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SECTION 7-206 – CODE OF CONDUCT

The following is a synopsis of the portion of Section 7-206 known as the Code of Conduct. This is intended to point you to specific standards, some of which have been recently amended, for your further review. If it has been your custom to defer compliance to firm owners, ACRA strongly encourages you to familiarize yourself with this portion of the law in its entirety and compare it with those firms’ practices. In the event of a complaint being filed, the Arizona Supreme Court holds the individual CCR responsible, not a firm owner. The ACRA Board, in an effort to aid members with compliance, has included notes expressing its opinions.

ETHICS

  1. Reporters must avoid activities that are conflicts of interest or create an appearance of bias or partiality.
  2. A reporter shall exercise fairness and impartiality toward each participant in a proceeding, and offer to provide comparable service to all parties.
  3. A reporter shall have no personal or financial self-interest in the reporting of a proceeding.
  4. A reporter shall be alert to any situation that is a conflict of interest, or that creates an appearance of impartiality.
  5. A reporter shall not knowingly make misleading, deceptive, untrue or fraudulent representations, nor engage in unethical or unprofessional conduct.
  6. Contracts for reporter services are prohibited between a reporter (or firm owner) and an attorney or their agent or any insurance company.

ACRA NOTE: See provisions 1, 2 and 3 of section (g) for additional language. Also, the Code of Conduct allows only for governmental and case-specific contracts

PROFESSIONALISM

  1. Reporters must keep verbal or written information entrusted to them confidential.
  2. Reporters shall be truthful and accurate in the representation of their abilities.
  3. Reporters shall observe the highest standards of integrity and truthfullness in all professional dealings.
  4. Reporters shall regularly engage in the continuing education of their profession.
  5. Reporters are encouraged to provide pro bono services through qualified legal assistance programs.

FEES AND SERVICES

  1. While working in a case, reporters must:
  • Charge the same price for each and every original and one sold, no matter which private party or attorney orders the original and one copy
  • Charge the same price for each and every copy sold, no matter which private party or attorney orders the copy
  1. The reporter is responsible for disclosing written itemization of all rates and charges, if requested. The reporter must maintain an accurate account of services rendered.

ACRA NOTE: In order to know what services have been provided at what rate to each party, the AZ CCR should receive and maintain copies of the invoices sent to attorneys or parties. Billing summaries between firm owner and individual CCR may not provide information necessary to demonstrate compliance.

  1. No rate fixing among reporters.
  2. A reporter shall charge no less than 60 percent more for an original transcript than what is charged for copies.
  3. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, DO NOT:
  • establish contingent fees as a basis for compensation
  • receive any gift, incentive, reward, etc., as a condition of services
  • offer to pay a commission or other consideration to secure assignments
  • give gifts to a client, insurance company, or any other person or entity associated with the litigation exceeding $25 per transaction or $100 total per year total.
  • establish any financial relationships, either verbal or written, that creates an actual or perceived bias, or does not provide any party with comparable services.

ACRA NOTE: Compliance is the duty of the individual reporter. When working for a firm, a reporter should be sure that the firm’s practices and policies comply with the CCR Code.

SKILLS AND PRACTICE

  1. A reporter shall take full and accurate stenographic or voice written notes of any proceeding, and not willfully alter notes.
  2. A reporter shall accurately transcribe stenographic or voice written notes and not willfully alter the transcript.
  3. A reporter must meet promised delivery dates, and a reporter must immediately notify parties of any delays.
  4. A reporter never goes off the record without a stipulation by all parties or is ordered to by the court.
  5. Be aware of your skills and limitations when accepting assignments.
  6. A reporter shall prepare the record in accordance with laws, rules or court order.
  7. A reporter shall preserve stenographic or voice written notes in accordance with Arizona laws, federal laws and the Arizona Rules of Court.

OFFICIAL REPORTERS

  1. An official reporter may engage in freelance reporting duties only if the following criteria are met:
  • Presiding judge has given authorization and the official's work is up to date
  • Presiding judge has authorized the reporter to take annual leave to do the freelance work, unless:
    • the freelance work occurs during non-court hours, or
    • the presiding judge has granted the reporter time off in compensation for overtime previously worked
  1. A reporter shall not speak or act for a judge in judicial matters.
  2. A reporter shall not express an opinion regarding a case or a verdict.

PERFORMANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW

  1. A reporter shall perform all duties in accordance with applicable laws, rules or court orders.
  2. A reporter shall perform duties using only the method of reporting that the reporter is certified in.

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TRANSCRIPT GUIDELINES

 

Follow the transcript guidelines and standards.  Sample transcript pages are provided for your reference.  (Distortion may occur in the printing process.  Please refer to the characters per inch.)
  • 25 lines per page
  • 9 or 10 characters per inch (pitch, not font)
  • Combined 2.125-inch margin

The following are in PDF format:

ACRA NOTE: The math is 8.5 X 9 characters per inch = 76.5 (possible characters across an 8.5 inch page) minus 2.125 (allowable margin) X 9 characters = 19.125 then:

76.5 minus 19.125 = 57.375

Therefore:

  • Approximately 57 characters per line if using 9 pitch (9 characters per inch)
  • Approximately 64 characters per line if using 10 pitch (10 characters per inch)

Q & A on separate lines, 5 spaces from the left margin

Text begins no more than 5 spaces from Q or A

Colloquy begins 15 spaces from the left margin

Designation of Certified Reporter to appear on all title pages, certificate pages, invoices, letterhead, and advertising.

Notes are retained for 10 years for deposition reporters.

This synopsis is NOT all inclusive. Each court reporter is encouraged to obtain and review and have available for reference the Certified Court Reporter Guidelines, which may be obtained through the Certification and Licensing Division at www.supreme.state.az.us/cr.

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