ARTICLE 9. Official Reporters Generally [69941. - 69959.5.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 9.
in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69941. Section 69941.

A superior court may appoint as many competent phonographic reporters, to be known as official reporters of such court, and such official reporters pro tempore, as are deemed necessary for the performance of the duties and the exercise of the powers conferred by law upon the court and its members.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69942. Section 69942.

No person shall be appointed to the position of official reporter of any court unless the person has first obtained a license to practice as a certified shorthand reporter from the Court Reporters Board of California.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69944. Section 69944.

Until an official reporter of any court or official reporter pro tempore has fully completed and filed all transcriptions of the reporter’s notes in any case on appeal which the reporter is required by law to transcribe, the reporter is not competent to act as official reporter in any court. Violation of subdivision (e) of Section 8025 of the Business and Professions Code shall also render an official reporter or official reporter pro tempore incompetent to act as official reporter in any court.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69946. Section 69946.

Before entering upon the duties of his office, the official reporter of any court or official reporter pro tempore shall take and subscribe the constitutional oath of office.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69947. Section 69947.

Except in counties where a statute provides otherwise, the official reporter shall receive for his services the fees prescribed in this article.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69948. Section 69948.

(a) The fee for reporting testimony and proceedings in contested cases is fifty-five dollars ($55) a day, or any fractional part thereof. (b) In San Joaquin County, the compensation for superior court reporters shall be that prescribed by Section 69993. (c) In Madera County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance or resolution, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (d) In Kings County, the fee for reporting testimony and proceedings in contested cases is one hundred forty dollars ($140) a day, or any fractional part thereof. (e) In Mariposa County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance or resolution, prescribe the rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (f) In Siskiyou County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (g) In Yuba County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance or resolution, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (h) In Butte County, pro tempore reporters shall receive a fee of seventy-five dollars ($75) a day, or any fractional part thereof, for reporting testimony and proceedings in contested cases. (i) In Sutter County, except as may otherwise be provided in Sections 70045.11 and 74839, the fee for reporting testimony and proceedings in contested cases is one hundred ten dollars ($110) per day, or any fractional part thereof. However, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (j) In Napa County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (k) In Tehama County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. ( l ) In Monterey County, the fee for reporting testimony and proceedings in contested cases in any court is seventy-five dollars ($75) a day or any fractional part thereof. (m) In Nevada County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (n) In Calaveras County, the fee for reporting testimony and proceedings in contested cases is seventy-five dollars ($75) per day, or any fractional part thereof. However, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (o) In Placer County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (p) In Sierra County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (q) In Trinity County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (r) In Humboldt County, the fee for reporting testimony and proceedings in contested cases is seventy-five dollars ($75) per day, or any fractional part thereof. (s) In Del Norte County, the fee for reporting testimony and proceedings in contested cases is seventy-five dollars ($75) per day, or any fractional part thereof. (t) In Alpine County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (u) In Glenn County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (v) In Colusa County, the fee for reporting testimony and proceedings in contested cases is one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) per day, or any fractional part thereof. (w) In Shasta County, the board of supervisors may prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (x) In Solano County, the fee for reporting testimony and proceedings in contested cases is ninety dollars ($90) per day, or fifty-five dollars ($55) per half day or fractional part thereof. However, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (y) In Inyo County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters. (z) In Mono County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69948.5. Section 69948.5.

Notwithstanding Section 69948, in Modoc County, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, prescribe a higher rate of compensation for superior court reporters.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69949. Section 69949.

The fee for reporting each default or uncontested action or proceeding is ten dollars ($10). If more than four defaults or uncontested matters are reported in any one day, or two or more defaults are reported in conjunction with any contested case, the fee is forty-five dollars ($45) a day, or any fractional part thereof.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69950. Section 69950.

(a) The fee for transcription for original ribbon or printed copy is one dollar and thirteen cents ($1.13) for each 100 words, and for each copy purchased at the same time by the court, party, or other person purchasing the original, twenty cents ($0.20) for each 100 words. (b) The fee for a first copy to any court, party, or other person who does not simultaneously purchase the original shall be twenty-six cents ($0.26) for each 100 words, and for each additional copy, purchased at the same time, twenty cents ($0.20) for each 100 words. (c) A trial court practice and policy as to the number of words or folios on a typical transcript page shall not be unilaterally changed by a trial court.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69950.5. Section 69950.5.

(a) On or before January 1, 2024, the Judicial Council shall report to the Legislature recommendations to increase uniformity in transcription rate expenditures in California. The intent of the report shall be to not reduce the rate of pay or overall compensation to reporters or jeopardize collective bargaining agreements. The Judicial Council shall work in collaboration with key stakeholder groups, including the California Court Reporters Association, exclusively recognized employee organizations representing court reporters, and the Court Reporters Board of California. (b) The report to be submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795. (c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2028, and as of that date is repealed.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69952. Section 69952.

(a) The court may specifically direct the making of a verbatim record and payment therefor shall be from the county treasury on order of the court in the following cases: (1) Criminal matters. (2) Juvenile proceedings. (3) Proceedings to declare a minor free from custody. (4) Proceedings under the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, (Part 1 (commencing with Section 5000) of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code). (5) As otherwise provided by law. (b) Except as otherwise authorized by law, the court shall not order to be transcribed and paid for out of the county treasury any matter or material except that reported by the reporter pursuant to Section 269 of the Code of Civil Procedure. When there is no official reporter in attendance and a reporter pro tempore is appointed, his or her reasonable expenses for traveling and detention shall be fixed and allowed by the court and paid in like manner. When the court orders a daily transcript, necessitating the services of two phonographic reporters, the reporting fee for each of the reporters and the transcript fee shall be proper charges against the county treasury, and the daily transcript shall be pursuant to Section 269 of the Code of Civil Procedure. When the daily transcript is prepared by a single reporter, an additional fee for technological services, as set by the court with the agreement of the reporter, may be imposed. However, the total of the fee for a single reporter and the fee for technological services shall be less than the total fee for two reporters.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69953. Section 69953.

In any case where a verbatim record is not made at public expense pursuant to Section 69952 or other provisions of law, the cost of making any verbatim record shall be paid by the parties in equal proportion; and either party at his option may pay the whole. In either case, all amounts so paid by the party to whom costs are awarded shall be taxed as costs in the case. The fees for transcripts and copies ordered by the parties shall be paid by the party ordering them. Except as provided in Section 69952, no reporter shall perform any service in a civil action other than transcriptions until his fee for it has been deposited with the clerk of the court or with the reporter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69953.5. Section 69953.5.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever a daily transcript is ordered in a civil case requiring the services of more than one phonographic reporter, the party requesting the daily transcript, in addition to any other required fee, shall pay a fee per day, or portion thereof, equal to the per diem rate for pro tempore reporters established by statute, local rule, or ordinance for the services of each additional reporter for the first day and each subsequent day the additional reporters are required. This fee shall be distributed to the court in which it was collected to offset the cost of the additional reporter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69954. Section 69954.

(a) Transcripts prepared by a reporter using computer assistance and delivered on a medium other than paper shall be compensated at the same rate set for paper transcripts, except the reporter may also charge an additional fee not to exceed the cost of the medium or any copies thereof. (b) The fee for a second copy of a transcript on appeal in computer-readable format ordered by or on behalf of a requesting party within 120 days of the filing or delivery of the original transcript shall be compensated at one-third the rate set forth for a second copy of a transcript as provided in Section 69950. A reporter may also charge an additional fee not to exceed the cost of the medium or any copies thereof. (c) The fee for a computer-readable transcript shall be paid by the requesting court, party, or person, unless the computer-readable transcript is requested by a party in lieu of a paper transcript required to be delivered to that party by the rules of court. In that event, the fee shall be chargeable as statute or rule provides for the paper transcript. (d) Any court, party, or person who has purchased a transcript may, without paying a further fee to the reporter, reproduce a copy or portion thereof as an exhibit pursuant to court order or rule, or for internal use, but shall not otherwise provide or sell a copy or copies to any other party or person.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69955. Section 69955.

(a) As used in this section, “reporting notes” are the reporting notes of all court reporters employed to report in the courts of California, who may be known as official reporters and official reporters pro tempore. Reporting notes are official records of the court. Reporting notes shall be kept by the reporter taking the notes in a place designated by the court, or, upon order of the court, delivered to the clerk of the court. (b) The reporting notes may be kept in any form of communication or representation including paper, electronic, or magnetic media or other technology capable of reproducing for transcription the testimony of the proceedings according to standards or guidelines for the preservation and reproduction of the medium adopted by the American National Standards Institute or the Association for Information and Image Management. Reporting notes shall be stored in an environment free from excessive moisture, temperature variation, and electromagnetic fields if stored on a medium other than paper. (c) The reporting notes shall be labeled with the date recorded, the department number of the court, and the name of the court reporter. The reporting notes shall be indexed for convenient retrieval and access. Instructions for access to data stored on a medium other than paper shall be documented. (d) If the reporting notes are kept in any form other than paper, one duplicate backup copy of the notes shall be stored in a manner and place that reasonably assures its preservation. (e) Reporting notes produced under subdivision (b) may be destroyed upon the order of the court after 10 years from the taking of the notes in criminal proceedings and after five years from the taking of the notes in all other proceedings, unless the notes report proceedings in capital felony cases including the preliminary hearing. No reporting notes in a capital felony case proceeding shall be destroyed until such time as the Supreme Court on request by the court clerk authorizes the destruction. (f) A periodic review of the media on which the reporting notes are stored shall be conducted to assure that a storage medium is not obsolete and that current technology is capable of accessing and reproducing the records for the required retention period. (g) If the reporting notes of an official reporter or official reporter pro tempore have not been delivered to the clerk of the court, the notes shall be delivered by the reporter to the clerk of the court upon the reporter’s retirement, resignation, dismissal, termination of appointment, or in the case of any other absence for a period of more than 30 days or longer as designated by the court. Upon the order of the court, the notes shall be returned to the reporter upon the reporter’s return from such absence. In the event of the reporter’s death, the notes shall be delivered to the clerk of the court by the reporter’s personal representative. (h) If reporting notes delivered to the clerk of the court are to be transcribed, the court reporter who took the notes shall be given the first opportunity to make the transcription, unless the reporter cannot be located, refuses to transcribe the notes, or is found to be incompetent to transcribe the notes. (i) A court reporter shall be reimbursed for the actual cost of the medium on which the reporting notes are kept, whether on paper, diskette, or other media in compliance with this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69956. Section 69956.

The official reporter shall perform the duties required of him by law. When not actually engaged in the performance of any other duty imposed on him by this code, he shall render stenographic or clerical assistance, or both, to the judge or judges of the superior court as such judge or judges may direct. In addition to the compensation otherwise provided by law, any reporter required to render such stenographic or clerical assistance shall receive such compensation therefor as the superior court may prescribe, not to exceed the sum of twenty dollars ($20) a day, which shall be payable by the county in the same manner and from the same funds as other salary demands against the county.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69957. Section 69957.

(a) If an official reporter or an official reporter pro tempore is unavailable to report an action or proceeding in a court, subject to the availability of approved equipment and equipment monitors, the court may order that, in a limited civil case, or a misdemeanor or infraction case, the action or proceeding be electronically recorded, including all the testimony, the objections made, the ruling of the court, the exceptions taken, all arraignments, pleas, and sentences of defendants in criminal cases, the arguments of the attorneys to the jury, and all statements and remarks made and oral instructions given by the judge. A transcript derived from an electronic recording may be utilized whenever a transcript of court proceedings is required. Transcripts derived from electronic recordings shall include a designation of “inaudible” or “unintelligible” for those portions of the recording that contain no audible sound or are not discernible. The electronic recording device and appurtenant equipment shall be of a type approved by the Judicial Council for courtroom use and shall only be purchased for use as provided by this section. A court shall not expend funds for or use electronic recording technology or equipment to make an unofficial record of an action or proceeding, including for purposes of judicial notetaking, or to make the official record of an action or proceeding in circumstances not authorized by this section. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a court may use electronic recording equipment for the internal personnel purpose of monitoring the performance of subordinate judicial officers, as defined in Section 71601 of the Government Code, hearing officers, and temporary judges while proceedings are conducted in the courtroom, if notice is provided to the subordinate judicial officer, hearing officer, or temporary judge, and to the litigants, that the proceeding may be recorded for that purpose. An electronic recording made for the purpose of monitoring that performance shall not be used for any other purpose and shall not be made publicly available. Any recording made pursuant to this subdivision shall be destroyed two years after the date of the proceeding unless a personnel matter is pending relating to performance of the subordinate judicial officer, hearing officer, or temporary judge. (c) Prior to purchasing or leasing any electronic recording technology or equipment, a court shall obtain advance approval from the Judicial Council, which may grant that approval only if the use of the technology or equipment will be consistent with this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69958. Section 69958.

Each superior court shall report to the Judicial Council on or before October 1, 2004, and semiannually thereafter, and the Judicial Council shall report to the Legislature on or before December 31, 2004, and semiannually thereafter, regarding all purchases and leases of electronic recording equipment that will be used to record superior court proceedings, specifying all of the following: (a) The Superior Court in which the equipment will be used. (b) The types of trial court proceedings in which the equipment will be used. (c) The cost of purchasing, leasing, or upgrading the equipment. (d) The type of equipment purchased or leased.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69959. Section 69959.

(a) Remote court reporting shall not be used by courts to make the record of any court proceedings, and courts shall not expend any funds to purchase equipment or software to facilitate the use of remote court reporting. (b) “Remote court reporting” means the use of a stenographic reporter who is not present in the courtroom to produce a verbatim record of court proceedings that are transmitted by audiovisual means to the reporter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 69959.5. Section 69959.5.

(a) For purposes of this section, “remote court reporting” means the use of a stenographic reporter who is not present in the courtroom to produce a verbatim record of court proceedings that are transmitted by audiovisual means to the reporter. (b) Notwithstanding Section 69959, the Superior Courts of the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Monterey, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Tulare, and Ventura are authorized to conduct pilot projects, beginning on July 1, 2025, to study the potential use of remote court reporting to make the verbatim record of certain court proceedings. Participating superior courts shall comply with all of the following requirements: (1) The remote court reporting shall be performed only by full-time official reporters licensed pursuant to Section 8024 of the Business and Professions Code and employed by the participating superior court who have at least two years of courtroom experience in a California superior court. Court reporters who participate in the remote court reporting pilot project shall be treated in the same manner as other official reporters employed by the court, including, but not limited to, compensation, benefits, classification, seniority, job description, and bargaining units. (2) The official reporters shall be physically located in a court facility while performing the remote court reporting. Alternatively, the superior court and the exclusive representative of the official reporters may meet and confer and reach agreement by June 30, 2025, to include additional offsite locations to test remote court reporting. Such an agreement shall also specify the equipment needed for these locations and how the participating court will provide that equipment. (3) (A) No more than 20 percent of the total full-time official court reporters, or for courts with fewer than 10 full-time official court reporters, 2 court reporters, in the participating court may be in the pilot project. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), in counties with a population of 2,000,000 or more, no more than 10 percent of the total full-time official court reporters in the participating court may be in the pilot project. (C) The participating superior court shall equip courtrooms with necessary equipment by no later than June 30, 2025. For the purposes of this chapter, “necessary equipment” means: (i) Individual microphones for each participant, including the judicial officer, witnesses, jury box, counsel table, and lectern or podium or other place where participants may speak. (ii) (I) Cameras with a dedicated frontal view of the judicial officer, witnesses, jury box, counsel tables, and lectern or podium or other place where participants may speak. (II) Notwithstanding subclause (I), the camera in the jury box shall not be utilized any time jurors or prospective jurors are present. The camera shall be removed from the courtroom, covered, or otherwise disabled in a manner to permit a juror or prospective juror and court personnel to easily recognize the camera is not active. (iii) Speakers that allow the court reporter to be heard clearly throughout the courtroom. (iv) Speakers and microphone for the court reporter. (v) Camera for the court reporter. (vi) Two-way means of communication between the court reporter and the judicial officer. Court reporters shall be given the ability to mute and unmute their own audio to maintain communication with the judicial officer. (4) A participating court may elect to use remote court reporting in limited civil, law and motion for unlimited civil cases, family law, child support, probate, juvenile dependency, juvenile delinquency, and felony and misdemeanor criminal proceedings except preliminary hearings, trials, and death penalty cases. (5) Transcripts created through remote court reporting as part of the pilot project may be used whenever a transcript of court proceedings is required. The fees of the official reporter and costs of transcript preparation for remote court reporting shall be the same as when an official reporter is present in the courtroom. (6) Court reporters participating in the pilot project shall not be held responsible for failures in technology or equipment. If technology or audibility issues inhibit the court reporter’s ability to accurately capture and certify a verbatim record, the court shall temporarily suspend the proceeding until the issues can be resolved. A trial court shall not retaliate or threaten to retaliate against a court reporter who notifies the judicial officer that technology or audibility issues are impeding the creation and certification of the verbatim record of a proceeding. (7) (A) Each participating superior court shall submit data and information to the Judicial Council on the results of the pilot project. In compiling feedback on the results, each superior court shall obtain feedback from the following individuals who participated in the pilot project: (i) At least two judicial officers or, if only one judicial officer participated, that judicial officer. (ii) At least two court reporters chosen by the exclusive bargaining representative of the official court reporters or, if only one court reporter participated, that court reporter. (iii) At least two attorneys who regularly practice in the participating court. (iv) The chief public defender or their designee if the remote reporting occurred in criminal or juvenile delinquency proceedings. (v) The district attorney or their designee if the remote reporting occurred in criminal or juvenile delinquency proceedings. (B) The Judicial Council shall compile the results from each participating superior court and prepare a report for the Legislature. This report shall be presented to the Legislature, along with each participating superior court’s individual report, in accordance with Section 9795, within six months of the conclusion of the pilot project. (c) (1) All pilot projects authorized pursuant to this section shall terminate by no later than July 1, 2026. A participating superior court shall terminate its pilot project earlier if the court determines that the use of remote court reporting is prejudicing the rights of litigants or the interests of justice. (2) This section shall remain in effect only until June 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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