Last week, Los Angeles County Superior Court Presiding Judge Samantha P. Jessner released a landmark decision, allowing electronic recording devices in certain family, probate, and civil proceedings. This marks a significant shift from California's long-standing prohibition on using digital court reporting systems in favor of older steno reporting technology. This ruling addresses the critical issue of hearings lacking accompanying transcripts—an average of 1,571 daily this year in L.A. County alone—due to a severe court reporter shortage. Judge Jessner ruled that the arbitrary prohibition on digital reporting technology disproportionately affects low-income litigants, and thus is unconstitutional according to state law. This is the first time in California that digital recording and transcription have been recognized by a judge for their vital role in ensuring access to fair justice in America. Now vendors like SoniClear will be able to provide court reporting solutions for keeping courts open and ensuring an accurate record of the hearing for the appeal process, at least in L.A. County.
SoniClear Court Recorder 10 software is specifically designed to create clear digital recordings and transcriptions of legal proceedings. Court Recorder 10 creates an accurate audio record of depositions, court sessions, and administrative hearings, that can then be quickly transcribed to text with its integrated cloud transcription services—in just a few clicks. As both a software and hardware provider, SoniClear provides consultations on complete court recording systems—evaluating room settings to recommend the best recording equipment. Read more about what SoniClear customers are saying.
For 20 years, SoniClear has provided digital court reporting systems for use in states beyond California. In daily use all over the U.S., SoniClear Court Recorder 10 has demonstrated the value of capturing a detailed record of court proceedings, administrative hearings, and depositions, matching the quality of traditional court reporting. As other jurisdictions across the country grapple with similar court reporter shortages, SoniClear leverages its extensive experience in digital court reporting to provide solutions to the critical challenges presented in Judge Jessner's decision.
Go to the LA Times for the full article: L.A. County’s Top Judge Clears Way for Electronic Recording in Courts, Despite State Law