Legal Definitions - verbatim

Verbatim means reproducing something, such as spoken words or written text, exactly as it was originally presented, using precisely the same words in the same order. It signifies a word-for-word reproduction without any changes, additions, or omissions.

In legal contexts, while the ideal of "verbatim" is absolute exactness, courts have acknowledged that for practical purposes, such as in trial records, minor, insubstantial omissions or errors that do not alter the meaning or substance of the record may still be considered "verbatim" enough to fulfill legal requirements. The primary goal remains to preserve the essential accuracy and integrity of the original material.

• Legal Deposition Record: During a legal deposition, a witness is asked about a specific event. The court reporter's role is to capture the witness's answers verbatim.
  • How it illustrates "verbatim": If the witness says, "I distinctly remember seeing a blue van, not a red one, parked right by the curb," the official transcript will show those exact words, punctuation, and even significant pauses or stutters. This ensures that the precise phrasing can be reviewed later for accuracy and nuance, preserving the witness's exact testimony.
• Academic Citation: A researcher is writing a paper and needs to directly quote a passage from a historical document to support an argument.
  • How it illustrates "verbatim": If the historical document reads, "The pursuit of liberty, though arduous, is the noblest endeavor of mankind," the researcher would include this exact phrase within quotation marks in their paper, attributing it to the original source. This ensures the original author's precise wording and intent are preserved without paraphrase or alteration.
• Transcription of an Interview: A journalist conducts an interview with an expert and later transcribes the audio recording to create an article.
  • How it illustrates "verbatim": If the expert states, "Climate models consistently predict a two-degree Celsius rise by the end of the century, assuming current emission trends," the journalist's verbatim transcript would capture every word of that sentence. This allows for accurate quoting in the article and ensures no misinterpretation of the expert's technical explanation.