1|Page
AAERT CER Exam Practice Questions (NEW UPDATED VERSION) LATEST
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS) | GUARANTEED PASS A+
AAERT CER PRACTICE QUESTIONS
(Multiple Choice, With Answers & Rationales)
==================================
=======
QUESTIONS 1–370
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1. What is the primary responsibility of a CER?
A. Editing court rulings
B. Capturing a complete, accurate verbatim record
C. Preparing legal briefs
D. Advising attorneys
Answer: B
Rationale: The electronic reporter’s core duty is preserving an accurate record of proceedings.
2. When should an equipment check be performed?
A. Once per week
B. Only if equipment looks damaged
C. Before every proceeding
D. At the end of the day
Answer: C
Rationale: A pre-session check prevents avoidable recording failure.
2026 2027 GRADED A+
,2|Page
3. If speakers overlap, the reporter should…
A. Ignore it
B. Pause recording
C. Ask for one speaker at a time
D. Turn up the gain
Answer: C
Rationale: Overlapping speech produces unclear audio.
4. If the judge speaks too softly, the reporter must…
A. Increase microphone gain only
B. Request clarification
C. Ask an attorney to clarify
D. Ignore it
Answer: B
Rationale: All speech must be recorded clearly.
5. When counsel requests “off the record,” the reporter should…
A. Immediately stop recording
B. Continue unless the judge orders otherwise
C. Ask the clerk
D. Ignore the request
Answer: B
Rationale: Only the judge controls the record.
6. What should the CER do at the start of every case?
A. Begin recording silently
B. Announce case details and participants
C. Ask attorneys for closing arguments
D. Play back prior audio
Answer: B
Rationale: Every session requires an opening announcement.
2026 2027 GRADED A+
,3|Page
7. If the audio is distorted, the reporter should…
A. Let proceedings continue
B. Stop recording
C. Adjust equipment and request repeats
D. Increase headphone volume
Answer: C
Rationale: Correcting distortion ensures a usable record.
8. Who is responsible for monitoring live audio quality?
A. Judge
B. Clerk
C. CER
D. Bailiff
Answer: C
Rationale: The reporter must continuously monitor quality.
9. A sidebar conference is recorded only if…
A. The attorneys ask
B. The CER decides
C. The judge instructs
D. It is loud enough
Answer: C
Rationale: The judge determines sidebar recording.
10. If someone speaks off-mic, the CER should…
A. Turn up gain
B. Move their microphone silently
C. Ask them to repeat
D. Do nothing
Answer: C
Rationale: Speech must be intelligible.
2026 2027 GRADED A+
, 4|Page
11. If equipment fails mid-hearing, what is the FIRST step?
A. Fix it silently
B. Announce the issue on the record
C. End proceedings immediately
D. Ask counsel what to do
Answer: B
Rationale: Transparency protects the chain of custody.
12. When a witness spells a name, the CER must…
A. Ignore it
B. Ask for slow, clear spelling
C. Guess correct spelling
D. Replace with an abbreviation
Answer: B
Rationale: Spellings must be accurate.
13. Which of the following is the best way to handle noisy conditions?
A. Pause the recording
B. Ask for quiet or pause proceedings
C. Turn up all microphones
D. Add ANR filters
Answer: B
Rationale: Noise prevents clear audio capture.
14. If a video is played in court, the CER should log…
A. “Video played,” plus title/description
B. Full transcript of video
C. Only the audio of the video
D. Nothing
Answer: A
Rationale: Non-verbal evidence must still be logged.
2026 2027 GRADED A+
AAERT CER Exam Practice Questions (NEW UPDATED VERSION) LATEST
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS) | GUARANTEED PASS A+
AAERT CER PRACTICE QUESTIONS
(Multiple Choice, With Answers & Rationales)
==================================
=======
QUESTIONS 1–370
==================================
=======
1. What is the primary responsibility of a CER?
A. Editing court rulings
B. Capturing a complete, accurate verbatim record
C. Preparing legal briefs
D. Advising attorneys
Answer: B
Rationale: The electronic reporter’s core duty is preserving an accurate record of proceedings.
2. When should an equipment check be performed?
A. Once per week
B. Only if equipment looks damaged
C. Before every proceeding
D. At the end of the day
Answer: C
Rationale: A pre-session check prevents avoidable recording failure.
2026 2027 GRADED A+
,2|Page
3. If speakers overlap, the reporter should…
A. Ignore it
B. Pause recording
C. Ask for one speaker at a time
D. Turn up the gain
Answer: C
Rationale: Overlapping speech produces unclear audio.
4. If the judge speaks too softly, the reporter must…
A. Increase microphone gain only
B. Request clarification
C. Ask an attorney to clarify
D. Ignore it
Answer: B
Rationale: All speech must be recorded clearly.
5. When counsel requests “off the record,” the reporter should…
A. Immediately stop recording
B. Continue unless the judge orders otherwise
C. Ask the clerk
D. Ignore the request
Answer: B
Rationale: Only the judge controls the record.
6. What should the CER do at the start of every case?
A. Begin recording silently
B. Announce case details and participants
C. Ask attorneys for closing arguments
D. Play back prior audio
Answer: B
Rationale: Every session requires an opening announcement.
2026 2027 GRADED A+
,3|Page
7. If the audio is distorted, the reporter should…
A. Let proceedings continue
B. Stop recording
C. Adjust equipment and request repeats
D. Increase headphone volume
Answer: C
Rationale: Correcting distortion ensures a usable record.
8. Who is responsible for monitoring live audio quality?
A. Judge
B. Clerk
C. CER
D. Bailiff
Answer: C
Rationale: The reporter must continuously monitor quality.
9. A sidebar conference is recorded only if…
A. The attorneys ask
B. The CER decides
C. The judge instructs
D. It is loud enough
Answer: C
Rationale: The judge determines sidebar recording.
10. If someone speaks off-mic, the CER should…
A. Turn up gain
B. Move their microphone silently
C. Ask them to repeat
D. Do nothing
Answer: C
Rationale: Speech must be intelligible.
2026 2027 GRADED A+
, 4|Page
11. If equipment fails mid-hearing, what is the FIRST step?
A. Fix it silently
B. Announce the issue on the record
C. End proceedings immediately
D. Ask counsel what to do
Answer: B
Rationale: Transparency protects the chain of custody.
12. When a witness spells a name, the CER must…
A. Ignore it
B. Ask for slow, clear spelling
C. Guess correct spelling
D. Replace with an abbreviation
Answer: B
Rationale: Spellings must be accurate.
13. Which of the following is the best way to handle noisy conditions?
A. Pause the recording
B. Ask for quiet or pause proceedings
C. Turn up all microphones
D. Add ANR filters
Answer: B
Rationale: Noise prevents clear audio capture.
14. If a video is played in court, the CER should log…
A. “Video played,” plus title/description
B. Full transcript of video
C. Only the audio of the video
D. Nothing
Answer: A
Rationale: Non-verbal evidence must still be logged.
2026 2027 GRADED A+
