What is the court reporter’s role when something on the record feels… wrong? And how can court reporters and interpreters work together effectively to enhance the record-taking process?

In this episode, Brynn explores one of the most nuanced and debated issues in court reporting: working with interpreters (including "underqualified" or reporter-illiterate interpreters). Where is the line between neutrality and responsibility? When should a reporter remain silent, and when is it necessary to speak up?

Drawing from real deposition experiences, industry discussions, and state rules across New York, California, Texas, and Illinois, this episode breaks down what the law says and what actually happens in the room.

More importantly, it challenges a deeper question:

Are we simply capturing the record… or are we responsible for protecting it?

• The difference between interpretation and verbatim testimony
• Why third-person interpreting creates serious transcript issues
• The real problem with mixing English and interpreted answers
• What state rules actually say about the reporter’s role
• A critical distinction between content vs. structure of the record
• When speaking up may be necessary to preserve clarity
• Why this issue points to larger gaps in interpreter and legal training

This episode references the following rules and professional guidance:

• New York – CPLR § 3113(b)
• Requires that testimony be recorded verbatim by the deposition officer
• California – Court Reporters Board Best Practices
• States that reporters should not interrupt or correct interpretation and are responsible for capturing, not creating, the record
• Texas – Rules of Civil Procedure 203.1 & 203.2
• Defines the deposition officer’s role as neutral and limited to recording testimony
• Illinois – Supreme Court Rules 206 & 207
• Requires the officer to record testimony and certify it as a true record
• National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) Code of Professional Ethics
• Emphasizes impartiality, professionalism, and maintaining the integrity of the reporting profession

There is a critical difference between:

• Intervening in interpretation (not our role)
• vs.
• Intervening when the structure of the record breaks down

This episode explores where that line may exist—and why it matters.

Have you experienced this in a deposition?

Would you speak up… or stay silent?

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