Illinois Administrative Code › Title 68 - PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS › Part 1200 - ILLINOIS CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS ACT OF 1984 › Section 1200.90 - Standards of Professional Conduct

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
In order to establish and maintain a high standard of integrity
				in the practice of shorthand reporting, the following Standards of Professional
				Conduct shall be binding on every person holding a certificate of registration
				as a certified shorthand reporter.
a) A
			 licensee shall be fair and impartial toward each participant in all aspects of
			 reported proceedings.
b) A licensee
			 should only accept an assignment if his/her level of competence will result in
			 the preparation of an accurate transcript and will remove himself/herself from
			 an assignment if he/she believes his/her abilities are inadequate, recommending
			 or assigning another licensee only if the licensee has the competence required
			 for the assignment.
c) A licensee,
			 if requested, shall provide information regarding services to be rendered
			 regarding administration of professional services to all parties. The licensee
			 must strive to meet promised delivery dates whenever possible, make timely
			 delivery of transcripts when no date is specified, and provide immediate
			 notification of delays.
d) A
			 licensee shall be alert to situations that are conflicts of interest or that
			 may give the appearance of a conflict of interest. If a conflict arises, the
			 licensee must disclose that conflict or potential conflict.
e) A licensee who becomes impaired and unable
			 to function according to the standards of practice should immediately seek
			 inactive status and refrain from practice. It is the licensee's responsibility
			 to seek supervision and/or personal therapy for any problem that is interfering
			 with the ability to perform professional services.
f) A licensee shall preserve the
			 confidentiality and ensure the security of information, oral or written,
			 entrusted to the licensee by any and all of the parties in a
			 proceeding.
g) It is the licensee's
			 responsibility to preserve his/her shorthand notes for a period of no less than
			 10 years from the date the notes or transcripts were taken, except as otherwise
			 prescribed by law, through storage of the original paper notes and/or an
			 electronic copy of either the shorthand notes or the English transcript of the
			 notes on computer disks, cassettes, backup tape systems, optical or laser disk
			 systems, or other retrieval systems available at the time that the notes or
			 transcripts were taken.
h) A
			 licensee's signature, license number and expiration date shall be affixed to a
			 transcript of his/her stenographic notes to certify to its correctness if the
			 transcript has been prepared by him/her or under his/her direct
			 supervision.
i) A licensee shall
			 not permit the use of his/her name or firm's name, nor shall a licensee be
			 associated in business ventures with persons or firms that the licensee has
			 reason to believe to be engaging in fraudulent or dishonest business
			 practices.
j) A licensee having
			 knowledge of any alleged violation of the Certified Shorthand Reporter Act
			 shall cooperate with the Division or appropriate governmental agency,
			 furnishing such information or assistance as may be required to conduct an
			 investigation resulting from a complaint.
k) The licensee shall at all times be aware
			 of and avoid not only the fact of, but the appearance of, impropriety, which
			 may include, but is not limited to:
1) The
			 establishment of contingent fees as a basis of compensation.
2) The giving or receiving of, directly or
			 indirectly, any gift, incentive, reward or anything of value to anyone as a
			 condition for the performance of professional services.
3) The offering to pay, either directly or
			 indirectly, any commission or other consideration in order to secure
			 professional assignments.
4) The
			 entering into any financial relationship, written or oral, with counsel,
			 parties in interest or their intermediaries that:
A) undermines the actual or perceived
			 impartiality of the court reporter; or
B) does not provide or offer any party in
			 interest comparable court reporting services in the same proceedings.