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The court's policy for official reporters pro tempore (Gov. Code § 68086; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.956): official reporters are available in felony criminal cases and juvenile matters, not in civil, family law and probate matters unless the requesting party has a fee waiver; the Court-Approved List; the Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (form CV/E-206) and the reporter's undertakings; one official record, payment, indigent litigants, transcripts and fees; and inclusion on, active status on and removal from the list.
California > Third Appellate District > Sacramento County > Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO POLICY FOR OFFICIAL REPORTER PRO TEMPORE I. Purpose Parties have the right to arrange, at their own expense, for the presence of a court reporter if the services of an official court reporter are not available for a proceeding (Gov. Code § 68086 & Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.956). The court maintains a Court-Approved List of Official Reporters Pro Tempore to provide court users with contact information for court-approved official reporters pro tempore. This document establishes the policy for parties arranging for a court reporter and establishes requirements for qualifying as an official reporter pro tempore. II. Policy Official court reporters are available in felony criminal cases and juvenile matters during regular court hours. Official court reporters are not available for civil, family law and probate matters, unless the requesting party has a fee waiver. A party may privately arrange for court reporter services at his/her/its own expense, pursuant to Government Code § 68086 and California Rule of Court, rule 2.956. A. Court-Approved List: 1. Parties must arrange for reporters in advance of the proceeding if they want the proceedings to be reported. Parties may arrange for their own reporter, or may select from the Court-Approved List of Official Reporters Pro Tempore list. 2. The court will establish and maintain a list of court-approved official reporters pro tempore who have met the requirements and qualifications established by the court. 3. Reporters on the list, while approved providers, are not court employees. Approved official reporters pro tempore are not under contract to, or provided by the court. The court periodically ensures reporters on the list continue to meet the criteria for eligibility to remain on the list. However, the court does not evaluate, supervise, or otherwise monitor the reporters, nor does the court endorse any reporter on the list over another reporter on the list. 4. Parties contracting with official reporters pro tempore are solely responsible for the payment, scheduling, and performance of the reporter. 5. Parties are not obligated to select a reporter from the list when privately retaining a reporter; it is provided as a courtesy to assist parties. 6. The list will be made available electronically to all judicial officers, courtrooms, and business offices for use in the event that a reporter’s approved status is disputed. The list will be publicly available on the court’s Internet site to allow parties to contact approved reporters. B. Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore: 1. If arranging for their own reporter, parties must file a Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (form CV/E-206) prior to the hearing. 2. When parties arrange for their own reporter, the reporter must be appointed as an official reporter pro tempore before commencement of the hearing. Reporters must complete and sign sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (form CV/E-206). 3. The Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (form CV/E-206) must be signed by the court reporter and all parties prior to the hearing. 4. The judicial officer must sign the order appointing the reporter as an official reporter pro tempore, using the Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (form CV/E-206), before the reporter may report the proceeding. 5. By signing the Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (form CV/E-206), the reporter agrees to the following: a. I have a valid, current California Certified Shorthand Reporter License and I am and will remain in good standing with the Court Reporter’s Board of California. b. I’m not a current employee of the court. c. I will maintain current contact information with the court. d. All fees for reporting services, including appearance, transcript, and real-time fees are the responsibility of the party or parties who arranged for the reporter services and may not be charged to the court. e. I will comply with statutes and rules applicable to official reporters pro tempore, including the duty to timely prepare transcripts, including those for appeals, in the proper form. f. I will demonstrate the highest standards of ethics and impartiality in the performance of their duties. g. I will comply with the court’s requirements regarding uploading electronic archiving of notes within 48 hours of the date of the proceedings except in extenuating circumstances and as approved in advance by Court Reporter management, or making other arrangements if the only notes are in paper form. I understand that failure to do so may result in an Order to Show Cause, (OSC) to issue. h. I will follow directions from the court and will be subject to the jurisdiction of the court to the same extent as an official reporter. i. I will comply with the court’s requirements regarding the uploading of transcripts to YesLaw. j. I will inform the court and parties prior to the use of an audio recording device. k. I will be available for read-back of notes within 30 minutes of the court’s request. l. If providing real-time reporting, I am responsible for providing and connecting the necessary equipment. 6. The Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (form CV/E-206) is available on the Court’s website, www.saccourt.ca.gov. C. Additional Information for Parties: 1. Only One Official Record There can only be one official record of court proceedings, and only a reporter appointed by the court may report a court proceeding (CCP § 273; Gov. Code §§ 70043, 70044; Redwing v. Moncravie (1934) 138 Cal. App. 432, 434). Only one reporter will be allowed to report a court proceeding at any given time. If the parties cannot agree on a reporter, the judicial officer will make the selection. 2. Payment for Official Reporter Pro Tempore Services The party arranging for an official reporter pro tempore is responsible for paying the reporter’s fees (CRC rule 2.956(c)). All fees must be paid directly to the court reporter. 3. Indigent Litigants In cases where the court does not provide court reporters, indigent litigants are entitled to have the court provide a court reporter. Fee waivers apply only to fees charged by the court. 4. Transcripts a. The judicial officer may order any party who arranges for the transcription of proceedings by the official reporter pro tempore to lodge a copy of the transcript with the court (CCP § 128(a)). b. Transcripts produced by an official reporter pro tempore will be treated, for court purposes, identically to transcripts prepared by official reporters. Reporting notes of an official reporter pro tempore are official records of the court (Gov. Code § 69955(a)). The notes of official reporter pro tempore, when transcribed and certified, are prima facie evidence of the testimony and proceedings (CCP § 273(a)). c. Certified transcripts are admissible as evidence to the extent otherwise permitted by law. Transcripts prepared by a privately retained certified shorthand reporter appointed by the court as an official reporter pro tempore are admissible as evidence to the extent otherwise permitted by law (CCP § 273(a)). d. Transcripts shall be paid at the established folio rate of $2.75 for Sacramento County. e. For transcription, the reporter may charge an additional 50 percent for special daily copy service (Gov. Code § 69951). 5. Reimbursement of Advanced Fees Fees lodged with the court prior to the date this policy became effective for an official reporter in advance of the proceeding where a reporter will no longer be available will be returned to the party that lodged them upon request. D. Inclusion on the Court-Approved List of Official Reporters Pro Tempore 1. To request inclusion on the list, a reporter must submit the following: a. A completed and signed Court-Approved List of Official Reporters Pro Tempore Agreement. b. A copy of a current California Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) license. 2. Minimum requirements to be placed on the list: a. Agree to comply with the court’s requirements regarding uploading electronic notes as stated in Official Reporter Pro Tempore Notes Upload/Archival Policy, including uploading each day’s stenotype notes to the court’s vender (ACORN) by 1:30 p.m. the next business day, or in the case of illness or emergency, as soon as practicable thereafter. b. Maintain a current CSR license; provide his/her CSR number; and be in good standing with the Court Reporters Board of California. c. Comply with the statutes and rules applicable to official reporter pro tempore. d. Not be a regular employee of the court. Note: “Per Diem” reporters, who have Independent Contractor Agreements with the court, are not considered regular employees and are eligible to be on the list. e. Provide and maintain current contact information with the court. f. Be available for immediate (within 30 minutes) read-back of notes. g. Indicate to the court if she or he provides real-time. h. Transcribe and prepare in proper form all transcript requests, including appeals, in a timely manner. i. Comply with the court’s requirements regarding the uploading of transcripts to YesLaw. j. Demonstrate compliant appeal transcript production (by including date of most recent appeal transcript and the case number). k. Absence of delinquent transcript in the last six months of full-time employment with the Sacramento Superior Court, if applicable. 3. Requests to be included on the list may be, but are not required to be, considered on a monthly basis. Incomplete requests will not be processed. 4. The decision to include a reporter on the list is subject to the court’s sole discretion. The decision regarding a reporter’s inclusion is final. No explanation or formal evaluation is required. 5. Reporters must notify the court immediately if they no longer provide the service, if they are no longer eligible for inclusion on the list, or if any of their contact information changes. E. Active Status and Removal 1. To remain on the list, reporters must: a. Maintain current contact information with the court. b. Confirm their eligibility every 12 months and provide a copy of their CSR license. c. Remain in good standing with the Court Reporters Board of California. 2. Conditions for removal from the list include, but are not limited to the following: a. Failure to maintain a valid CSR license. b. Failure to timely file appeal transcripts. c. Failure to follow transcript formats. d. Failure to timely archive notes with the court. e. Failure to provide updated contact information. f. Other failure of good conduct. 3. Reporters must follow the initial request process to be included on the list again after being removed. 4. The court will assess a reporter’s eligibility to remain on the list on a periodic basis throughout the year and may, in its sole discretion, remove any reporter who is no longer eligible for inclusion. Such monitoring may include, but is not limited to a review of the timely uploading of notes, sanctions or order to show cause hearings, the timeliness of transcripts provided to the Court of Appeals, and the maintenance of a CSR license. 5. The court may, in its sole discretion, remove any reporter from the list at any time, and without cause, notice or explanation. This decision is final and is not subject to appeal. F. Maintaining and Coordinating the List All inquiries and requests for inclusion on the list should be directed to CSRmgmt@saccourt.ca.gov. Eff. Apr. 2026 POLICY FOR OFFICIAL REPORTER PRO TEMPORE [The policy bears the seal of the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento at the head of page 1.]
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO POLICY FOR OFFICIAL REPORTER PRO TEMPORE I. Purpose Parties have the right to arrange, at their own expense, for the presence of a court reporter if the services of an official court reporter are not available for a proceeding (Gov. Code § 68086 & Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.956). The court maintains a Court-Approved List of Official Reporters Pro
Reviewer note: Composed 2026-10-02 (California T3 Sacramento build 2026-10-02) from BenchPath custody ca/t3/ca-sacramento/site-docs/231_Policy_for_Official_Reporter_Pro_Tempore.pdf (333369 bytes, sha256 706217c4bd6d32cf39a054a0d4d5903e088b4bb0a87ceb8dbae625222831df20; 5 pages) with the shared verbatim composer (v2 reflow): page marks and running footers removed as chrome; lines reflowed into the document's paragraphs; proof 1 (whitespace-only) and proof 2 (same character multiset as the text layer minus chrome) pass. Documented fixes (whitespace-only or same-character reorders; the proofs hold): page 1's footer date moved out of the sentence it fell into and kept with the footer title at the end.
9 verbatim requirements from 4th Circuit Administrative Order 1997-10.
6 verbatim requirements from 4th Circuit Administrative Order 1997-13.