Things That Court Reporters Have Recorded

[left-of-center2012]

The Most Hilarious Things That Court Reporters Have Ever Recorded To Be Said In Court

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral…
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LAWYER: What happened then?
WITNESS: He told me, he says, 'I have to kill you because you can identify me.'
LAWYER: Did he kill you?
WITNESS: No.
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ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, ‘Where am I, Cathy?’
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!
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ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
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[NanceGreggs]

1. After 32 years as a court reporter ...

... I can assure you that these kinds of stories are nowhere out of the norm.

I still remember the first time I worked in court - replete with all due seriousness, pomp and circumstance - when the judge couldn't (try as he might) stop laughing at a witness's responses.

[left-of-center2012]

2. "the judge couldn't (try as he might) stop laughing"

How would they have 'recorded' that in the record?

[NanceGreggs]

3. Traditionally ...

... court reporters do not note emotional responses on the record - e.g. laughter, crying, nervous giggles, etc. - but restrict the transcript to the spoken word only.