Transcript Preparation, Certification, Formatting, and Record Retention
Page architecture
- Caption page: court, county, style of the case, case number, judge, title of the proceeding, date, and the reporter's name and identification.
- Appearance page: parties, counsel, and any interpreter.
- Body: consecutive page numbers, numbered lines (the AOC page format typically runs 25 numbered lines), Q. and A. at the left margin, colloquy indented, parentheticals for nonverbals, and exhibit markings noted where they occur.
- Indexes: witnesses and exhibits for trials; a witness/exhibit index for depositions is optional but useful.
What gets certified
The certificate states that the transcript is a true and accurate record of the proceeding, is signed and dated, and is notarized where required. Fix only mechanical errors - typos, page or line numbering. Substantive corrections come from the judge on the record. Unresolved words are marked (phonetic) or (inaudible), never guessed.
Retention and release
- Retain steno notes, audio, and electronic files under the AOC retention schedule; never destroy them while an appeal, a motion for new trial, or a post-conviction proceeding is pending.
- File the original with the clerk; furnish copies to parties at the authorized rate; handle expedited orders under the schedule rather than informally.
Worked example
A notice of appeal is filed the afternoon after you certify a trial transcript. A paralegal asks to reuse your electronic file to prepare a condensed version. Preserve the original media, work from a copy, and never overwrite: producing a condensed transcript never justifies destroying the source record.
Traps
Certifying before proofreading; inconsistent page or line numbering; failing to note a recording gap or an off-record interruption; releasing sealed material to a nonparty; discarding notes once the transcript is filed.