A few months back I received an e-mail from a court reporter regarding a very unpleasant incident that occurred in a deposition. It went like this:

“So...during questioning the attorneys were apparently getting to a very sensitive area of inquiry -- and [Attorney #1] had already argued with all of the other attorneys -- so, he stared me straight in the eye and said, "God damn it, when you're asked to read a question back, you don't just read a question, you read the answer also, do you hear me? Now I've got to object and say it's asked and answered when if you would just do your f***king job I wouldn't have to do so. When it happens again, you better read it the right way."

I was in shock. I just looked at him, and I didn't say anything because then [Attorney #2] said..."[Court Reporter], let's go on." And he asked another question. We went on for a few more minutes, and the witness said she didn't understand. She asked me to read the question back for her. So, I did. And immediately after I started reading, [Attorney #1 ] said... “You f***king idiot. Didn't I tell you that when you read the question back you are to read the answer too. You aren't going to do anything until you do exactly what I said." I couldn't believe he was talking to me like this, and I was getting more and more livid with every word. I looked at the attorneys and they were just sitting there stunned too. [Attorney #2] said, "[Court Reporter], don't worry about him, let's just...", and then [Attorney #1] said again..."No. You're not telling her to do anything. She's going to sit there and do exactly what I told her to do, and we're not going any further until she does. You either read it my way or...’ -- and he went on and on.