RRTF FINAL REPORT

The RRTF's Final Report has been completed and was presented to the Judicial Council at its February 17 and 18 meeting.  COCRA representatives attended and provided testimony.

As the RRTF report was being finalized, COCRA's representative, Maura Baldocchi, succeeded in convincing the task force to eliminate the requirement for plastic or card stock covers on criminal transcripts of pleas, sentencings, probation modifications and prelims.

Also during final discussions, there was reference to the possibility of immediately establishing a standardized format by rule of court, and postponing the establishment of a standardized word rate. This move would sidestep two important and related transcript compensation issues: a page rate and a transcript rate increase. Imposing a new format on top of existing folio/page rates could result in a significant cut in transcript income for some court reporters.  COCRA opposes bifurcation of this process and will advocate for dealing with the transcript format and compensation issues together in a manner that ensures that reporters will not see a DECREASE in their rate of transcript pay, but, rather, will realize a 15-year overdue INCREASE which they rightly deserve.

To recap COCRA's two-year performance record on the RRTF, COCRA's representative is the only court reporter member of the RRTF who opposed a transcript word count rate (and instead supported a page rate), reduction in transcripts rates, court takeover of transcript sales, and the CPRA.  COCRA reaffirms the position it has taken on these RTTF issues and COCRA promises to follow up post-RRTF with the same experienced, consistent leadership upon which official court reporters in California have come to depend.

 

Read the final Reporting of the Record Task Force's preliminary recommendations for transcript formats by clicking here.

 

^ top ^

 
 

© California Official Court Reporters Association. Privacy policy. Photo credits.