Magistrate's Court: The magistrate’s court has both criminal and civil jurisdiction. Their jurisdiction is also limited in one way or the other. For example, the laws oust the powers of the magistrate’s court to hear cases of economic crimes, rights violation etc. There are different classes of magistrates and each of the classes has a limitation. We will discuss this in detail in our subsequent post.
Cadi Court: Their jurisdiction is limited sharia matters with regards to marriage, inheritance and divorce. We will discuss more on this.
I will give the District Tribunal a special report.
Let us now shift our attention to court reporting and what it entails.
As a beginner in court reporting, you have to be zealous in reporting from the court. This means you have to have passion because without it you cannot be effective and you won’t be able to come up with good court stories. Without passion, you won’t be able to write good court stories.
Let me take you through some attitudes of court reporters before explaining some of the terminologies often used in court:
1) Have your diary: As a sober court reporter, you should have a diary to record dates of cases and adjournments. At the end of every court case, the matter is adjourned and the time is often communicated. This has to be recorded. Therefore, as we now live in a world of technology you can save the dates in your phone or tablet as well as laptop calendars and set alarms.
2) Acquire the claims or charges: you have to get the claims in the civil cases or charges/charge sheet in criminal cases to avoid misquoting. For criminal cases, the charges are read before the court for the accused person (s) to take a plea. During this process, you can record the charges and the particulars of claim. Usually, civil cases have lengthy claims and to avoid misquotation it is very important that you request for the particulars of claim
3) Befriend lawyers, clerks and the registrars of the courts: A good court reporter will make lawyers, court clerks and the registrars of the court your friends. The reporter should try to get their contacts and you ensure that you earn their trust. Sometimes, at your own time, you call them and check on them. In short, the calls and chit-chats will enhance a cordial relationship and they will be willing to share information to you. This attitude of a good court reporter cannot be overemphasized.
4) Asking: A court report should be error-free. Everything that is reported should be accurate. Thus, a reporter is required to seek clarification on anything that is not clear from the lawyers, the court clerk or the sitting judge or magistrate. This means a court reporter should ensure that any doubt that he or she has is cleared. At times when you approach lawyers, judges/magistrates and clerks, they do not answers. This means you have to drop that information because it is dangerous to misquote them. You can write about the things that you are sure of and leave the ones that you are not certain.
5) Get rulings & judgments: Court reporters must always ensure they get the rulings and judgments of the court. This is very important. This is to avoid misquotation, misrepresentation and errors from the courts holding.
6) Recorders, cameras, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets: Court reporters are not expected to use their recorders to record the court proceedings. Reporters are barred from filming or taking photos in the courts. In fact, there are messages all over both inside and outside the courtrooms reminding us that no one is allowed to use our mobile phones and any other electronic device in the courtrooms.
7) Do as people do: You should stand when the judge or magistrate comes in the court and when they are leaving, you are required to stand up when the judge or magistrate is leaving. You are not required to make or create noise and you should avoid side talks with any person. You are required to minimise movement in and out of the court particularly when the sessions are ongoing. This means you have to ensure that you are in the court on time; before the case is called. Preferably and honourably you should be in the court before the magistrate or judge. In certain cases, usually high profile cases, the security particularly the police usually come and provide security. Security is paramount particularly cases that attract the interest of the public and many people will like to witness the proceedings. In this case, you have to comply with the security by allowing them to search your bags and yourself. If in case they tell you the court is full you have to stay outside because you were required to be in the court on time. In essence, as a good reporter, you have to always comply with the security personnel station at the court and the court premises.
8) Don’t delay: A good court reporter will always ensure that he or she writes his report (article) without delay. It is important to file your report on the court day to avoid delay. It is also necessary to delay in order to get clarification of information (including documents) from the court or the lawyers.
9) Write corrigendum when you make mistakes: Making a mistake is inevitable in our work. In fact, to err is human although that shouldn’t be a yardstick to make many mistakes. We have to ensure that we minimise the mistakes. In certain cases, reporters make mistakes and in those cases, we are obliged to rectify the mistakes. Rectification is very important especially when it is made at the time the error was noticed.
10) Fraternise with other court reporters: this is important. Friendship with your colleague court reporters is very crucial because it has countless importance. You can share information and help rectify one another when on issues that aren’t clear. You can share photos and reports (at times).
Next post will be court terminologies.
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