FAQs - North Carolina Verbatim Reporters Association"

What types of court reporters are there?

There are two primary types of reporters: official and freelance. Officials are employees of the state and work in the courts. Freelance reporters primarily take depositions for individual attorneys who are conducting discovery in the course of a lawsuit. Regardless of whether the reporter is a freelancer or an official, the reporter's sole purpose is to be an uninterested third party who will provide a verbatim transcript of the proceeding.

As a member of NCVRA, what do I receive for the dues that I pay?

Tangible and intangible benefits include:

Listing in the NCVRA directory
Listing as an NCVRA member in the North Carolina Legal Directory
Listing in reporter search referral on NCVRA Web site
Continuing education seminars
Technology updates
Networking and information exchange
Representation of the voice writing profession at the state level

When will I be due to renew my membership?

All members are due to renew membership on February 1 each year. However, there is a month's grace period, so the $10 late fee will not be applied until after March 1.

Where can current reporters find more information about the NVRA?

This can be found at: http://nvra.org/.

Where can future reporters get further information about voice writing?

This can be found at: http://nvra.org/.

What format is required by the North Carolina Industrial Commission for the submission of depositions?

The North Carolina Industrial Commission requires that each page of the deposition (except the title page) show a header centered at the top of each page which contains the following information: case name, IC file number, and page number. The reporter is also to submit the transcript in either PDF or ASCII (.txt) format to the Deputy Commissioner, along with the sealed original transcript. Even if the transcript is e-mailed to the Deputy Commissioner, they still ask that you submit a CD-ROM as well.

For other information concerning workers' compensation cases, including mailing addresses and phone numbers for the NCIC staff, go to www.ic.nc.gov.

Can a Notary Public administer an oath to a witness over the telephone?

July 2022 update: Emergency Video Notarizations will resume, effective immediately, as a stop-gap measure to allow video notarizations while permanent RON procedures are being put in place. EVN expires on June 30, 2023 at 12:01a.m.

“Everyone in North Carolina needs to be able to sign contracts safely and conveniently, without sacrificing the certainty of knowing that people signing important documents like wills and loans are exactly who they say they are. Emergency Video Notarizations were crucial tools during the height of the COVID pandemic. The next step, establishing a permanent RON solution that matches intuitive technology with transactional security, is central to maintaining a vibrant and sustainable e-commerce culture across the state that’s accessible for everyone,” said Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.

The new law immediately updates fees that notaries public across the state can charge. The maximum fee that can be charged per principal signature has increased from $5 to $10 for acknowledgments, jurats, and verifications or proofs. For oaths or affirmations without a signature, the maximum fee has increased from $5 to $10 per person, except for the identity of a principal or subscribing witness. The fee for electronic notarizations under G.S. 10B-188, will be $15.

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The following excerpts are from a memorandum entitled "Telephonic Oath-giving by NC Notaries".

"Position of the Department
It is the position of the Department of the Secretary of State that a North Carolina notary public must comply with the provisions of G.S. §10B-20(a), in accordance with the definitions in G.S. §10-B(3). A notary may not perform a notarial act if those requirements are not followed. Appearance of a witness by telephone does not comply with the definition of "personal appearance and appear in person before a notary" found in G.S. §10B-3(16); "personal appearance and appear in person before a notary" are defined as "an individual and a notary are in close physical proximity to one another so that they may freely see and communicate with one another and exchange records back and forth during the notarization process" (emphasis added). A notary may not, therefore, perform a notarial act by administering an oath to a person telephonically."

"A WORD OF CAUTION: A notary is committing a CRIME when administering an oath without the person appearing in person before them (G.S. §10B-60(c)(1)). Furthermore, a person who solicits, coerces, or in any material way influences a notary to administer an oath without the person appearing in person before them also commits a crime (G.S. § 10B-60(j))."