NCJ Number
91944
Date Published
1982
Length
127 pages
Annotation
Cost analyses of court reporting systems used by the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City (Maryland) found that implementation of a flat salary, no fee system would increase operating costs. The least expensive method of implementing such a system would involve a computer-assisted transcript system for all court reporters.
Abstract
State legislatures have considered bills to eliminate fees that court reporters traditionally receive for producing transcripts in addition to their regular salary and place them on a flat salary basis, making jurisdictions responsible for providing all resources necessary to produce transcripts. In response to this issue, the National Shorthand Reporters Association initiated a study to develop a cost forecasting model and then analyzed four options in implementing a flat salary, no fee system: exclusive use of the conventional approach where dictation is the primary means of producing a manuscript; combined use of conventional reporting and stenotype with computer-assisted transcription; exclusive use of notereader/transcribers; and exclusive use of stenotype with computer-assisted transcription. Cost data were collected for 1979 and the period May 1981 to April 1982. While implementing a flat salary system will increase costs under current operating, jurisdiction, and management conditions, changes in methods of producing manuscripts and managing reporters could lessen these increases. The expected influx of revenue from the State sale of transcripts to private parties would not produce sufficient income to offset startup costs. Changing to a computer-assisted system would be advantageous because the court would then be able to accommodate future increases in workloads. The study also found that court reporters had opportunities to perform transcript production tasks during the regular work day and that both productivity and net costs could be improved if in-courtroom time was maximized. The appendixes contain legislation; a survey questionnaire; Maryland's rule and statutes re official court reporters; and a job description for the chief court reporter, Supreme Bench, Baltimore.