OF NOTE / HISTORICAL INTEREST / AAERT AWARDS
From time to time items of interest to AAERT members are posted here
as a general information service.
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ARTICLES / MEMORANDA
Some of the following items are presented in
Adobe PDF format.
Click on this icon to obtain the most recent version of Adobe's
free PDF reader:
JULY 2008 —
Wisconsin Supreme Court recognizes digital court reporters
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The Wisconsin judiciary's Making the Record Committee concluded
an extensive study of court reporting methods, and on July 1 the
Supreme Court issued guidelines and a position description to introduce the
category of Digital Court Reporter.
Of interest is the statement that the Court would "[p]refer
candidates who have successfully completed the AAERT's certification
program for digital court reporters and transcribers (CERT) or other
equivalent certification as approved by the Director of State Courts."
This progressive and enlightened step was taken after a pilot project with
FTR systems proved highly successful. So if you are thinking about a
great place to live and work, consider Wisconsin! The digital reporting
industry is growing nicely here.
To read the full text of the Director of State Courts' memo in PDF
format, click here:
Wisconsin Digital Court Reporters.
NOVEMBER 2005 —
Judicial Conference of the United States
Committee on Court Administration and Case Management:
- Click
here to
read the Committee's instructions concerning
redaction of private, personal material from
transcripts which will be electronically distributed.
"Listening in at the White House —
and Recording History"
Spring 2005 issue of The Court Recorder:
Since the White House began officially recording its proceedings, staff
performing that function by whatever means have been referred to as
"the White House stenographers."
Ellen Eckert has been one of them since 1991. But rather than being a
Stenograph machine operator, she is an electronic reporter, one of four who
record and transcribe statements by the President and senior staff.
They are employed by a private firm which provides this service to the
White House.
A Chicago native, Ellen began her White House E-Reporting with the first
President Bush, continued during the Clinton years, and is now in
her fifth year working with the current Administration. She accompanies
the President on every Air Force One trip, as well as to his official Camp
David meetings. The staff also records press briefings and statements
by the Vice-President and Mrs. Bush. There is a live feed from the
White House Communications Office to the E-Reporters.
White House E-Reporters currently use analog cassettes. Their
transcripts are placed in the National Archives as part of the permanent
record of the presidency.
— Article background provided by William Parsons (Connecticut).
FEBRUARY 2005 —
California "Reporting of the Record Task Force" Final Report:
- View the Judicial Council's task force's final report
here.
Note: this is a large PDF file; be patient.
MAY 2004 — "Making the Record" Report:
- The Wisconsin chief judges' "Making the Record" Committee's
final report can be viewed
here.
Of particular interest are the recommendations beginning on page 10.
Recommendation 4 reads: "Recommend the Director of State Courts
expand the definition of certified . . . court reporter . . .
to include certified electronic reporters."
AUGUST 2003:
- USCRA's memo discussing transcript copy sales issues
can be viewed in Adobe PDF format by clicking
here.
JUNE 2003:
"Electronic reporting: Benefits include lower costs, more flexibility":
- An article by Judge Ardaiz in the California Bar Journal
presents a thoughtful analysis of E-Reporting.
Click
here to read his comments
in Adobe PDF format.
AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT
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AAERT's PRESIDENTS
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Connie S. Rill, CERT
(California)
1994 - 1998
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James V. Bowen, CER
(New Jersey)
1998 - 2000
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Mary Ann Lutz, CERT
(California)
2000 - 2002
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Janet B. Harris, CERT
(Wisconsin)
2002 - 2006
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Gillian Lawrence, FPR, CERT
(Florida)
2006 - 2008
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Margaret A. Morgan, CERT
(Minnesota)
2008 -
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The
founding concepts for AAERT began with
Connie Rill (
California), who in 1993 invited a small initial
group of associates to explore the formation of an organization which could
represent the electronic court reporting and transcribing industry.
In March 1994, at a meeting of some 75 interested people in Las Vegas,
AAERT was formally inaugurated.
Our
original Board of Directors included:
Connie S. Rill (California), President
James V. Bowen (New Jersey), Vice-President
Sunny Peer (Texas), Secretary
William E. Wagner (Washington), Treasurer
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Janet B. Harris (Wisconsin)
Gloria Kron (Alaska)
Steve Townsend (Arizona),
replaced, 1995, by Neal Gross (Washington, D.C.)
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Click
here for AAERT's current board members
and committee chairs.

AAERT's
certification program was developed during 1995-1996, and its
first administration occurred in October 1996.
Initially designed for analog recording / transcription, digital components
were included beginning in June 2003.
Click
here for current information about these
examinations in professional competence.
A Certification Test Study Guide was prepared (copyrighted 1996, 2003).
Click
here for more information about the Guide.
Certification Committee chairs have been
James V. Bowen (
New Jersey),
1996 - June 2004, and
Steve Simon (
Florida),
June 2004 to present.

AAERT's
annual conference and association business meeting is held
during the 2nd quarter, generally in late June. Prior conferences have
been sited in:
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1994 Las Vegas, Nevada
1995 Rockville, Maryland
1996 New Orleans, Louisiana
1997 San Diego, California
1998 Clearwater, Florida
1999 Gaithersburg, Maryland
2000 San Diego, California
2001 Arlington, Virginia
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2002 Orlando, Florida
2003 Las Vegas, Nevada
2004 Orlando, Florida
2005 Arlington, Virginia
2006 Las Vegas, Nevada
2007 Miami Beach, Florida
2008 San Antonio, Texas
2009 Indianapolis, Indiana
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AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT AAERT
AAERT AWARDS
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Reporter of the Year
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Transcriber of the Year
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2008 San Antonio, Texas |
Neal R. Gross, CER
Neal R. Gross & Co., Inc.
(Washington, D.C.)
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Laurel H. Stoddard, CET
On the Record Reporting & Transcription, Inc.
(Austin, Texas)
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2007 Miami Beach, Florida |
Gail Malm Armstrong, CERT
(Logansport, Indiana)
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Randel J. Raison, CET**D
All Professionals Litigation Support Team, Inc.
(Houston, Texas)
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2006 Las Vegas, Nevada |
Tracy Gribben Cali, CERT
Terry Gribben's Transcription Service
(Monmouth Beach, New Jersey)
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Elizabeth (Betty) Eastman, CERT
Deposition Services, Inc.
(Silver Spring, Maryland)
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2005 Arlington, Virginia |
Margaret A. Morgan, CERT
Olmstead County District Court
(Rochester, Minnesota )
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Karen Bergstrom, CERT
KBS Services
(Royal Palm Beach, Florida)
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2004 Orlando, Florida |
Joe Schafer, CERT
Litigation Services of South Texas, Inc.
(San Antonio, Texas)
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Ulyn Sawyer, CERT
Ninth Judicial Circuit
(Orlando, Florida)
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2003 Las Vegas, Nevada |
Sherry Simmons, CER
Court of Common Pleas
(Wilmington, Delaware)
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Pat Petrilla, CERT
Petrilla Reporting & Transcribing
(Sacramento, California)
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Starting in 2003 at our 10th Anniversary Conference, AAERT began
recognizing the achievements of its outstanding members, both reporters and
transcribers. The nomination period is December
through February, with specific awards criteria appearing on line in November.