For best practices, which of the following is true about the role of a court reporter during proceedings?

• A. The reporter only records audio without noting speakers.
• B. The reporter is responsible for predicting outcomes of the case.
• C. The reporter captures and preserves the verbatim record and makes annotations for key terms.
• D. The reporter handles security and crowd control outside the courtroom.

Answer: (C)

The essential task in this context is to capture and preserve an exactly spoken record of the proceedings, including who spoke and when, and to add annotations for key terms so the transcript is clear and usable. A court reporter doesn’t just record audio; they produce a precise written record that identifies speakers, notes objections or rulings, and marks terms or exhibits to aid understanding. This combination—verbatim transcription plus useful annotations—ensures the record is accurate, searchable, and reliable for judges, attorneys, and the public.

Other options miss the mark because recording without noting speakers loses critical context about who said what; predicting outcomes is outside the reporter’s role and could bias the record; and handling security or crowd control is not part of a court reporter’s duties.