Four intrepid members of NCRA’s Technology Committee have opened their offices to offer a peek at their setups.
While everyone’s wants, needs, and desires for the perfect office or travel kit for work are going to be a little different, it’s always interesting to get a look at what someone else has decided is worth the space. Four intrepid members of NCRA’sTechnology Committee have opened their offices to offer a peek at their setups. Special thanks to official court reporter Debbie Kreigshauser, FAPR, RMR, CRR, CRC, CLVS, of Dallas, Texas; CART captioner Teresa Russ, CRI, of Bellflower, Calif.; legal videographer Ed Foppe, CLVS, of St. Louis, Mo.; and freelancer Mike Hensley, RDR, of Dublin, Calif., who provided these tours of their spaces to give you a sense of what they keep on hand or carry with them as they go about their workdays. Each of them offers some advice on their recent purchases and favorite standards, and we are sharing some highlights in this article. But the videos go into greater detail, and it is worth checking them out.
Official Court Reporter
Debbie Kriegshauser, FAPR, RMR, CRR, CRC, CLVS
Realtime Systems Administrator certificate
Dallas, Texas
Debbie Kreigshauser, FAPR, RMR, CRR, CRC, CLVS, who occasionally travels to other courtrooms, mentions that when she’s not in her own courtroom, it is useful to have her own audio cord to set up so that she knows that she can set it up correctly and not have to worry about what’s available (or not) in other spaces. She goes on to say: “I always heard that … the gold connectors work better than the black and the silver connectors, so I always keep [a set] with me.”
Other highlights from her video include:
- Bring a backup steno machine if you have it
- Remember plugs for your steno machines and computers; bring extras if you have them
- An external microphone
- Cough drops and aspirin
- Pens, post-its, and flash drives
Kriegshauser also mentions that she has additional cords to get a feed from the mixer if she is in the position of providing CART in the courtroom. Her kit includes both a 6-foot and a 12-foot cord, which she said will allow her to sit anywhere in the courtroom and still reach the mixer.
Freelance Court Reporter and CART Captioner
Teresa Russ, CRI
Bellflower, Calif.
“Someone told me that a gaming chair is the best chair to use. It’s very comfortable so far, and I don’t have any complaints. I got it on sale,” says Teresa Russ, CRI, as she shows off her home office.
Other highlights from her video include:
- A quick file system for jobs always keep [a set] with me.
- Two separate monitors
- One for audio, Zoom, and Webex
- The other for CAT software connected to her steno machine
- As a captioner, having a TV monitor is always useful for seeing what you client would see
- Whiteboard for notes, phone numbers, and other information you need on your fingertips
- Microsoft stickers app on the computer to keep track of various information
Legal Videographer
Ed Foppe, CLVS
Trial Presentation Professional certificate
St. Louis, Mo.
“It’s always good to have a little pair of headphones on you,” says Ed Foppe, CLVS. “I know a lot of us use wireless, which I do, too … When I’m synching video in the courtroom … I can’t rely on Bluetooth because there’s a little slight delay. So I still like having the wired type of headphones.”
Some highlights from his video include:
- It’s always nice to have a protector for your laptop and other equipment if you are carrying one either in your kit or separately; you want to reduce wear and tear from the agitation of travel
- Velcro runners to use on carpet if you want a different option from gaffers’ tape.
- Hard drives — with hard drive covers
- Headphones
- A variety of cables in a variety of lengths (and something that helps you keep them organized)
- A surge protector and a charger with multiple connectors, so that you can charge different devices
- Lens wipes
- A variety of colored markers, sharpies, pens, and highlighters
- WD-40 pen
- Laser pointers and presentation remotes
- Business cards
Freelance Court Reporter
Mike Hensley, RPR
Dublin, Calif.
Mike Hensley, RDR, explains that his home office includes a document scanner, which replaced a second computer. He mentions: “It comes in handy; it gives me additional space under the desk to put papers [and] mail.” Hensley not only shares his office setup but also his rig that he takes to depositions in the field. Some suggestions from his video include:
- Extra pockets in your bag are great for: cables and wires; wallet and keys; sunglasses, mouthwash, tissues, and all the miscellaneous items to keep you secure and comfortable on the job
- Wireless label writer
- Realtime equipment, which he takes every time so that he is ready to meet his client’s needs at any moment
- Steno writer
- Extra tablets
- In-ear monitors
- iPad chargers
- Spare digital recorder
- Chargers and cables
- Portable table, which is great if there’s not a lot of room
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