This is One Envious Court Reporter!

Court reporter ambassadors overseas

Merilyn Sanchez, a long-time member of the National Court Reporter‘s Association, has put together a trip for court reporters as ambassadors to Brazil. http://www.ncra.org/News/newsdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=12792.  Multi-tasking at its best:  great learning experience, lots of fun, different environment and even better, earn CEU credits in the process!

Just reading the headlines brought back memories of my court reporter trips for depositions or trial proceedings overseas.  My last trip was to Taiwan for a week.  The group (prosecutor, defense attorney, court reporter and investigator), traveled together.  That was an even bigger plus for me as I then had more help lifting my stenography machines (I brought a spare) and laptops through the security checkpoints at the airports and customs stations.

The depositions lasted three or four days.  All the parties were present and accounted for, including the interpreter and the defendant (who appeared by video.  He was incarcerated in Orlando).  I felt for the court deputies in Orlando who had to appear with the defendant.  There was a significant time difference, so I think they were working at 2 a.m.  in the morning EST.

The depositions would last until mid afternoon each day and then afterwards, I would prepare an electronic rough draft.   Thankfully I didn’t have to print anything.  One less piece of equipment to handle.   I’m sure, though, I could’ve used the business center at the hotel if I was really pressed.

Why does this  case stand out in my mind?  Well, because it was another court reporter assignment overseas.  It was with a group of people I got along with very well (which made the sightseeing parts all the more enjoyable).  The defendant was charged, for the second time, with perpetrating white collar fraud on his unknowing investors AND he was defrauding his investors while, at the same time, practicing law!