Comment by Elsy | Thursday, September 4, 2008
Hi, I`m a court reporter in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida (Miami-Dade County), and have come across a dilemma. Florida has become real tight in paying for transcripts and to top it off the judge I work for will order copies if he`s going to supply copies to the state and/or defense. Today he ordered a transcript and then informed all parties that he was, including me, that he was ordering an O+1 and then going to supply the state and the defense with copies. Two minutes later I hear the defense attorney tell the defendant that when she gets her copy from the judge she will then make yet another copy and supply it to him (the defendant.) That is now three copies of which I am not going to get paid. Is that fair and/or legal? I have not produced the transcript yet and the owners of my firm had left the office by the time I got out of court. I had also informed my judge that I would like to speak to him in the morning privately. Is there anything you can suggest that I might say to him?
Comment by Deb Trattel | Sunday, July 3, 2011
I would try and network with other reporters and get together collaboratively as a group and address this concept professionally. The more people that get together the more likely you are to have success. I would also explain to the judge nicely that this is how you make your living, in case he hadn`t thought of that, and that you will be and are talking to other reporters about this topic. DO NOT get angry, rude or nasty because that will get you nowhere.
