Realtime Court Reporting
Realtime court reporting in Washington: read testimony live on a laptop or tablet during depositions, hearings and trials. Certified reporters since 1980.
or call 253-627-6401
At B&A Litigation Services, we offer professional realtime court reporting services designed to give attorneys immediate, on-screen access to the spoken record as proceedings unfold. Realtime reporting is most useful in fast-moving, complex, or high-stakes matters where precision and responsiveness are critical.
Realtime is part of B&A’s court reporting services, written by the same state-certified court reporters who take our depositions. This level of reporting requires not only exceptional stenographic proficiency but also deep familiarity with legal terminology, rapid speaker changes, and the ability to maintain accuracy under pressure.
Same-day notice
Is fine for a realtime request
Remote counsel
Can read the feed on request
Certified transcript to follow
Standard turnaround: 5 business days remote, 7 in person
CRR on our roster
Certified Realtime Reporter, awarded by NCRA
Part of B&A’s court reporting services
What Is Realtime Court Reporting?
Realtime court reporting allows attorneys to view testimony instantaneously on a laptop, tablet, or other device as it is being captured by the court reporter. As each word is spoken, it appears live on screen, creating an immediate written record of the proceeding.
This live access enables attorneys to follow testimony more closely, flag key statements, identify inconsistencies, draft questions on the fly, and respond in real time without waiting for a transcript after the fact.
Why Attorneys Choose Realtime
Realtime reporting is especially valuable in proceedings that involve complex testimony, multiple parties, expert witnesses, or high volumes of information. Attorneys benefit from the ability to:
- Track testimony word-for-word as it happens
- Quickly scroll back to review prior answers
- Highlight or annotate testimony during the proceeding
- Identify follow-up questions in real time
- Share the live text with co-counsel
- Reduce reliance on handwritten notes
For many attorneys, realtime becomes an indispensable tool once they experience the clarity it provides.
Realtime Reporters
Our realtime services are delivered by highly skilled reporters who have undergone advanced training and testing to meet the technical and accuracy demands of realtime work. Not every court reporter provides realtime services. When you request realtime, B&A assigns a reporter who writes realtime and maintains a realtime dictionary built for legal, medical, technical, and industry-specific terminology. Our roster includes a Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR), a credential awarded by the National Court Reporters Association, along with reporters holding the RDR and RMR.
Our court reporters are comfortable handling fast-paced dialogue and highly technical subject matter while delivering a clean, readable live feed. They also understand how to work seamlessly with counsel during proceedings, ensuring that connections are established properly and that the realtime feed runs smoothly from start to finish.
Where Realtime Fits
Realtime is available for depositions, hearings, arbitrations and mediations, and trials. It earns its place in expert-heavy, multi-witness, and document-intensive matters, and in multi-day depositions where counsel need to check yesterday’s answers against today’s. At trial, realtime pairs with rough drafts and daily copy; see trial court reporting.
A realtime feed is a working tool for counsel in a legal proceeding. When the need is live text access for a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, that is CART captioning, which B&A also provides in legal proceedings.
Realtime and the Certified Transcript
The realtime feed is an unedited draft, not the certified transcript. After the proceeding, the same certified reporter who wrote the feed edits and certifies the final transcript, delivered at B&A’s standard turnaround of five business days for remote depositions and seven for in-person depositions, against a common industry standard of ten business days. Expedited delivery and rough drafts are available on request.
Realtime does not replace the final certified transcript, but enhances the process by providing early access and real-time clarity, while maintaining the same accuracy and quality standards B&A is known for.
Realtime in the Room, or Wherever You Are
Realtime goes to laptops and tablets in the room with the court reporter, and to counsel attending remotely when you ask for it. If you are joining a remote deposition and want the feed, tell the reporter and they will send you the link. It is not switched on by default, so ask rather than assume — but same-day notice is fine, and there is nothing to set up in advance beyond telling us.
B&A ensures that realtime proceedings are supported by reliable technology and knowledgeable staff. We work closely with our clients in advance to confirm setup preferences, connection requirements, and compatibility with attorney devices. Our reporters and scheduling team are available to troubleshoot issues and ensure a smooth experience.
Frequently asked questions
What does realtime court reporting mean?
Realtime court reporting means the court reporter’s stenographic writing is translated to English text instantly and sent to your screen as the witness speaks. You read the testimony live on a laptop or tablet, scroll back to earlier answers and mark passages, instead of waiting for a transcript after the deposition, hearing or trial ends.
Is the realtime feed the official transcript?
No. The realtime feed is an unedited working draft for use during the proceeding. The certified transcript is prepared afterward by the same certified court reporter, who edits the text, completes the exhibits and signs the certification page. That transcript arrives at standard turnaround, five business days for remote depositions and seven for in-person depositions.
Can I read the realtime feed if I am attending remotely?
Yes, on request. Tell the court reporter you want the feed and they will send you the link, so you read the testimony live from wherever you are joining. It is not switched on automatically, so ask rather than assume. Same-day notice is fine, and the certified transcript still follows at standard turnaround.
How far in advance should I request realtime?
Same-day notice is fine. Asking when you schedule the proceeding is still easier, because it lets us assign a reporter who writes realtime and confirm your devices in advance. If the need comes up on the morning of the deposition, call anyway; last-minute requests are part of what our scheduling team handles.
Request Realtime for Your Next Proceeding
Add realtime when you schedule a deposition or hearing, or call 253-627-6401 or toll-free 1-800-649-2034 and our scheduling team will set it up.
B&A schedules realtime reporters from our Tacoma office and B&A’s Seattle office for proceedings across Washington.