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FCROnlineOFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FLORIDA COURT REPORTERS ASSOCIATIONAUGUST/SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008Join Us in Ocala,October 17-19,2008, forFCRA’s2008 AnnualConvention!
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FCRFCRA OFFICERS& DIRECTORSPresidentWesley Thomas Hughes, RDR, CRR, FPR581 NW 75th Ave Plantation, FL 33317thughesrdr@bellsouth.netW: 954-816-6595, FAX: 954-792-8433President ElectJennifer Gaul, CMRS, FPR3130 NE 190 St #102 Aventura, FL 33180jgaul@uslegalsupport.comW: 305-373-8404, Cell: 305-613-1610, FAX: 305-373-2568Vice PresidentSusan D. Wasilewski, RPR, CRR, CCP, CMRS, FPR1701 S Florida Ave Ste 4 Lakeland, FL 33801sdwrpr@aol.comW: 863-686-9898, Cell: 863-698-8831, FAX: 863-686-9797SecretaryBetty Sue Vincent, RDR, CRR, FPR5730 NW 67 Ct Gainesville, FL 32653bshoes2@aol.comCell: 352-215-1140,TreasurerSandra Narup, RPR, FPR725 Hunt Club Trail Port Orange, FL 32127snarup@bellsouth.netW: 386-679-0970, Cell: 386-679-0970, FAX: 386-756-3175Northern DirectorSusan Shelling, RPR, FPR9087 Terni Ln Boynton Beach, FL 33437sueshelling@aol.comW: 561-682-0905, FAX: 561-734-8244Central DirectorHarold Brown, CSR (NY), CM, FPR8855 Majorca Bay Dr Lake Worth, FL 33467hbreporter@bellsouth.netCell: 561-596-4003, FAX: 5619684762Southern DirectorTanya Ward English, RPR, CRR, CCP, CBC, FPR5571 SW 94 Ave Ft Lauderdale, FL 33328tanya@floridarealtime.comW: 954-767-6363, FAX: 954-680-0776Directors at LargeRick Levy, RPR, FPR44 W Flagler St, #1200 Miami, FL 33130rickelevy@aol.comW: 305-358-8188, FAX: 305-358-8187Immediate Past PresidentCatherine J. Phillips, RMR, CMRS, FPR814 E Silver Springs Blvd, Ste A Ocala, FL 34470-6764cjphillips111@aol.comW: 352-368-2545, Cell: 352-804-5687, FAX: 352-368-2562EditorLouise Pomar, RPR, FPR1769 East Moody Blvd., Building 1Bunnell, FL 32110W: 386-313-4570, Cell: 386-852-5026, FAX: 386-437-5417LBP1958@aol.comExecutive DirectorTina Kautter, CAE222 S. Westmonte Drive, Ste. 101Altamonte Springs, FL 32714W: 407-774-7880 FAX: 407-774-6440tkautter@kmgnet.comOnlineTable of ContentsDEPARTMENTSPresident’s Message. 4Editor’s Notes. 5Bulletin Board. 6Upcoming Events Calendar. 7Reporters Referral Network. 28ON THE NATIONAL SCENEStenograph Discount Program for All FCRA Members. 7LexisNexis Aligns with Stenograph to Enable Litigators to Send CompletedRealtime Deposition Transcripts Directly into TextMap from CaseViewNetTM. 8TALLAHASSEE REPORTThe Gavel is Passed to Peggy Quince. 9Impact of the Budget Cuts on the Court System. 9ASSOCIATION BUSINESSFCRA’s Mid-Year Conference a Hands-Down Worthwhile Experience!. 11Association With Your Association: May 2008 Tampa Bay AreaInformation Exchange. 12In Memoriam: Bernie Goldstein. 132008 Nominating Committee Report.14 - 152008 Mid-Year Conference Pictorial Layout.16 - 18STUDENT’S CORNERCourt Reporters: A Snapshot. 10Conventions on a Shoestring, Part II — It Really Works!. 13FCRA SPOTLIGHTSMid-Year Convention Fundraiser Winner - Judy Consor. 12Congratulations! You Did It - FPR, RPR, RMR, CRR and CCP New Designees. 19ON THE JOBAsk Mr. Modem. 20Mr. Modem’s DME Sites of the Month. 21Series of Blunders in 2003 Murder Case Now Involves Tape Malfunction. 21Ethics and Procedures Corner. 23How to Hook Up Your Audio for Better Clarity. 24Excerpt from a Neuropsychologist’s Deposition. 24FCRA WELCOMESMembership Application. 25Welcome New Members. 26Statements of fact, opinion, and all advertisements are made on the responsibility of the author or advertiser alone and do not implyan opinion or endorsement on the part of anyone connected with FCRA. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission.Address all correspondence concerning content of the magazine to the editor. All correspondence regarding membership and advertising should be sent to FCRA Headquarters Office, 222 S. Westmonte Dr., Ste. 101, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714. Phone 407-774-7880,Fax 407-774-6440, website: www.fcraonline.org.August/September/October 2008 FCR Online3
Message from the PresidentBy Wesley Thomas Hughes, RDR, CRR, FPR2007-2008 PresidentOh, the Changes FCRAHas Experienced Overthe Past Year!Greetings. I can’t believe this is my last President’s message to FCRA’s general membership. Where has thetime gone? It seems like yesterday that I was sworn inas President of FCRA. In October, I outlined many thingsthat I wanted to see accomplished during the 2007/2008year. Many have come to fruition; some we are stillworking on.Membership is and has always been one of the mostimportant issues to our association and to me personally. Ipledged to you that I would do everything I possibly couldto increase membership during my year as President. Todate, we have the highest membership in seven years.A special thank you to the Membership Committee forimplementing our first membership exchange in Tampa/Clearwater in a long time. Your Membership Chairman,Rick Levy, is presently working on another to be held inFort Lauderdale/Miami possibly next month. I would liketo see the membership number go up even more.We have increased our Florida Professional Reporters asof our Sarasota convention to 436. That’s two-thirds of ourtotal membership. My goal is to have every member ofFCRA certified as a Florida Professional Reporter.During this year, FCRA has sent delegates to Washingtonto attend NCRA’s Boot Camp and Leadership Conference. On July 23rd, President-Elect Jennifer Gaul and Iattended NCRA’s Annual Convention in California asNCSA delegates representing FCRA.This past June, Donna Kanabay, Tanya Ward English andI attended the Florida Bar Convention in Boca Raton.It has been several years since FCRA monitored thesemeetings. Your FCRA Board has decided it is time to startthis very important task again.Our Mid-Year Conference in Sarasota was very successful. Thank you to Gayl Hardeman for your hard work in4orchestrating this event. If you were not able to attendthe Mid-Year Conference Business Meeting in Sarasota,your FCRA Board of Directors presented to the generalmembership a motion to increase our annual dues to 150. After rationalizing the reasoning, the motionunanimously passed. The dues increase will go into effectNovember 1, 2008. We also have downsized the FCRABoard of Directors by combinimg into one the secretary/treasurer positions. FCRA has tightened its belt in ways toensure that we will not have to sacrifice quality seminarsand member services.Last October I challenged each of you to gain a higherNCRA certificate. I hope you have been successful. Ifyou haven’t, it’s not too late. November is just aroundthe corner. Congratulations to each of you who havegained a new certification. I know your Saturday mornings can be sacred, but I promise it will be worth it inthe long run.Coming up very shortly, your President-Elect will be starting to put together the 2008/2009 FCRA Committees. It isnot an easy task, believe me. We need volunteers fromthe general membership. Come on and decide whichcommittees you would like to serve on. Make a commitment. I promise you that it will be a rewarding experience.Maybe it will lead to being on the Board of Directors andeven President one day, if that is your desire.Well, that is a snapshot of where we are today. I still havealmost three months to go, so who knows what more wecan achieve. I have truly enjoyed my year as Presidentso far thanks to so many people who have helped mealong the way. You know who you are!In closing, I declared in October that this year’s mottofor FCRA is “BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE.” If all of us strivefor that, FCRA will continue to be the leading state courtreporting association in the country!August/September/October 2008 FCR Online
Editor’s NotesBy Louise Pomar, RPR, FPR, CERT*D, FCR Online EditorCheck Out All the “Can’tMiss” Items in this Issue!I think you’re going to be pleased with this issue of FCROnline. A lot is going on in the court reporting world, morethan we can possibly put in each issue of the magazine.Our fearless leader, President Thomas Hughes, hasdone a wonderful job and accomplished much duringhis tenure as President of FCRA. One of his biggest goalsas President was to increase membership and to encourage all of our members to become certified as FloridaProfessional Reporters. The numbers are all there in hisarticle on Page 4.As you can see from the article on Pages 9 - 10 of thisissue, our State Courts System is experiencing some realdifficulties. Budget cuts have been substantial, positionshave been cut, a number of full-time employees havenow become part-time employees, and a hiring freeze isin effect until further notice.On a more triumphant note, however, Justice PeggyQuince became Chief Justice Peggy Quince on Friday,June 27, 2008. She is the first African-American womanFCR OnlineContributing EditorsGayl Hardeman, RDR, CCP, CRR, RPR, FPRto be on the Supreme Court. Read the entire article onPage 9.We have a new slate of nominees to vote on at theAnnual Convention in Ocala for the 2008/2009 Board ofDirectors. Our association is guided, at the direction of itsmembers, by our Board of Directors. I want to personallythank all of the existing Board members as well as thenew potential Board members who are willing and eagerto serve. See the 2008 Nominating Committee Reporton Pages 14 - 15 and be prepared to cast your vote inOctober.The Student’s Corner, FCRA Spotlights, and On the Jobsections of the magazine contain a number of articles thatare chock-full of information as well.Plan to set aside some time to read everything thatis offered in this issue of FCR Online. I don’t think you aregoing to be disappointed!See you in October in Ocala.FCR OnlineDeadline Dates(Winter) Nov/Dec/Jan.Oct. 5, 2008Publication Date. Nov. 12, 2008Donna M. Kanabay, RMR, CRR, FPR(Spring) Feb/Mar/Apr. Jan. 5, 2009Robin Marker, RPR, FPRLisa Selby-Brood, RPRRichard A. Sherman (Ask Mr. Modem)Publication Date.Feb. 12, 2009(Summer) May/June/July. April 5, 2009Publication Date.May 12, 2009(Fall) Aug/Sept/Oct. July 5, 2009Publication Date. Aug. 12, 2009August/September/October 2008 FCR Online5
Association Bulletin BoardAdvertising Special Contract to advertise in 8 issues (2years) of this magazine and get aspecial 15% discount on top of ourlow rates! Call FCRA Headquarterstoday at 407-774-7880.MARK YOUR CALENDAR!FCRA Annual ConventionOctober 17-19, 2008Ocala Hilton,Ocala, FloridaOrder Your Florida ManualStay up to date on Florida Rulesand Procedures. Call FCRA Headquarters at 407-774-7880 to orderyour newly revised Florida Manualon CD.Just 35.00!Upcoming FloridaProfessional Reporter(FPR) Test DateOctober 17, 2008,in Ocala, Florida, atFCRA’s Annual Convention!FCRA I NTBU LLERDBOA6Needful PeopleNeed a job? Need areporter? Contact Placement Chairman SandiNargiz at 850-878-2221 orfax: 850-878-2254 or email:snargiz@comcast.netAddress ChangesADDRESS CHANGED?PHONE NUMBER CHANGED?Fax your changes to Headquarters at 407-774-6440 as soon aspossible!WANTED!Your stories to share with otherreporters. Submit an article andreceive .15 CEU points ifpublished in FCR Online. Emailyour story to lbp1958@aol.comGET YOUR MEMBERSHIPDIRECTORY ON DISK!FCRA now offers the Membership Directory on a CD for only 10! Contact FCRA Headquartersfor more information at 407-7747880.Stenograph SpecialWatch the FCRA Websitefor Updates!www.fcraonline.orgWEB SITE SPONSORSWANTEDCall RickGreenspan at954-340-2557 fordetails. Get last line pricing with Stenograph supplies as a memberof FCRA and FCRA receives arebate.DON’T MISS E-FLASHES!Be sure your email address is current.Call FCRA Headquarters and givethem your email address today (407774-7880) or email your changes tobking@kmgnet.com (use FCRA in thesubject line).ARE YOU MOVING? CHANGING A PHONE NUMBER?CHANGING A FAX NUMBER? CHANGING ORGETTING AN EMAIL ADDRESS?If so, let FCRA Headquarters know right away. Simply fax 407-774-6440today to make any necessary changes to the information we haveon file for you!August/September/October 2008 FCR Online
On the National SceneOn the National Scene Stenograph Discount Program for All FCRA MembersAs a member of FCRA, you are entitled to specialdiscounts on many Stenograph products.Thesediscounts give you even more value for your FCRAmembership!Here are the details of the FCRA Stenograph DiscountProgram: 10% off retail or Web price on most supplies, orquantity discount, whichever is lower; 200.00 discount on professional writer (pluspublished trade-in); 100.00 discount on professional software; 50 off the renewal of a software supportcontract; 50 off the renewal of a writer maintenancecontract (excludes Basic w/o Loaner contract); 20 additional discount on software supportrenewal if done online prior to 30 days beforecontract expiration (excludes edit contract).BONUS: Your discounts will automatically be applied,whether you order over the phone or online at www.stenograph.com. (You must be logged in on the websitein order for your FCRA discount to be applied.)Upcoming Events Calendar 2008-20092008Oct. 17 - 19FCRA Annual Convention, Ocala Hilton, Ocala, FLInformation will be sent out to members via E-Flash and posted on the FCRA web site www.FCRAonline.orgOct 17Florida Professional Reporter (FPR) Seminar & Certification Testing (Separate Registration Required)Pre-Conference Seminar FCRA Annual Convention, Ocala Hilton, Ocala, FL2009Apr 17 - 19NCRA Mid-Year Conference, Sheraton New Orleans, New Orleans, LAInformation to be posted on the NCRA web site www.ncraonline.orgJune 26 - 28FCRA Mid-Year Conference, Marriott Marco Island, Marco Island, FLInformation to be posted on the FCRA web site www.FCRAonline.orgJune 26Florida Professional Reporter (FPR) Seminar & Certification Testing (Separate RegistrationRequired)Pre-Conference Seminar FCRA Mid-Year Conference, Marriott Marco Island, Marco Island, FLAugust 6 - 9NCRA Annual Convention, Washington, DCInformation to be posted on the NCRA web site www.ncraonline.orgSept 11 - 13FCRA Annual Convention, Fort Lauderdale Grand Resort, Fort Lauderdale, FLInformation to be posted on the FCRA web site www.FCRAonline.orgSept 22 - 24Court Technology Conference 11 (CTC11), Mile High City of Denver, COInformation to be posted on the Court Technology Conference websiteAugust/September/October 2008 FCR Online7
On the National SceneOn the National Scene LexisNexis Aligns with Stenograph to Enable Litigators to SendCompleted Realtime Deposition Transcripts Directly into TextMap from CaseViewNetTMLexisNexis, a leading global provider of informationand services solutions, today announced that it hasentered into a strategic alliance with StenographCorp., a pioneer in realtime deposition technologyand developer of the new CaseViewNet realtimetranscript software.As a result of the alliance, litigators who receive arealtime deposition transcript feed with CaseViewNetwill be able to send that completed transcript filedirectly into their TextMap transcript management toolwith a single click of a button (“Send to TextMap”).This powerful new capability gives TextMap usersa seamless file exchange with the most innovativerealtime transcript software on the market today,which features two major benefits over other realtimesoftware products: (1) It is wireless and therefore mucheasier to administer at depositions; and (2) It canbe instantly and automatically refreshed throughoutthe day as the court reporter makes edits, therebydelivering the most accurate transcript for litigatorsthroughout the deposition.“This strategic alliance is a tremendous benefit toour customers because it provides them with oneclick file exchange to a product that historically hasbeen viewed as the true pioneer in realtime transcriptsoftware,” said Michael Gersch, vice president andmanaging director of Litigation Solutions at LexisNexis.“Stenograph is a leader in realtime technology,having introduced the industry-standard CaseViewprotocol nearly 20 years ago. Now they have raisedthe bar with CaseViewNet, a simple but robust wirelessprotocol that allows reporters to deliver the mostaccurate record possible, and we’re delighted to beworking with them on this important initiative for ourcustomers.”The interaction of TextMap with CaseViewNet is anexample of the LexisNexis Total Practice Solutionsstrategy to provide legal professionals with the mostcomplete capabilities to more effectively manage thebusiness and practice of law.Released in March, CaseViewNet provides interactiverealtime access to testimony through a court reporter’s8private WiFi network and their Stenograph CaseCATalyst transcription software. The totally wirelesssystem is easy to set up, eliminating the need forcables, adapters, software drivers or third-party networkproviders.Moreover, the breakthrough softwarefeatures a proprietary RapidRefresh capability thatallows them to instantly deliver edited transcripts,thereby improving the quality of the realtime transcriptthroughout the day. This means that litigators leavetheir depositions faster and with a much cleaner andmore accurate transcript than is otherwise possiblewith other realtime transcript software products on themarket.“We’re thrilled to be working with
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FLORIDA COURT REPORTERS ASSOCIATION AUGUST/SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 Join Us in Ocala, October 17-19, 2008, for FCRA’s 2008 Annual Convention! COURT REPORTING LEGAL VIDEOGRAPHY RECORD RETRIEVAL . Donna Kanabay, Tanya Ward English and I attende
