When I was asked to write a blog post on how court reporters can reduce costs in divorce litigation I was initially hesitant. Having been through a divorce myself, I understand the heavy emotional burden that comes with the process and wondered if it was an “appropriate” topic. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized the people can best address this difficult time by educating themselves on every part of the divorce process. Frankly, no one talks about the court reporting’s role in divorce and yet it is extremely important.
The High Cost of Divorce
Almost 20,000 couples file for divorce in Kentucky each year with roughly a quarter of those being filed in the Louisville Metropolitan Area. According to Forbes Magazine, the average cost of divorce in America ranges from $15,000 to $30,000. The majority of those costs go, justifiably, to attorney’s fees. Choosing the right lawyer to navigate a path through child custody, marital property division and other issues is crucial. In addition, everyone going through a divorce immediately faces the financial burden created by the separation of one household into two. While one person may remain in the home, even if only temporarily, the other has to find a new place to live. Not only are there two rents or mortgages but two cable bills, two utility bills, two health insurance bills and there is no longer the bulk savings on things like groceries. Almost overnight, the living expenses for the couple double while their combined income likely remains the same. In other words, the divorcing couple faces a shrinking household income while trying to pay for the fees associated with the divorce process.
Court Reporting is a Substantial Cost that you can Control
In all divorce cases, the parties are entitled to take the deposition of the opposing party and any witness who may need to testify at trial. In many cases the attorneys may need to take the depositions of accountants, financial advisers, family physicians, business evaluators or any other person with information relevant to determining asset distribution or child custody. You could quickly find yourself taking five or six depositions during the divorce process.
Court reporters generally charge an appearance fee, some amount per page of transcript, and various other fees for services like real-time, synchronization or electronic transcripts. Some reporting agencies charge as much as $4.50 per page of transcript. That translates to roughly $600 for a three hour deposition and could pile-up to more than $3000 during discovery! At Kentuckiana Court Reporters, we are committed to providing an accurate and timely transcript at reasonable rates. On average, we charge 25% less than our competitors and we never charge extra fees for the use of our conference center, an electronic transcript, a mini-transcript or other services. We can charge less because we have invested in technology, a trained in-house staff and standardized practices. When you choose Kentuckiana Reporters, your transcript will always be proofread by two separate people for accuracy. Our in-house staff of productions specialists, proofreaders, transcriptionists, court reporters and videographers each serve specialized roles in producing your transcript. We have effectively done for the court reporting industry what Henry Ford did for the automobile. We can guarantee quality and rapid delivery without breaking your bank. To save almost 25% on your court reporting costs, choose Kentuckiana Court Reporters.
Privacy and Peace of Mind
Divorce is an unpleasant process that often involves discussion of many personal issues. The last thing anyone wants is to have their personal issues spread around the community. Our professional staff is committed to confidentiality. Our reporters take depositions every single day and are trained to respect the privacy of our clients. We simply do not discuss or comment on your depositions. We also maintain all our records at a secure site that is monitored by two security companies. You might be surprised to learn that some court reporters work from a home office where such safety precautions do not exist. We also ensure that all records are ultimately disposed of by a professional shredding company. You do not have to worry about your personal documents or financial records sitting in a dumpster on some public alley.
Video Depositions at a Reasonable Rate
As the legal community embraces the digital era, you will may be advised by your attorney to video record all of the depositions in your case. Some attorneys may use only video and transcribe the transcript from the video later. Again, we offer industry leading videography prices that are usually 40% lower than our competitors’ prices. We can offer reasonable rates without sacrificing quality because we have invested in modern equipment and a staff of in-house videographers who are in the field on a daily basis.
Fairness and Respect
We understand the havoc that divorce wreaks on a person’s personal finances. We have always agreed to allow our clients to pay over time when needed. We are not going to send you to collections or take legal action simply because you cannot pay your entire bill at once. We actually had one divorce client who paid what amounted to $10 per month over the course of several years. While that is not the preferred method of payment, we will always work with our clients the best we can. Just give our Office Manager a call and she can work with each client individually to find unique solutions.
If you find yourself facing divorce litigation, please keep Kentuckiana Court Reporters in mind. We can lessen the financial burden of divorce litigation while providing you some additional peace of mind. If you are a divorce attorney, give us a call to discuss how we can help you and your clients.