This course provides a comprehensive examination of ethics in the court reporting profession. Participants will focus on the core pillars of impartiality, confidentiality, and professional integrity. This session explores the reporter's duty to remain a neutral officer of the court while managing high-pressure legal environments and technological shifts in the industry.

Monna Nickeson, CCR (CA), CSR (WA, OR&ID), CLR, RPR, CRR is a retired freelance reporter and owned and operated two small firms during her time. Monna served as president of the Washington State Court Reporter’s Association, as well as on the Committee of Professional Ethics for NCRA. Having recently moved to the Grand Strand in Myrtle Beach, Monna is a trained volunteer as a Guardian ad Litem for Horry County, SC and several other nonprofit organizations.

This session is designed to help participants transform disorganized schedules into structured, efficient time management systems. Through practical strategies, proven techniques, and interactive discussions, attendees will learn how to prioritize daily tasks, optimize calendars, and maintain productive habits. You will walk away with a clearer, more sustainable approach to managing time effectively.

Cindy Isaacsen, RPR and President of the NCRA, is an official court reporter for the 10th Ju­dicial District Court in Olathe, Kan., and holds the nationally recognized professional certi­fication of Registered Profes­sional Reporter (RPR).  She began her career in 1988 as a freelance court re­porter in Clarksville, Tenn. In 1990, she worked as a freelance court reporter in Schweinfurt, Germany. She has also worked as a freelance court reporter at Fort Polk, La., and for several firms including Welker & Associates in Clarksville, Tenn., and AAA Court Reporting Company in Overland Park, Kan. Isaacsen also worked as an official court reporter for the 36th Judicial District Court in DeRidder, La.  At the national level, she served on NCRA’s Election Com­mittee in 2016-2017, and as a regional representative, and as Vice Chair for the National Congress of State Associations (NCSA). Isaacsen has also served on various committees, including the Finance Committee, the Brand Ambassadors Council, and the Student/Teacher Committee. She was elect­ed to serve a three-year term as member of NCRA’s Board of Directors in 2018-2019. She was then elected to serve as Secretary-Treasurer until she was elected Vice President.  At the state level, Isaacsen has served on the board and twice as president of the Kansas Court Reporters Associa­tion. She has also served as a speaker for several state associations. She is a graduate of the Stenograph Institute of Texas.

The session will begin with an analysis of how to condense the several hundred comma rules into a workable guideline, including a discussion of recent changes in some rules. The remainder of the session will cover the three rules for the dash along with a discussion of some of the most common punctuation dilemmas that reporters deal with. The material will be presented via PowerPoint over Zoom.

Margie Wakeman Wells is in her seventh decade of teaching—50 of those years in court reporting education. She has presented, under the auspices of NCRA and state organizations, hundreds of seminars for reporters, scopists, proofreaders, educators, and students on English-related topics.  Court Reporting: Bad Grammar/Good Punctuation is her best-selling reference text with an accompanying Workbook. She has also published Word Pares, Pears, Pairs, a reference work of 2,000 word pairs; All Things English, a practice book on English skills; and her latest book, Just Grammar, a primer on basic English grammar. Margie operates Margie Holds Class, her online school, for both live and recorded classes; answers questions daily on her popular subscription site, Margie’s Gurus, which also includes a bimonthly class for CEUs, Masterclass; and sponsors Margie’s English Corner, which offers tips on various English topics.

The role of a court reporter has never been just about the transcript. In an era of rapid technological shifts and legislative challenges, our profession requires more than just technical skill.  It requires a seat at the table. Join veteran reporters Nadine Garrett and Robin Herrera for an essential session on why your involvement in state and national associations is the single best investment you can make in your career.
Fresh off the 2026 NCRA Leadership & Legislative Bootcamp in Alexandria, your presenters will provide a boots on the ground briefing from Capitol Hill. We will discuss the latest progress on the Research and Oversight of AI in Courts Act, the push for federal AI oversight, and how these national priorities directly impact the South Carolina legal landscape.

Nadine Garrett
With 19 years of dedicated experience in the field, Nadine Garrett is a seasoned freelance court reporter based in Columbia, South Carolina. Known for her versatility and precision, Nadine specializes in a comprehensive range of legal proceedings, providing expert reporting services for everything from complex depositions to high-stakes hearings. Her commitment to the profession is reflected in her extensive leadership within the legal community. Nadine has served as Director, Secretary, and President of the South Carolina Court Reporters Association (SCCRA) and maintains an active membership with the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA). Throughout her career, she has remained a steadfast advocate for accuracy and excellence in the record.

Robin Herrera, RPR, RMR, CRR, CRC
Robin Herrera is a highly credentialed court reporting professional with over 43 years of experience in the field. Holding the prestigious designations of Registered Professional Reporter (RPR), Registered Merit Reporter (RMR), Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR), and Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC), Robin is licensed in both California (CSR 13466) and Texas (CSR 8741), with experience spanning five states — Indiana, South Carolina, Texas, California, and North Carolina. Robin's journey in court reporting began in 1982 with an internship under Janice Hayward, followed by her first official position in juvenile court in Elkhart, Indiana. That foundation launched a distinguished career that has taken her across the country, including impactful CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) work with Kern County in California. Today, Robin serves as an Official Court Reporter for the United States District Court, District of South Carolina, Florence Division. She also plays a vital role in the Court's Administrative Office Shared and Remote Court Reporter Program, conducting remote hearings via Zoom for the Northern District of California (San Francisco), the Central District of California (Los Angeles), and the Northern District of Florida (Tallahassee).
A dedicated advocate for her profession, Robin serves as a Director for the South Carolina Court Reporters Association, contributing her expertise and leadership to advance the field she has served with distinction for more than four decades.

What’s new with NVRA?  Join Tori Pittman, Chair of NVRA’s Education Committee, to find out what’s been happening with NVRA. From the rollout of the new website, committee excitement, testing news, and information about the upcoming “The Diamond Record” convention in Little Rock, Arkansas, August 6-8, you’ll hear about what’s new and exciting with your national organization.

Tori Pittman, BA, CVR-CM-M, RCP, RVR is a long-time convention junkie and is currently serving working reporters as chair of the education committee. She has been part of the reporting community since 1990 and has served in many capacities - freelancer, official, CART provider, scopist, trainer, mentor, and volunteer leader.