your Toughest Competitor?

“The individual who only does enough to get by seldom gets much more than “by.” – Napoleon Hill

We’ve all heard the sayings, “You get out what you put in,” or “Garbage in, garbage out,” but this quote that I received in my daily e-mail from the Napoleon Hill Foundation freshened up this principle for me.

If you want to get more than “by,” how about applying these principles to your career, your faith, and your personal relationships in the coming year?  Not a New Year’s resolution, but a commitment to yourself to do your personal best every day.

The phrase that struck me the most in this particular daily e-mail was, “Your harshest critic and your toughest competitor should be you.”  We’re all probably really good at being our own harshest critic, but are we all our toughest competitor?

Do you strive to be/do/think/act better than you did the day before?  Do you seek higher achievements than you did last year?  Do you take the initiative at work to improve a process, make a job easier, save the company money?

Sometimes it’s easy to look at our competitors and try to compete with them when it’s really ourselves that we should be competing with.  If we do that, the achievements we seek will happen because we’re working hard to better ourselves.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck, RDR, CRR, CRC is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn.  You can also follow PRI Court Reporting on Twitter and Facebook.

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Inside Look at PRI Court Reporting

Inside Look at PRI Court Reporting

_dsc3326editedThe PRI court reporters are definitely the face of our company.  They are the people who are out in the field daily, working with attorneys, expert witnesses, consumers of CART, etc.  They represent the best of our brand here at PRI and each one of them embodies the traits we list in our tagline:  Prompt.  Precise.  Professional.

But we would be remiss if we didn’t mention our fantastic office staff. Gary and Gina are the behind-the-scenes staff that work hard to meet all of our clients’ needs.  They handle scheduling, transcript production, exhibit scanning, invoicing…the list goes on!

Here’s a fun video clip to give you a little sneak peek into the office and work spaces inside PRI.

You’re welcome to stop by for a visit to say hello!

Click here to view the video.

 

An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Amy L. Miller

An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Amy L. Miller

Amy Miller recently joined the team at PRI Court Reporting.  Amy is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio and she has been a court reporter for over 20 years. Amy is very friendly and cares a lot about her work and her family.  You’ll meet Amy at a deposition soon, but in the meantime, here’s a chance to get to know her a little better.

How long have you been a court reporter?
I started reporting 21 years ago this month!

How long have you been working at PRI Court Reporting?
I am thrilled to have started PRI Court Reporting in November of 2015

Did you have other court reporting experience prior to joining PRI?
I did.  I was with two other local firms before joining PRI

What do you like most about working at PRI?
So far, I am really enjoying the office staff, clientele, and software.  I love the atmosphere!

Where are you from or where did you grow up?
I was born at St. Ann’s Hospital.  While much of my family has decided to leave central Ohio, this is my home.

Before working as a court reporter, did you have another career or job? If so, what?
I heard a commercial for the “glamorous life of court reporting” on the radio when I was a senior in high school.  I decided right then and there that this was the path I was taking and I never looked back.

What is one thing you would like our clients to know about court reporting/depositions? 
Court reporters put their hearts into your transcripts.  It is really helpful to state your goals for them (i.e., expedited due dates, unusual spellings that are case-specific) as these things arise so we can keep up with your needs!

What is the most unusual deposition situation you’ve found yourself in?
Once I was in a situation where emotions ran so high, the police were called and me and my machine were knocked over all while still on the record!  Who says court reporting isn’t interesting?

What’s on your iPod?
Oh, I love music!  My iTunes library has over 3,000 songs in so many genres, I couldn’t even begin to list what’s on it!

What is one thing our clients don’t know about you?
I am a hard-core couponer.  Like following websites for the best “deals” of the week and looking forward to the Sunday paper.  I find this fun.  I started doing it way before they made a silly TV show about people that coupon.

What is your favorite restaurant in Columbus?
That’s a tough question. For a special evening, The Refectory.  For a nice evening, Polaris Grill.  To carry home, Golden Valley.

What is your favorite app?
Without a doubt, my favorite app is Spotify.  There is so much music to choose from, and the ability to download and listen and make your own playlists is just awesome.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
I love to cook and do prepare meals most days of the week; spend time with my son; hang out with my friends and family.  I have two dogs and a cat and I am crazy about them as well. My favorite times involve all of these cool people and furry animals all landing in the same place!

What is your best tip for balancing work/life/family?
Sometimes our jobs can be a real balancing act when it comes to work life/family life and it doesn’t always work out.  Expedited transcripts happen and we don’t always know they are going to.  The people that love us are aware that is a possibility and are good about working around that.  However, for the most part, the way I have found that works best is to have a dedicated room in my home for an office that has a door that can be shut during off hours.  So when I am done for the day, the door gets shut and then work is over and my home becomes my home again.  Balance.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Amy.  Look for more interviews with other PRI Court Reporting staff in the future.

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PRI Owner, Angie Starbuck, Earns Registered Diplomate Reporter Designation

PRI Owner, Angie Starbuck, Earns Registered Diplomate Reporter Designation

The National CoStarbuck, Angie 8.15 sml IMG_0087urt Reporters Association (NCRA), the country’s leading organization representing stenographic court reporters and captioners, has announced that Angie Starbuck has earned the nationally recognized Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR) certification, the highest credential available to stenographic court reporters. The reporters with the RDR credential are recognized as highly experienced and seasoned, and are members of the profession’s elite.

“Earning RDR credentials is a reflection of the commitment to advancement in a court reporter’s career and their professional growth. RDRs truly are the elite members of the court reporters and captioners when it comes to experience and knowledge of the latest technology, reporting practices, and professional practices,” says Mike Nelson, CAE, NCRA’s Executive Director and CEO. “This highly prestigious certification.”

“I was inspired to reach for these certification goals by the previous owner of my firm, and I’m very proud of these accomplishments.  This has involved countless hours of practicing, learning, and continuing education.  These certifications and the knowledge and skill gained by achieving them will help me be a better court reporter and better firm owner,” Starbuck said.

 

A Career in Court Reporting: Captioning, Basketball, and March Madness

A Career in Court Reporting: Captioning, Basketball, and March Madness

Thanks to a charismatic, talented basketball player at the University of Wisconsin, court reporting (called stenography in the press) has been placed front and center in the media during March Madness.  If you’ve ever wondered what a court reporter does or you have considered a career in court reporting, now is a great time to join this rewarding profession.

Court reporting is one of those jobs about which people usually say, “Oh, that’s a real job?” or “Oh, you’re the one who sits there and does this (typing motion with their hands)?”  Again, thanks to Nigel Hayes, hopefully that perception is changing.  Court reporting is no longer an archaic form of recording testimony, and it hasn’t been for many decades.  Court reporting equipment and technology is very modern, even state of the art, while it still utilizes the basic methods created over 100 years ago.

Today, a graduate from court reporting school can find himself or herself working in many different situations.  Here are just a few:

According to a recent study by Ducker Worldwide, there are currently 32,000 court reporters working in the United States.  However, 70% of the court reporting population is over the age of 46, which means that in the coming years, there will be significant retirement rates, creating a critical shortfall in court reporters.  Ducker Worldwide estimates that the demand for court reporters will exceed supply within five years and they state that this “presents a substantial opportunity for those seeking a lucrative career with a secure future.”

There are some perceptions about court reporting that create barriers to getting young students into court reporting programs.  Court reporting is not a top-of-mind career and it has been relatively unknown – until now, thanks to a certain Wisconsin Badger!  There is also a trend for high school counselors to guide students towards four-year degrees.

If you or someone you know is interested in a career in court reporting, CART, or captioning, contact your local court reporting firm or visit www.crtakenote.com, which is a resource provided by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).

In the meantime, keep watching the NCAA tournament and wait for Nigel Hayes to charm everyone with his ability to challenge the court reporter!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck, RPR, CRR, CCP is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn.  You can also follow PRI Court Reporting on Twitter and Facebook.

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An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Rhonda Lawrence

An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Rhonda Lawrence

PRI Court Reporting is lucky enough to have a very talented and experienced team of employees.  Rhonda Lawrence is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio and she has been with PRI for a total of 17 years. Rhonda is a very skilled realtime writer and very upbeat and friendly.  You have probably met Rhonda at a deposition, so here’s a chance to get to know her a little better.

How long have you been a court reporter?
I have been a court reporter since March of 1988.  I can’t believe it’s been 26 years.  I hope I still have 20 years left in me.

How long have you been with PRI?
I came back to PRI in August of 2002.  Previously, I worked for PRI from 1989 to 1995.

What do you like most about working at PRI?
If I had to pick only one thing that I like most about working at PRI, it would be the people; not only the court reporters and PRI staff, but the attorneys that we work for.

Where are you from or where did you grow up?
I grew up in Waldo, Ohio (home of the famous G&R bologna sandwich), but I’ve been in Columbus for so long that it’s the only place that gives me that “home” feeling.

Before working as a court reporter, did you have another career or job?
While I was going to court reporting school, I also worked full-time as a legal secretary in Marion through the week and at Chi-Chi’s Restaurant on the weekends.

What is one thing you would like our clients to know about court reporting, either depositions or CART?
I have found over the years that clients like to use the same court reporter for all of their depositions in a case.  That way attorneys/witnesses do not have to keep repeating vocabulary and spellings.

What is the most unusual deposition setting you’ve found yourself in?
I would not call it “unusual,” but by far my best assignment I’ve been on was a 6-week trial in Florida.  I’m sure I do not need to elaborate any further than “Florida.”

What is on your iPod?
My favorite vocal artist to this day remains Jon Bon Jovi.

What is one thing our clients don’t know about you?
I have a side business/hobby in photography/video production.  While I’ve recently begun taking portraits, my specialty is photographing high school sports teams in action and producing the team banquet video.

What is your favorite Columbus restaurant?
My favorite restaurant in Columbus is The Melting Pot.  It’s the only place that I never pass on dessert.

What is your favorite app?
My favorite app is Facebook.  I love to be connected with my family and friends so easily.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
When I am not working on transcripts, I am usually taking/editing photographs and making photograph videos.

What is your best tip for balancing work/life/family?
The best tip for balancing work and family is to have an understanding family when I have to put work first and an understanding boss when I have to put family first.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Rhonda.  Look for more interviews with other PRI Court Reporting staff in the future.

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Comfort Zone: A Beautiful Place, But Nothing Ever Grows There

Comfort Zone: A Beautiful Place, But Nothing Ever Grows There

Your comfort zone.  This phrase can be used to describe many areas of our lives, both personally and professionally.  It is a place where we are, well, comfortable.  What happens when you get out of your comfort zone?

Magic happens

By attempting something that is “outside your comfort zone,” you are able to grow and, most importantly, learn.  Learn that you are a capable human being, learn that mistakes happen, learn that you are courageous.

I saw this learning process in action personally this summer and it was very obvious to me.  My 18-year-old son, who just graduated from high school, accepted a job as an overnight summer camp counselor.  This is unlike anything he had ever done in his short life.  So the day after his graduation party, with his car packed full of all his summer supplies, he drove off to a new adventure that he had been excited about for weeks.  While I could see anxiety and worry in his face as he left, I chalked it up to all the emotions that came with graduation and parties in the days prior.

Within two hours, I was receiving texts from my son telling me, I can’t do this, this isn’t for me, I don’t fit in, and the words no parent wants to hear, “I’m quitting.”  We exchanged many texts.  Me, trying to convince him things will get better and to stick it out.  Him, vacillating between asking me to bring extra supplies and wanting to quit.  Fortunately, his camp directors have probably encountered this many, many times and they were able to encourage him to stay through the day, and by 10:00 that night, he told me he was staying.

Now, halfway through summer, he is so glad he stuck it out.  He has made new friends from Ohio as well as Australia, New Zealand, England, and South Africa.  He now realizes how this has prepared him to leave for college in the fall.  That, too, will be full of uncertain, new experiences and he is more prepared.

If you stick it out, there can be great things awaiting you.

I have also recently witnessed colleagues stepping outside their comfort zone professionally .  There are court reporters moving from deposition work to court work, adults going back to school for a new career, attorneys changing firms after a long career, and others taking on new committee or association work.  You may find yourself questioning your decision after a few weeks or months into the new commitment.  It’s uncomfortable.  It’s new.  It’s not your comfort zone.

What at first glance appears to be “not for you” may turn out to be the best thing you’ve done.

As a court reporter for 20 years, I didn’t really consider that I would someday be a court reporting firm owner.  However, after much thought, and with a lot of excitement, I became a firm owner two years ago.  I have learned much about myself, about my business, about people – the list goes on.  Most importantly, I am still learning that mistakes are not always a bad thing, as long as I learn something from them.  And, boy, am I learning!

While my son and I were texting that first day at camp, I sent him this image:

Image comfort zone

If you’re considering trying something new, either personally or professionally, I would urge you to overcome your fear, remind yourself that you are capable, and don’t just step – JUMP out of your comfort zone!

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck, RPR, CRR, CCP is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn.  You can also follow PRI Court Reporting on Twitter and Facebook.

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An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Julia Lamb

An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Julia Lamb

PRI Court Reporting is lucky enough to have a very talented and friendly team of employees.  Julia Lamb is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio.  She has been with PRI for eight  years, and we’re so happy to have someone with Julia’s skills on our team.  You have probably met Julia at a deposition, so here’s a chance to get to know her a little better.

How long have you been working at PRI?
I started with PRI in July of 2006.

How long have you been a court reporter?
I have been a court reporter for over 26 years.

What court reporting experience did you have prior to joining PRI?
I worked in Franklin County Domestic Court for five years, and I worked for another court reporting firm for 14 years before that.

What do you like most about working at PRI?
The people I work with are great.  Karen and Gary are always so helpful and all the court reporters have a good camaraderie.

Where are you from or where did you grow up?
I am from Canton, Ohio, where I lived since the age of 13.  Before that, we lived in Michigan.

Before working as a court reporter, did you have another career or job?
I was a secretary at night at the Canton Jewish Community Center while attending college, and I began babysitting when I was 11 years old.

What is one thing you would like our clients to know about court reporting?
We are humans and we make mistakes.

What’s the most unusual deposition situation you’ve found yourself in?
Alone in a locked room at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility with an inmate weighing well over 300 pounds, and not handcuffed, while the attorneys left the room to see if they had further questions.

What is on your iPod?
I haven’t been bit by the Apple bug yet, but I love the radio…lol.

What is one thing our clients don’t know about you?
I am a good cook – but don’t tell my husband because he does the cooking and I want to keep it that way!!

What is your favorite Columbus restaurant?
Who can pick one when there are so many?!?

What is your favorite app?
Gas Buddy.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
Spend time with my family.

What is your best tip for balancing work/life/family?
Don’t procrastinate.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Julia.  Look for more interviews with other PRI Court Reporting staff in the future.

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