Frequently Asked Questions

Scheduling

How do I schedule a deposition in another country?
We at Sarnoff are glad to schedule a court reporter, conference facility and/or videographer in another country to serve your needs. In some cases, there may be no court reporters available in the particular country your witness is located in. In that case we can make arrangements to fly a court reporter and/or videographer in from another area.

Other issues to be aware of are: Service of Process, Swearing in the Witness, and Appropriateness of Depositions in a Particular Country.

Service of Process – If your witness is not a “friendly” witness, you will need to contact the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Embassy in the country where the witness is located to ascertain what treaties apply and under what circumstances and how local residents may be compelled to attend a deposition.

Swearing in the Witness – In many countries outside the U.S., court reporters are not authorized to administer an oath. Generally, a consular official from the local U.S. Embassy will perform this service. You will need to contact the local U.S. Embassy, and the process of arranging the administration of the oath can take from one to several weeks.

Appropriateness of Depositions in a Particular Country – Some countries do not recognize depositions as an appropriate procedure under their legal system. You will need to contact the U.S. Department of State or local U.S. Embassy to confirm that depositions can be held in the country in which your witness resides.

I need to schedule a videoconference with Japan. Are your offices open at 2:00AM?
Sarnoff offers videoconferencing services to locations around the globe every day. We understand the time differences and off-hours conferences are handled as a matter of course. We are happy to handle your videoconference no matter what area of the world you are connecting to and what time it is in our local office.

Can we cover jobs out of state?
Absolutely. Where we don’t have an office, we have established relationships with multiple court reporting agencies all over the world. With one call to your local office, leave everything to us.

Court Reporting

I need a notary. Are California court reporters notaries?
No, not inherently. California court reporters do not need to be a notary to swear in a witness.

I need some documents produced. Can I name Sarnoff as the officer?
Yes, Sarnoff Court Reporters can be named as production officer.

What is the turnaround time for deposition transcripts?
Our standard turnaround time is approximately 12-15 business days. The transcript may be ordered on an expedited basis and available as quickly as the next day.

Does Sarnoff provide MCLE accredited presentations?
Absolutely. We provide MCLE credited presentations benefiting Attorneys or Legal Secretaries. Please contact us to inquire or schedule a presentation that fits your schedule!

Billing/Invoicing

What is Sarnoff’s Tax ID?
Sarnoff’s Tax ID number is 88-0432563. You can also find this number on every invoice and statement.

Do you accept credit cards?
Yes. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

Where do we send payments?
Please Submit all payments to our Irvine office, 20 Corporate Park, Suite 350, Irvine, CA 92606. Additionally, you may pay by credit card.

Technology and Video

What is a rough ASCII?
A rough ASCII is a deposition transcript that is unedited and uncertified by the court reporter. It is replaced by the edited certified final ASCII of the transcript.

Is there a difference between e-trans and e-mail of a txt?
Yes. E-Trans or a PTX file is an E-Transcript. A TXT file is simply a file in ASCII format that may be imported into Word, WordPerfect or a similar application.

What is interactive realtime?
Interactive realtime is a process in which the court reporter can connect to an attorney’s computer using special cables. The attorney must have interactive realtime software installed prior to the deposition. Once the connection is made, the attorney can view the testimony “word for word” in realtime on their computer.

What is the difference between an MPEG1 and an MPEG2 video?
Simply put, an MPEG2, or movie DVD, can be played on any television DVD player just like you would play a video VHS tape. An MPEG1 file is a requirement for litigation support and trial presentation programs that allow the transcript text to be synchronized with the video.