Documents Read into the Record Must Be Quoted Exactly
The Quotation Mark
Rulebase Summary
If a document is given to the court reporter to be copied for the record, the material must be quoted exactly as originally written. Include incorrect spelling, faulty punctuation, or incorrect grammar if any appears in the original. If a document is read in court and parts are intentionally deleted in the reading, use ellipsis points to show the omissions.
Examples
A. The note said, 'Drop the package on the corner of Popular Street.' (corrected to Poplar)
A. The note said, 'Drop the package on the corner of Popular [sic] Street.'
Preserve the original error and mark with [sic].
Transcript Notes
The verbatim principle is absolute when reproducing written documents. Even errors in the original must be preserved. Use [sic] sparingly to indicate that an error was in the original, not introduced by the reporter — but do not overuse it, as it can make the reporter appear to be judging the source.
Style Guide References (1)
Morson's