How to Obtain a Copy of Your Divorce Trial Transcript
Identify your court reporter., Request that transcripts be made., Ask how long it takes to prepare the transcript., Pay upfront., Review the transcript., Contact your lawyer if there are errors.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Identify your court reporter.
Generally, you need to order trial transcripts directly from the court reporter.
He or she will need to transcribe the transcript so that you can read it.
You can typically find your court reporter in the following ways:
Find the business card.
In some courts, you actually have to hire the court reporter yourself.
You should check to see who you hired.
If the other side was responsible for arranging the services of a court reporter, then ask your ex-spouse’s attorney for the name.
Call the court reporter’s office.
In some states, a court reporter is assigned to the courtroom.
You will need to call the court reporter’s office to find out the name.
Check online.
Some courts have the names of the court reporter listed on the judicial calendar.Check your court’s website. -
Step 2: Request that transcripts be made.
Call up the court reporter and ask for transcripts.
The court reporter might have a form you need to fill out.Alternately, you might need to write a letter.
Include the following information in your letter:the judge’s name the county where the case was held the name of the case (e.g., “Johnson v.
Johnson”) the docket number the exact dates of the proceeding , Court reporters differ in the amount of time it takes to make a transcript.
In some courts, the reporter should prepare the transcript within a week, while in other courts the reporter has 60 days to create a transcript.You should ask how long it will take.
You probably need to meet deadlines for filing your appeal.
You should talk to your attorney about what to do if the transcript is not prepared in time for you to write your appellate brief. , Generally, court reporters will request that you pay before they create the transcripts.You should discuss acceptable methods of payment, since some court reporters won’t accept checks. , Once you receive the transcripts, you should read through them and check for errors.
Highlight anything that seems wrong.
Sometimes court reporters make small grammatical errors or typos, but sometimes they might not capture the substance of what someone really said.
You should understand some of the common notations made by court reporters.
For example, they use “(Phonetic)” when they can’t confirm how to spell a name.
The court reporter might also use “indiscernible” if multiple people were talking at once or if the witness spoke softly or with a thick accent., Each state has a different process for correcting errors in the trial transcripts.
In some states, you can submit a sheet of corrections directly to the court reporter, who will review the proposed changes.In other courts, you must file a motion with the court requesting that the transcript be corrected.Don’t delay if you find errors.
If you wait too long, then the transcript will be considered settled.
You should consult with your lawyer as soon as possible if you find errors in the trial transcript.
He or she will know the process for correcting them.
If you don’t have a lawyer, then call the court reporter or the court clerk and ask how to make changes. -
Step 3: Ask how long it takes to prepare the transcript.
-
Step 4: Pay upfront.
-
Step 5: Review the transcript.
-
Step 6: Contact your lawyer if there are errors.
Detailed Guide
Generally, you need to order trial transcripts directly from the court reporter.
He or she will need to transcribe the transcript so that you can read it.
You can typically find your court reporter in the following ways:
Find the business card.
In some courts, you actually have to hire the court reporter yourself.
You should check to see who you hired.
If the other side was responsible for arranging the services of a court reporter, then ask your ex-spouse’s attorney for the name.
Call the court reporter’s office.
In some states, a court reporter is assigned to the courtroom.
You will need to call the court reporter’s office to find out the name.
Check online.
Some courts have the names of the court reporter listed on the judicial calendar.Check your court’s website.
Call up the court reporter and ask for transcripts.
The court reporter might have a form you need to fill out.Alternately, you might need to write a letter.
Include the following information in your letter:the judge’s name the county where the case was held the name of the case (e.g., “Johnson v.
Johnson”) the docket number the exact dates of the proceeding , Court reporters differ in the amount of time it takes to make a transcript.
In some courts, the reporter should prepare the transcript within a week, while in other courts the reporter has 60 days to create a transcript.You should ask how long it will take.
You probably need to meet deadlines for filing your appeal.
You should talk to your attorney about what to do if the transcript is not prepared in time for you to write your appellate brief. , Generally, court reporters will request that you pay before they create the transcripts.You should discuss acceptable methods of payment, since some court reporters won’t accept checks. , Once you receive the transcripts, you should read through them and check for errors.
Highlight anything that seems wrong.
Sometimes court reporters make small grammatical errors or typos, but sometimes they might not capture the substance of what someone really said.
You should understand some of the common notations made by court reporters.
For example, they use “(Phonetic)” when they can’t confirm how to spell a name.
The court reporter might also use “indiscernible” if multiple people were talking at once or if the witness spoke softly or with a thick accent., Each state has a different process for correcting errors in the trial transcripts.
In some states, you can submit a sheet of corrections directly to the court reporter, who will review the proposed changes.In other courts, you must file a motion with the court requesting that the transcript be corrected.Don’t delay if you find errors.
If you wait too long, then the transcript will be considered settled.
You should consult with your lawyer as soon as possible if you find errors in the trial transcript.
He or she will know the process for correcting them.
If you don’t have a lawyer, then call the court reporter or the court clerk and ask how to make changes.
About the Author
Catherine Hughes
Experienced content creator specializing in home improvement guides and tutorials.
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