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THE CANINE IMAGE

6/30/2024

As modern beings, humans are so attached to the canine norm that the well-known lines of the Divine Image by William Blake suggest an interesting parallel.

…To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
All pray in their distress;
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness…

To Mirth and Joy and Foolery great
Pledge dogs both fierce and mild;
And for these virtues of delight,
We keep them by our side.

For Mirth is in the canine eye,
And Joy, the canine heart;
And Foolery swells the canine chest,
Though never a la carte.

Thus all must love the canine norm
In mutt or Heeler blue.
Where Mirth and Joy and Foolery dwell,
There Dog is dwelling too.

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A BASIC TRANSCRIPT CHECKLIST

6/30/2024

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View cover page to match the notice,
Case number, caption, jurisdiction.
The witness name throughout from cover
Must spell the same with nary fiction.

Attorneys all on page appearance,
Phone number, email, address written;
On index page exhibits scripted,
Page number, line, description given.

If no exhibits, marked or clerk-held,
A statement clear should be on index;
For read-and-sign with sheets errata,
Certificates in line with context.

Interpreter/witness-blurbs that swear-in
With certs of “Oath” should stand affirming;
A single cert may serve both parties,
“INTERPRETED” in caps proclaiming.

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TRANSCRIPTIONAL FIDELITY

6/28/2024

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Transcript proofreaders can usually expect the text received from the stenographer and/or scopist to be organized as a cover page, an appearance page, and an index page, followed by a chronicling of the proceedings. In addition to detailing the various instances of Q&A and colloquy, the proceedings will include notes on all other developments and events, identifying them as parenthetical components.

Cover page, appearance page,
And index page are lead-ins,
Setting stage to let engage
The by-lines of proceedings.

Q&A and colloquy
Seek progress through their speaking,
Hindered in reality
By interruptions tweaking.

Steno loggers track it all,
The circumstances quoting,
Even parenthetical
Events with care denoting.

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NUMBERS IN LEGAL TRANSCRIPTS

6/26/2024

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To properly transcribe numbers in legal documents, proofreaders are guided by two simple rules and some related exceptions. Among the latter is the presentation of phone numbers, addresses, and years as figures only when they are located at the beginning of sentences.

When legal transcripts deal with numbers
The basic rules are only two.
Exceptions, though, expand the counting,
And tell that two can barely do.

Think first of ten and down to zero,
Expecting there to spell them out.
Eleven then and up to heaven,
Sketch rising numbers, draw them out.

Exceptions force a switch to digits
For money, measures, dates, percent.
Aside from "One," the same with houses--
And figures that from nouns extend.

Not all exceptions favor digits,
Example being sentence starts;
When numbers get the ball a-rolling,
It’s mostly time for spelling arts.

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"EM DASH" GALORE

6/24/2024

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Behold the trusty em dash
Of legal transcript lore
That seeks naught but a calming
Of interruptions sore.

As double-dash or single,
False starts it also soothes;
So many writs made stable
That court reporters muse.

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CAPITALIZATION OF NOUNS IN TRANSCRIPTS

6/19/2024

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In legal transcripts, proofreaders are expected to know a variety of rules determining whether specific words should begin with uppercase letters. Such capitalization is not limited to the beginning of sentences, and in the realm of legal documentation, some unique conventions are known to apply. By the same token, there are also clearly defined situations where words and phrases are correct only if written in lowercase.

Of letters in legal transcripts,
Judiciously all assigned,
The capital ones most ever
To prominence are inclined.

They stand with pride and greatness
On rules that make them strong.
Some nouns must be specific,
Generic versions wrong.

Take titles for example;
They uppercase must show
If fronting names specific
In real or hinted flow.

Like titles, “plaintiff,” “defendant”
Hold capital letters dear;
The same with “court” and “counsel”
And more whose names are clear.

Historical haps and periods,
Domains in military gov,
Brand names and institutions,
All glow with capital love.

Not so for mere generics,
Or seasons broadly hailed,
Or stage in school and college,
Or field of coursework scaled.

This lowercase alikeness
Includes degrees as well,
Words “doctorate” and “bachelors”
Not often caused to swell.

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Amusing verses that shine a light on mostly medical and grammatical topics

THE CANINE IMAGE

A BASIC TRANSCRIPT CHECKLIST

TRANSCRIPTIONAL FIDELITY

NUMBERS IN LEGAL TRANSCRIPTS

"EM DASH" GALORE

CAPITALIZATION OF NOUNS IN TRANSCRIPTS

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