{"id":396,"date":"2022-11-06T07:32:02","date_gmt":"2022-11-06T07:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newsblurt.com\/bailagent\/?p=396"},"modified":"2022-11-06T07:32:02","modified_gmt":"2022-11-06T07:32:02","slug":"54-trial-court-ceos-issue-news-release-there-is-a-court-reporter-crisis-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/54-trial-court-ceos-issue-news-release-there-is-a-court-reporter-crisis-in-california\/","title":{"rendered":"54 Trial Court CEOs Issue News Release: There is a Court Reporter Crisis in California"},"content":{"rendered":"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong>
\nNovember 2, 2022
\nSUPERIOR COURTS OF CALIFORNIA<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nTHERE IS A COURT REPORTER SHORTAGE CRISIS
\nIN CALIFORNIA<\/p>\n

Each day across California, tens of thousands of court hearings are held. Lawyers
\nargue, witnesses testify, litigants tell their stories and judges make decisions. What
\nmany people do not appreciate is the crucial role played by a court reporter:
\ncreating and preserving a verbatim record of those exchanges. As a chronic
\nshortage of court reporters reaches crisis levels, the statutory framework for court
\nreporting must adjust to the new realities of the reporting profession.
\nTHE PROBLEM: There is a court reporter shortage in California \u2013 and across
\nthe nation \u2013 that has been long developing.
\n\u2022 In 2005, the Judicial Council warned that, \u201csince the early 1990\u2019s, California\u2019s
\ncourts have experienced a steady decline in the number of available qualified
\nshorthand reporters. […] Additionally, the reduction of court reporting
\nschools and curriculums in California over recent years complicates the
\ncourts\u2019 ability to attract sufficient numbers of well-trained reporters. [2005,
\nReporting of the Record Task Force, Final Report, p. 6.]
\n\u2022 Nationally, a 2013 study by the National Court Reporters Association
\nprojected that \u201cDecreased enrollment and graduation rates for court
\nreporters, combined with significant retirement rates, will create by 2018 a
\ncritical shortfall projected to represent nearly 5,500 court reporting
\npositions.\u201d [Ducker Worldwide, 2013-2014: Court Reporting Industry Outlook
\nReport, Executive Summary, p. 5.]
\n\u2022 In 2017, the Chief Justice\u2019s Futures Commission Final Report warned,
\n\u201cNational data show the number of skilled court reporters is decreasing.
\nCertified court reporting schools have experienced smaller enrollment and
\ngraduation rates, which are declining by an annual average of 7.3
\npercent[…]\u201d [Report to the Chief Justice: Commission on the Future of
\nCalifornia\u2019s Court System, p. 240.]
\n\u2022 In 2018, the Judicial Council wrote to the Legislature that, \u201cthe state would
\n[…] have a gap of approximately 2,750 court reporters by 2023 if forecasted
\nCOURT REPORTER SHORTAGE CRISIS
\nNovember 2, 2022
\nPage 2 of 6
\ndemand remains constant.\u201d [March 29, 2018, letter from the Judicial Council
\nto Hon. Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher, Chair Assembly Appropriations Committee,
\nre: Assembly Bill 2354.]
\nToday in California, only nine Certified Shorthand Reporter programs remain. In
\n2021, only 175 examinees took the licensing exam \u2013 and only 36 passed.
\nThe result is a crisis in court reporter availability that has been developing for
\nyears.
\nTHE SHORTAGE OF COURT REPORTERS IMPACTS LITIGANTS ACROSS
\nCALIFORNIA:
\nIn accordance with Penal Code \u00a7 190.9 and \u00a7 869, Code of Civil Procedure \u00a7 269
\nand Welfare and Institution Code \u00a7 347 and \u00a7 677, California courts must provide
\ncourt reporters in felony criminal and dependency and delinquency juvenile
\ncourtrooms. Court reporters are not statutorily required to be provided by the
\ncourts in civil, family law, probate, misdemeanor criminal and traffic courtrooms.
\nAnd yet, many California courts do not have enough court reporters to cover
\nmandated criminal felony matters \u2013 let alone the wide range of areas in which
\nlitigants need a record of court proceedings.
\nOver 50% of the California courts have reported that they are unable to routinely
\ncover non-mandated case types including civil, family law and probate.
\nFUNDING IS NOT THE SOLUTION: There is no one to hire.
\nThe Legislature provides $30 million annually to the California courts to hire
\nadditional court reporters, with a focus on family law and civil courtrooms.
\nHowever, because of the decline in court reporters, the crisis continues.
\nCOURT REPORTER SHORTAGE CRISIS
\nNovember 2, 2022
\nPage 3 of 6
\nToday 71 percent of the state\u2019s 58 trial courts are actively recruiting for court
\nreporters: Alameda; Butte; Contra Costa; Del Norte; El Dorado; Fresno; Humboldt;
\nImperial; Kern; Lake; Los Angeles; Madera; Marin; Merced; Monterey; Nevada;
\nOrange; Placer; Riverside; Sacramento; San Benito; San Bernardino; San Diego;
\nSan Francisco, San Joaquin; San Luis Obispo; San Mateo; Santa Barbara; Santa
\nClara; Santa Cruz; Shasta; Siskiyou; Solano; Sonoma; Stanislaus; Tehama; Tulare;
\nTuolumne; Ventura; Yolo; and Yuba.
\nTHE CURRENT STATUTORY FRAMEWORK INHIBITS CREATIVE RESPONSES
\nTO THE SHORTAGE OF COURT REPORTERS:
\nWith the exception of limited civil, misdemeanor and infraction cases, Government
\nCode \u00a7 69957 prohibits the courts from providing electronic recording in civil, family
\nlaw and probate courtrooms.
\nGovernment Code \u00a7 69959 and Code of Civil Procedure \u00a7 367.75(d)(2)(A) mandate
\ncourt reporters to be present in the courtrooms \u2013 rather than taking advantage of
\nemerging technologies that would allow the court to provide this service remotely
\nto multiple courtrooms throughout the county, providing more services with
\nexisting resources while making the profession more attractive to young, potential
\ncourt reporters.
\nGovernment Code \u00a7 69942 requires all court reporters who work in a court to be
\ncertified in California which restricts courts from hiring out-of-state independent
\nfirms to provide this service.
\nCONCLUSION: More funding is not the solution.
\nWe stand with our court reporters in recognizing and appreciating their value and
\nservice to the California judicial branch but we must acknowledge that we are
\nfacing a California \u2013 and national \u2013 court reporter shortage.
\nThis shortage will not be solved by increased funding. Without changes to the
\ncurrent statutory framework for court reporting, all courts will face the inevitable
\nday, already seen by a few California courts, of not having enough court reporters
\nto cover the mandated felony criminal and juvenile dependency and delinquency
\ncases.
\nEvery litigant in California should have access to the record. Ideally, this would be
\nprovided by a court reporter but when none are available, other options need to be
\navailable to the courts. We are ready, able and willing to work with all stakeholders
\non finding ways to ensure that all litigants who need a record have access to one.
\nCOURT REPORTER SHORTAGE CRISIS
\nNovember 2, 2022
\nPage 4 of 6
\nADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
\n\u2022 U.S. Legal Support, Understanding the National Court Reporter Shortage and
\nWhat it Means for Your Firm, [https:\/\/www.uslegalsupport.com\/court-
\nreporting\/understanding-the-national-court-reporter-shortage-and-what-it-
\nmeans-for-your-firm\/]
\n\u2022 Ducker Worldwide, Court Reporting Industry Outlook Report (2013 \u2013 2014)
\n[https:\/\/www.ncra.org\/docs\/default-
\nsource\/uploadedfiles\/education\/schools\/2013-14_ncra_-industry_outlook-
\n(ducker)8ef018c4b8ea486e9f8638864df79109.pdf?sfvrsn=c7a531e2_0]
\n\u2022 Commission on the Future of California\u2019s Court System, Report to the Chief
\nJustice, 2017, [https:\/\/www.courts.ca.gov\/documents\/futures-commission-
\nfinal-report.pdf]
\n\u2022 California Trial Court Consortium, The Causes, Consequences, and Outlook of
\nthe Court Reporter Shortage in California and Beyond, 2022,
\n[https:\/\/www.siskiyou.courts.ca.gov\/system\/files?file=court-reporter-
\nshortage-1-2022.pdf]
\nthe Court\u2019s website):
\n###
\nCEO Chad Finke
\nAlameda County Superior Court
\nCEO Jake Chatters
\nPlacer County Superior Court
\nCEO Ann Greth
\nAlpine County Superior Court
\nCEO W. Samuel Hamrick, Jr.
\nRiverside County Superior Court
\nCEO Sharif Elmallah
\nButte County Superior Court
\nCEO Lee Seale
\nSacramento County Superior Court
\nCEO Erika F. Valencia
\nColusa County Superior Court
\nCEO Tarry Singh
\nSan Benito County Superior Court
\nCEO Kate Bieker
\nContra Costa County Superior Court
\nInterim CEO Carmen Trutanich
\nSan Bernardino County Superior Court
\nCEO Esperanza Esparza
\nDel Norte County Superior Court
\nCEO Michael M. Roddy
\nSan Diego County Superior Court
\nCEO Michael L. Elliott
\nFresno County Superior Court
\nInterim CEO Mark Culkins
\nSan Francisco County Superior Court
\nCEO Diana Baca
\nGlenn County Superior Court
\nCEO Brandon E. Riley
\nSan Joaquin County Superior Court
\nCOURT REPORTER SHORTAGE CRISIS
\nNovember 2, 2022
\nPage 5 of 6
\nCEO Kim M. Bartleson
\nHumboldt County Superior Court
\nCEO Michael Powell
\nSan Luis Obispo County Superior Court
\nCEO Maria Rhinehart
\nImperial County Superior Court
\nCEO Neal Taniguchi
\nSan Mateo County Superior Court
\nCEO Pam Foster
\nInyo County Superior Court
\nCEO Darrel Parker
\nSanta Barbara County Superior Court
\nCEO Tamarah Harber-Pickens
\nKern County Superior Court
\nCEO Rebecca Fleming
\nSanta Clara County Superior Court
\nCEO Nocona Soboleski
\nKings County Superior Court
\nCEO Alex Calvo
\nSanta Cruz County Superior Court
\nCEO Krista LeVier
\nLake County Superior Court
\nCEO Melissa Fowler-Bradley
\nShasta County Superior Court
\nCEO Teresa Stalter
\nLassen County Superior Court
\nCEO Ann Mendez
\nSierra County Superior Court
\nCEO Sherri R. Carter
\nLos Angeles County Superior Court
\nCEO Rene\u00e9 McCanna Crane
\nSiskiyou County Superior Court
\nCEO Adrienne Calip
\nMadera County Superior Court
\nCEO Brian K. Taylor
\nSolano County Superior Court
\nCEO James Kim
\nMarin County Superior Court
\nCEO Robert M. Oliver
\nSonoma County Superior Court
\nCEO Desir\u00e9 Leard
\nMariposa County Superior Court
\nCEO Hugh K. Swift
\nStanislaus County Superior Court
\nCEO Kim Turner
\nMendocino County Superior Court
\nCEO Stephanie M. Hansel
\nSutter County Superior Court
\nCEO Amanda Toste
\nMerced County Superior Court
\nCEO Kevin Harrigan
\nTehama County Superior Court
\nCEO Brandy Malcolm
\nModoc County Superior Court
\nCEO Staci Holliday
\nTrinity County Superior Court
\nCEO Lester Perpall
\nMono County Superior Court
\nCEO Stephanie Cameron
\nTulare County Superior Court
\nCEO Chris Ruhl
\nMonterey County Superior Court
\nCEO Hector Gonzalez, Jr.
\nTuolumne County Superior Court
\nCOURT REPORTER SHORTAGE CRISIS
\nNovember 2, 2022
\nPage 6 of 6
\nCEO Bob Fleshman
\nNapa County Superior Court
\nCEO Brenda L. McCormick
\nVentura County Superior Court
\nCEO Jason B. Galkin
\nNevada County Superior Court
\nCEO Shawn Landry
\nYolo County Superior Court
\nCEO David H. Yamasaki
\nOrange County Superior Court
\nCEO Heather Pugh
\nYuba County Superior Court<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 2, 2022 SUPERIOR COURTS OF CALIFORNIA THERE IS A COURT REPORTER SHORTAGE CRISIS IN CALIFORNIA Each day across California, tens of thousands of court hearings are held. Lawyers argue, witnesses testify, litigants tell their stories and judges make decisions. What many people do not appreciate is the crucial role played by … Read more54 Trial Court CEOs Issue News Release: There is a Court Reporter Crisis in California<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[71],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-396","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-la-county-bail-bonds"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/396","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=396"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/396\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bailagentx.com\/bailbonds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}