Citations are essential in any professional setting. Properly citing sources respects intellectual property, helps readers double-check the information used, avoids plagiarism claims, and so on. For example, accurate court transcripts from a professional legal transcription company help ensure that cited materials—especially spoken events like legal proceedings—are reliable.
However, citing court transcripts isn’t as easy as it sounds. Sticking to the right citation format is just as crucial since different styles have rules for formatting or showing source information. So, what are the ways to cite a court transcript? What factors must be known about certain formats or types of transcripts?
In this article, you’ll learn how:
- Many citation styles are available; however, the Bluebook style is the generally accepted citation style for legal documents in the U.S. Abbreviate according to the style guide and include the specific page numbers for the cited information.
- You can cite electronic or unpublished transcripts; however, the citation format may vary depending on the style guide and the transcript’s availability.
- Ditto’s legal transcription services provide legal professionals with clean, accurate transcripts that are ready for court use and citations.
What Exactly Are Case Citations?
Case citations are a way to point to past court decisions, and they are especially useful in the Supreme Court.
Legal professionals often count on these citations to pinpoint specific cases within law reports or neutral citation systems.
The format of case citations might change based on the jurisdiction. However, they always include key details like the parties’ names or the year the decision was handed down.
Case citations offer many benefits, one of which is that they allow legal professionals to quickly find relevant precedents, which, in turn, helps set their cases apart from earlier rulings.
When Are Court Transcripts Commonly Cited?
There are multiple settings where court transcripts can be cited; the most common ones are below.
| Settings | Descriptions |
| Legal research | Citing transcripts for researching and writing about legal cases and arguments. |
| Academic papers | Transcripts are used as evidence to support arguments in various academic fields, such as those at Harvard. |
| News reporting | Providing accurate quotes and context from court proceedings in news articles. |
| Fact-checking | Verifying claims, statements, or arguments made about a specific case. |
| Public discourse | Lending credibility to arguments and clarifying context in discussions. |
| Appeals | Serving as a record of lower court proceedings for future legal actions. |
| Historical research | Offering insights into historical events, social issues, and legal developments from materials like historical books. |
Common Citation Formats
Here are the more common citation formats for court transcripts.
The Bluebook style
The Bluebook style is the generally accepted citation format for U.S. legal documents. It offers a standardized method for referencing diverse legal materials.
Essential Components
- Case name (in italics)
- Reporter volume and abbreviation
- The first page of the case
- Year of the decision (in parentheses)
- Transcript information (e.g., “Transcript of Oral Argument”)
- Docket number (in parentheses)
- Page number of the specific reference
Example: Smith, John. Eyewitness Testimony. State v. Johnson, 123 Cal. App. 4th 456, 789, Superior Court of California (2023).
APA (American Psychological Association) style
APA style highlights the publication date and the author’s name when provided, so it’s frequently employed in social and behavioral science disciplines.
Essential Components
- Case name (in italics)
- Reporter volume and abbreviation
- The first page of the case
- Year of the decision (in parentheses)
- Transcript information
- Docket number (in parentheses)
- Page number of the specific reference.
Example: Smith, J. (2023, August 15). Eyewitness testimony. In State v. Johnson (Case No. 123456). Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.
MLA (Modern Language Association) style
MLA is primarily used in the humanities, especially literature and language studies. It focuses on the author’s name (if available) and the page number of the specific reference.
Essential Components
- Case name (in italics)
- Reporter volume and abbreviation
- The first page of the case
- Court name
- Year of the decision
- Transcript information
- Docket number (in parentheses)
- Page number of the specific reference
Example: Smith, John. “Eyewitness Testimony.” State v. Johnson, No. 123456. Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, 15 Aug. 2023. Transcript of Proceedings, pp. 25-30.
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) style
This style is mainly used in technical fields, such as computer science and engineering. It uses a numbered reference list with corresponding numbers in square brackets.
Essential Components
- Reference number (in square brackets)
- Case name (italicize)
- Reporter volume and abbreviation
- First page of the case
- Year of the decision (in parentheses)
- Transcript information
- Docket number (in parentheses)
- Page number of the specific reference
Example: J. Smith, “Eyewitness Testimony,” in State v. Johnson, No. 123456, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, Aug. 15, 2023, Transcript of Proceedings, pp. 25-30, 2023.
Can You Cite Electronic and Unpublished Transcripts?
Yes! Electronic or unpublished court transcripts can be cited. However, the citation format may vary depending on the style guide and the transcript’s availability. When citing electronic transcripts, include the case name, docket number, court name, date, and URL or database name.
For unpublished transcripts, provide the case name, docket number, court name, date, and a notation indicating that the transcript is unpublished. Always consult the specific style guide for the most accurate formatting requirements.
Examples of electronic transcript citations:
- Bluebook: Transcript of Oral Argument at 14, Smith v. Johnson, No. 19-1234 (U.S. Mar. 15, 2020), URL or Database name.
- APA: Smith v. Johnson, No. 19-1234 (U.S. Mar. 15, 2020). Transcript of Oral Argument, p. 14. URL or Database name.
Examples of unpublished transcript citations:
- Bluebook: Transcript of Oral Argument at 8, Doe v. State, No. CR-10-1234 (Ala. Crim. App. June 30, 2011) (unpublished transcript on file with author).
- MLA: Doe v. State. No. CR-10-1234. Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. 30 June 2011. Unpublished transcript on file with author. Page 8.
Checklist for Citing Court Transcripts
The previous sections mentioned every useful tip, however, you may prefer a summarized version.
- Identify the necessary information (e.g., speaker’s name, title or description of the speech/testimony, case name, and so on).
- Confirm the required citation style (e.g., Bluebook, MLA, APA, IEEE).
- Consult the most recent edition of the citation manual for your specific style guide.
- Double-check the spelling of names, case titles, and other key information.
- Abbreviate according to the style guide (e.g., “v.” for “versus” in case names).
- Include the specific page number(s) where the cited information can be found within the transcript.
- If the transcript is accessed through an online database or website, include the name of the database or the URL.
- Proofread your citation carefully to catch any errors.
- Be consistent in your formatting throughout your document.
How To Choose The Right Legal Transcription Service?
Ditto Transcripts has offered the best legal transcription service possible since 2010. Signing up for our services gives you several major advantages, including:
Accuracy
Legal transcription inaccuracies can have heavy and far-reaching repercussions. Courts and other legal proceedings frequently use legal transcripts, especially verbatim ones. Challenges in legal transcription, such as errors, could lead to misinterpretations and potentially significantly—and negatively—impact an ongoing court case.
Some companies may offer low prices that reflect their lack of experience, and legal professionals can sometimes unknowingly fall for this trap. Transcripts from such providers are inaccurate and low-quality, as they’re not well-versed in legalese and jargon. Ultimately, dealing with low-quality legal transcription companies will cost you more time, money, and effort.
Never settle for the cheapest, fastest transcriber with the lowest accuracy rates. Choose Ditto; we can produce high-quality legal transcription every time, with 99% guaranteed accuracy rates. Any transcript you receive from us is guaranteed to be ready for use in court or legal research.
100% Human Transcription
Typical accuracy guarantees for automated solutions reach up to 86%. Meanwhile, 100% human transcription services like Ditto are more than 99% accurate. That means human-completed legal transcripts won’t have too many glaring errors, if at all. Verbatim transcription, even with complex legal jargon, is cleanly done. You can reliably use them for any court case with confidence that everything is accurate.
Affordability
Lawyers and professionals understand that quality legal transcription might come with a hefty price, but that price tag shouldn’t say “arm and leg.”
Reliable transcription companies meet their clients’ transcription needs quickly and accurately without charging exorbitant prices. Here at Ditto, we provide costs upfront and are willing to contact clients if the current pricing models don’t match the required work. Additionally, we allow clients pay-as-you-go options without committing to long-term contracts.
Confidentiality And Security Measures
Ditto’s legal transcription service has rigorous security protocols to ensure that every byte of data we receive is kept safe and confidential. Our security measures include:
- Detailed Reporting and Tracking Features
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Ability To Certify Transcripts
Deposition transcriptions, custody hearings, conference calls, client meetings, witness statements, interviews, and other law enforcement transcription documents are common in legal proceedings. Furthermore, courts often admit and accept transcripts as evidence.
However, transcriptions submitted to the court require proper certification—meaning your transcriptionist must be able to certify their transcripts. Transcript certification has strict requirements, including the transcriber’s capacity to appear in open court and testify under oath. Offshore and automated transcription services, therefore, cannot certify transcripts. We, however, can certify any legal transcript upon request.
Quality Customer Service
With Ditto, you don’t have to worry about your transcribers ghosting you when you need them most. It doesn’t matter if you’re a current or prospective client; call us within normal business hours, and we’ll happily address any of your questions.
Choose Ditto For Accurate Transcription
Don’t settle for cheap, inaccurate services or pay through the nose for expensive ones. Remember, a reputable transcription company with over a decade of legal experience, like Ditto Transcripts, will never compromise on the quality of your legal transcripts.
Contact Ditto for reliable, accurate, and affordable legal and verbatim court proceeding transcription. You can request a sample transcription to assess the quality of our service at any time.
Ditto Transcripts is a CJIS-compliant Denver, Colorado-based transcription services company that provides fast, accurate, and affordable transcripts for individuals and companies of all sizes. Call (720) 287-3710 today for a free quote, and ask about our free five-day trial.
