Before the testimony begins, one important step has to happen: the witness must be placed under oath or affirmation.
A court reporter authorized to administer oaths will typically ask the witness to raise their right hand and swear or affirm that the testimony they are about to give will be the truth.
The witness may choose to swear or affirm. Either way, the purpose is the same: the witness is formally agreeing to provide truthful testimony under penalty of perjury.
But there is another critical step that should never be overlooked: confirming the witness’s identity.
When required by the applicable court, tribunal, jurisdiction, or deposition procedure, the witness should be prepared to present a valid government-issued or tribunal-accepted photo identification so the person administering the oath can verify that the individual appearing for testimony is the correct witness.
This is especially important in today’s world of remote depositions and virtual testimony, where everyone may be appearing from different locations.
A professional court reporter does more than create the transcript. We help protect the integrity of the record from the very beginning.
Identity verified.
Oath administered.
Record protected.
That’s where an accurate legal transcript begins.