Study guide
11.2 Interpreters, Videographers & Remote Proceedings
AAERT Certified Electronic Transcriber CET
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1 Chapter 1: CET Exam Orientation
1.1 The CET Credential, Exam Format & Eligibility 1.2 The Practical Exam Workflow & a Blueprint-Based Study Plan
2 Chapter 2: Ethics, Conflicts of Interest & Confidentiality
2.1 Ethical Obligations & Avoiding the Appearance of Impropriety 2.2 Conflicts of Interest: Recognizing and Handling Them 2.3 Confidentiality, NDAs, File Security & HIPAA
3 Chapter 3: Professional Behavior, Multi-Channel Audio & Equipment
3.1 Professional Behavior: Impartiality, the Accurate Record & Service 3.2 Multi-Channel Recording & How to Play Channels 3.3 Troubleshooting, Technical Escalation & Equipment Maintenance
4 Chapter 4: Proofreading, Spelling, Capitalization & Numbers
4.1 Proofreading vs. Literary Editing & Why Spelling Matters 4.2 Capitalization in a Transcript 4.3 Numbers in a Transcript
5 Chapter 5: [sic], Abbreviations, Clauses & Commas
5.1 [sic] and Abbreviations 5.2 Clauses & the Core Comma Rules 5.3 Commas in Testimony: Address, Introductory Words, Appositives, Series & Tags
6 Chapter 6: End Punctuation, Colons, Semicolons & Quotation Marks
6.1 Periods, Question Marks & Exclamation Points 6.2 Colons & Semicolons 6.3 Quotation Marks in a Transcript
7 Chapter 7: Apostrophes, Dashes, Hyphens, Ellipses, Slashes & Parentheses
7.1 Apostrophes: Possessives, Contractions & Plurals 7.2 Dashes & Hyphens: Interruptions, Breaks and Compounds 7.3 Ellipses, Slashes & Parentheses
8 Chapter 8: Federal Format, Title Page & Index Page
8.1 Federal District Court Format & Page Specifications 8.2 The Title Page 8.3 The Index Page
9 Chapter 9: Proceedings Page, Headers, Certificate & Colloquy
9.1 The Proceedings Page, Calls to Order & Page Headers 9.2 The Transcriber's Certificate 9.3 Colloquy, Question-and-Answer Format & Paragraphing
10 Chapter 10: Oaths, Parentheticals, Exhibits & Special Procedures
10.1 Swearing Witnesses, Parenthetical Notations & Exhibits 10.2 Quoted Material, Words Spelled on the Record & Italics for Non-English Words 10.3 Strikes, Playbacks, Recordings Played, Asides & Sidebars
11 Chapter 11: Special Designations, Interpreters, Remote Jobs & Verbatim Rules
11.1 Certified Questions, Redactions & Confidential Designations 11.2 Interpreters, Videographers & Remote Proceedings 11.3 Verbatim Transcription: Tics, Substantive Words & Chopped-Down Speech
12 Chapter 12: Interruptions, Indiscernible Speech & Transcriber Judgment Calls
12.1 Interruptions, Indiscernible Speech & Nonverbal Responses 12.2 Log Notes, Case Information, the Court Reporter & Judgment Calls on Names and Speakers
13 Chapter 13: Page Estimates, Originals & Copies, Drafts & Research
13.1 Page Estimates, Original vs. Copy & Rough and Expedited Transcripts 13.2 References, Internet Research & Understanding the Case
14 Chapter 14: Proceedings, Case Types & the Life Cycle of a Case
14.1 Types of Proceedings & Federal Read and Sign 14.2 Types of Cases & the Order of Court and Non-Court Proceedings 14.3 The Life Cycle of a Case
15 Chapter 15: Parties, Legal Documents, Jurisdiction & Venue
15.1 Parties, Participants & Types of Witnesses 15.2 Reading Legal Documents & Using the Docket 15.3 Jurisdiction, Venue & Civil vs. Criminal Proceedings
16 Chapter 16: Case Law, Citations & Jury Selection
16.1 Case Law & the Elements of a Case Citation 16.2 Jury Selection (Voir Dire) & Bench vs. Jury Trials
17 Chapter 17: Legal & Latin Terminology
17.1 Legal Terminology I: Pleadings, Motions, Orders & Procedure 17.2 Legal Terminology II: Evidence, Objections, Rulings & Trial Terms 17.3 Latin Terminology I: Procedure, Courts & Parties 17.4 Latin Terminology II: Doctrine, Evidence & Criminal Law
18 Chapter 18: Medical Terminology
18.1 Medical Terminology I: Word Parts, Directions & Anatomy 18.2 Medical Terminology II: Conditions, Procedures, Medications & Sound-Alikes
11.2 Interpreters, Videographers & Remote Proceedings
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
The Guide to Judiciary Policy says that when interpreters are used, answers are assumed to be made in a foreign language and interpreted unless a parenthetical "(in English)" is inserted.
The interpreter's English rendering is transcribed as the witness's answer (A.); THE INTERPRETER is used only when the interpreter speaks for himself or herself.
FRCP 30(b)(5)(B) requires the officer to repeat the officer's name and business address, the date, time and place, and the deponent's name at the beginning of each unit of a nonstenographic recording.
Under FRCP 30(b)(4), a remote deposition takes place where the deponent answers the questions.
Last updated: September 2026
Blueprint topics 30211 to 30213 ask you to describe the correct formatting procedure when an interpreter or translator is present, when a videographer is present, and when a job is held remotely.
- Interpreters
- The rules
What the record is: in an interpreted proceeding, the English interpretation spoken on the record is what the transcriber types. The foreign-language speech is not transcribed or translated by the transcriber.
The presumption: Guide to Judiciary Policy § 520.40.10(g): "When interpreters are used, it will be assumed that answers are made in a foreign language and interpreted unless a parenthetical '(in English)' is inserted."
Speaker ID: THE INTERPRETER is used when the interpreter speaks in their own voice (§ 520.40.10(f)).
In federal court, the Court Interpreters Act (28 U.S.C. § 1827) governs the use of certified and qualified interpreters.
Formatting
Identify the interpreter in the appearances or an Also Present line, for example Maria Lopez, Spanish Interpreter .
Note the interpreter's oath at the start with a standard parenthetical, such as (Interpreter sworn.) , following the style used for witness oaths.
Type the interpretation as the witness's answer , in the first person, on the A line: Q. What color was the light?
A. It was red.
Answers given in English get the parenthetical: A. (in English) Yes.
The interpreter speaking for themselves is colloquy: THE INTERPRETER: Your Honor, the interpreter needs
the question repeated.
Third-person interpreting. If the interpreter says "He says he left before the police came," type exactly that. Do not convert it to first person; the transcriber records what the interpreter said.
Untranslated foreign speech that the interpreter does not render (for example, a side comment) can be noted parenthetically, such as (Speaking in Spanish.) , following the client's style.
Videographers and video depositions
In a videotaped deposition, a videographer records the picture and often opens and closes each segment on the record. AAERT's CDR credential covers depositions; the CET transcribes them.
Appearances: list the videographer, for example Also Present: James Ortiz, Videographer .
Speaker ID: THE VIDEOGRAPHER: in colloquy.
Opening statement: the videographer often states the date, time, case and location and identifies the media unit: We are now on the record at 10:02 a.m. This is the beginning of Media Unit No. 1. Transcribe it verbatim.
Going off and on the record: the videographer announces times: We are going off the record at 11:15 a.m. Transcribe the announcement, then use a parenthetical for the break if the style sheet calls for one: (Recess from 11:15 a.m. to 11:27 a.m.)
Why units matter: FRCP 30(b)(5)(B) requires, for nonstenographic recordings, that the officer "repeat the items in Rule 30(b)(5)(A)(i)–(iii) at the beginning of each unit of the recording medium": the officer's name and business address; the date, time and place; and the deponent's name.
Time stamps: some clients want a video-synced transcript. That is a separate product; the certified transcript still follows the standard format.
Remote proceedings
Remote depositions and hearings became routine after 2020.
Authority: FRCP 30(b)(4): "The parties may stipulate—or the court may on motion order—that a deposition be taken by telephone or other remote means." For the rules, "the deposition takes place where the deponent answers the questions."
Title page and appearances: note who appeared remotely, for example (Appearing via videoconference) after an attorney's name, or a statement such as (All parties appearing remotely via videoconference.) at the start, following the client's style.
The oath: administered remotely where state law allows. The transcriber types the officer's statements and the oath line in the usual way.
Audio problems: frozen video, dropped words and echo are common. Use single-channel playback, and if a platform recording or screen capture exists, use it to resolve dropouts. If words are truly lost, mark them (indiscernible) . Some clients want a note of the cause, such as (Audio interference.)
Shared exhibits: attorneys "share screen" to show documents. Note exhibits as usual; the log or screen recording tells you what was shown.
Crosstalk and lag: remote lag produces more overlapping speech. Handle it with the interruption rules in Chapter 12.
Everyone's location matters. Remote participants may be in different states, which can affect oath and notary rules (Chapter 15).
AAERT's blog stresses that for remote or hybrid jobs a screen-capture video helps the transcriber see who is speaking and what exhibit is on screen. Ask for it if it exists.