The 7 Most Common Punctuation Mistakes in Legal Transcripts

Court reporters produce the official record. Every comma, every period, every semicolon carries legal weight. After reviewing thousands of pages of transcript, these are the seven punctuation mistakes I see most often.

1. Comma vs. Period After "Objection" This is the most debated punctuation call in transcript work. "Objection, form." uses a comma. "Objection. Form." uses a period. Which is correct depends entirely on your style guide. Morson's and BGGP treat this differently — know which one your reporter follows and apply it consistently throughout.

2. Semicolon Before "Is That Correct?" Many reporters default to a comma before confirmation questions. But "You signed the document on March 1st; is that correct?" often calls for a semicolon. Check your style guide and apply it the same way every time.

3. Hyphenating Before a Noun Only "On-site inspection" is correct. "The inspection was on site" is correct without a hyphen. The rule is simple: hyphenate compound modifiers before a noun, not after. This mistake appears constantly in transcripts and is easy to miss on a quick read.

4. Starting a Line With a Figure Most style guides prohibit starting a line with a numeral — except for Exhibit numbers and Bates numbers. "Twenty percent" should be spelled out at the start of a line. It's a small thing that signals careful, professional work.

5. Colon vs. Comma for Abrupt Breaks "My question is, why did you do that?" uses a comma. "Let me ask you this: When did you last speak with him?" uses a colon. The distinction matters and inconsistent application is one of the first things a careful reader notices.

6. Quotation Marks for Confirmation Is that a "yes"? The quotation marks around a spoken confirmation are standard in many styles — but not all. Whatever your reporter's preference, it needs to be consistent from page one to the last page.

7. Polite Requests: Question Mark or Period? "Would you please state your full name." Many reporters are surprised that this takes a period, not a question mark — it's a polite request, not a genuine question. Morson's is clear on this. BGGP may differ. Know your guide.

A single inconsistency in any of these areas can undermine the professionalism of an otherwise excellent transcript. If you'd like a second set of expert eyes on your next job, Quill & Parchment offers transcript proofreading with 48-hour turnaround. Contact Khurram at quillandparchment.ca/contact.

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