Phonographic Reporters - Ministerial Officers Of Courts Of Justice - Civil Procedure - CA

Section § 269

This law outlines the duties of court reporters in California. In civil cases, court reporters must document everything spoken during the trial if the court or a party requests it. In felony cases, this documentation is required if the court, prosecution, defense attorney, or defendant asks for it. For misdemeanors or infractions, it's required if the court orders it. If someone orders a transcript of these recordings, the reporter must prepare and certify it correctly in a legible format. For convicted felonies, the appeal records must be prepared promptly unless the court sees no likely appeal based on Judicial Council standards.

(a) An official reporter or official reporter pro tempore of the superior court shall take down in shorthand all testimony, objections made, rulings of the court, exceptions taken, arraignments, pleas, sentences, arguments of the attorneys to the jury, and statements and remarks made and oral instructions given by the judge or other judicial officer, in the following cases:

(1) In a civil case, on the order of the court or at the request of a party.

(2) In a felony case, on the order of the court or at the request of the prosecution, the defendant, or the attorney for the defendant.

(3) In a misdemeanor or infraction case, on the order of the court.

(b) If a transcript is ordered by the court or requested by a party, or if a nonparty requests a transcript that the nonparty is entitled to receive, regardless of whether the nonparty was permitted to attend the proceeding to be transcribed, the official reporter or official reporter pro tempore shall, within a reasonable time after the trial of the case that the court designates, write the transcripts out, or the specific portions thereof as may be requested, in plain and legible longhand, or by typewriter, or other printing machine, and certify that the transcripts were correctly reported and transcribed, and when directed by the court, file the transcripts with the clerk of the court.

(c) If a defendant is convicted of a felony, after a trial on the merits, the record on appeal shall be prepared immediately after the verdict or finding of guilt is announced unless the court determines that it is likely that no appeal from the decision will be made. The court’s determination of a likelihood of appeal shall be based upon standards and rules adopted by the Judicial Council.

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Section § 271

This law outlines how court reporters should deliver transcripts in electronic form, but it allows for paper delivery if requested or if technical limitations prevent electronic delivery before January 1, 2023. A paper transcript can later be requested in a searchable PDF format. Electronic transcripts are considered original unless they are a copy of a paper one. Reporters can choose their own technology to meet electronic format requirements, and they have a year to adapt to new rules after 2023 unless it's a security change. Nothing in this affects existing government code requirements.

(a) An official reporter or official reporter pro tempore shall deliver a transcript in electronic form, in compliance with the California Rules of Court, to any court, party, or person entitled to the transcript, unless any of the following apply:

(1) The party or person entitled to the transcript requests the reporter’s transcript in paper form.

(2) Prior to January 1, 2023, the court lacks the technical ability to use or store a transcript in electronic form pursuant to this section and provides advance notice of this fact to the official reporter or official reporter pro tempore.

(3) Prior to January 1, 2023, the official reporter or official reporter pro tempore lacks the technical ability to deliver a transcript in electronic form pursuant to this section and provides advance notice of this fact to the court, party, or person entitled to the transcript.

(b) If a paper transcript is delivered in lieu of an electronic transcript described in subdivision (a), within 120 days of the official reporter or official reporter pro tempore filing or delivering the paper transcript, the official reporter or official reporter pro tempore shall provide, upon request, a copy of the original transcript in full text-searchable portable document format (PDF) if the proceedings were produced with computer-aided transcription equipment. The copy of the original transcript in full text-searchable PDF format shall not be deemed to be an original transcript.

(c) Nothing in this section changes any requirement set forth in Section 69950 or 69954 of the Government Code, regardless of whether a transcript is delivered in electronic or paper form.

(d) Except as provided in subdivision (b), an electronic transcript delivered in accordance with this section shall be deemed to be an original transcript for all purposes, including any obligation of an attorney to maintain or deliver a file to a client.

(e) An electronic transcript shall comply with any format requirement imposed pursuant to subdivision (a). However, an official reporter or official reporter pro tempore shall not be required to use a specific vendor, technology, or software to comply with this section, unless the official reporter or official reporter pro tempore agrees with the court, party, or person entitled to the transcript to use a specific vendor, technology, or software. Absent that agreement, an official reporter or official reporter pro tempore may select the vendor, technology, and software to comply with this section and the California Rules of Court. In adopting transcript format requirements for the California Rules of Court, consideration shall be given on a technology-neutral basis to the availability of relevant vendors of transcript products, technologies, and software.

(f) After January 1, 2023, if new or updated rule of court format requirements for electronic transcripts necessitate a significant change in equipment or software owned by official reporters or official reporters pro tempore, the official reporters and official reporters pro tempore shall be given no less than one year to comply with the format requirements. If the change is necessary to address a security issue, then a reasonable time shall be given to comply with the new format requirements.

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Section § 273

This law explains that the official court reporter's transcript, when transcribed and certified correctly, is solid evidence of what happened in court. However, rough draft transcripts from the reporter are not certified and can't be used as official evidence or to challenge the certified transcript. It's also not mandatory to produce a rough draft transcript. This rule took effect on January 1, 2022.

(a) The report of the official reporter, or official reporter pro tempore, of any court, duly appointed and sworn, when transcribed and certified as being a correct transcript of the testimony and proceedings in the case, is prima facie evidence of that testimony and proceedings.

(b) The report of the official reporter, or official reporter pro tempore, of any court, duly appointed and sworn, when prepared as a rough draft transcript, shall not be certified and cannot be used, cited, distributed, or transcribed as the official certified transcript of the proceedings. A rough draft transcript shall not be cited or used in any way or at any time to rebut or contradict the official certified transcript of the proceedings as provided by the official reporter or official reporter pro tempore. The production of a rough draft transcript shall not be required.

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Section § 274

This law says that a judge in a superior court can have an official court reporter or temporary reporter write down and transcribe their opinions or rulings in felony cases and unlimited civil cases. This also applies to various orders and judgments in probate, juvenile court, custody, or support cases involving minor children. Basically, it ensures accurate records of these legal proceedings are made.

Any judge of the superior court may have any opinion given or rendered by the judge in the trial of a felony case or an unlimited civil case, pending in that court, or any necessary order, petition, citation, commitment or judgment in any probate proceeding, proceeding concerning new or additional bonds of county officials or juvenile court proceeding, or the testimony or judgment relating to the custody or support of minor children in any proceeding in which the custody or support of minor children is involved, taken down in shorthand and transcribed together with such copies as the court may deem necessary by the official reporter or an official reporter pro tempore of the court.

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