Court Transcripts - Uses and AccessA transcript is simply a written record of something spoken. Therefore, a court transcript is a written record of what transpired in court during a court proceeding. It is not a written documentation about the decision in a court case, nor is it a court record or the court case itself.
According to Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org), “a transcript is expected to be an
exact and unedited record of every spoken word, with each speaker indicated”.
This is true for a court transcript except that any testimony or dialogue
expressly indicated by the judge to be stricken from the record will not appear
in the transcript. The Value of Court TranscriptsNow why is it important to record virtually everything that was said in court? First of all, a judge might want to review a previous set of testimonies and a transcript is usually requested in this case. Further, the case may be elevated to the next higher court if and when either the plaintiff or the defendant files for an appeal. The higher court’s judge would then need to obtain court transcripts of the previous proceedings for his review.Written documentation about a particular court case can also be very useful when a similar case comes up. In the entertainment industry, court transcripts are often used as plots or story lines for TV shows and movies. Court transcripts are also good sources of information to just about anybody interested in or studying law. Court Transcripts Go High-TechAdvances in technology now offer some court transcripts in audio and video format as well, which is great as it reduces instances of errors. We are all human and sometimes, the court reporter (or stenographer) may commit mistakes when taking down notes using a steno machine, or in older times, writing shorthand notes. Therefore, with audio and video footage of a court case in hand, a written transcript can be easily obtained with fewer or no errors at all.Obtaining court transcripts would obviously vary depending on the state or location involved. You can directly request for transcripts from the county or federal court house itself and for a fee, obtain a hardcopy within a few days. In other places (e.g., New York), you would need to make the request through transcription agencies. You can also try online search service providers. They may charge a fee but you can conduct your search 24/7 and within the comforts of your own home at that. Do you want to obtain court transcripts of a specific court case? Feel free to visit RecordsSiteReviews' court records section for a listing of today’s top online records search service providers. |
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