OF NOTE   /   HISTORICAL INTEREST   /   AAERT AWARDS From time to time items of interest to AAERT members are posted here as a general information service. Articles and Memoranda   Organizational History:  an Overview   AAERT Awards Recipients

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JULY  2008   —   Wisconsin Supreme Court recognizes digital court reporters

• 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.

  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:


  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.

  AAERT's annual conference and association business meeting is held during the 2nd quarter, generally in late June.  Prior conferences have been sited in:

	Reporter of the Year	Transcriber of the Year
2008 San Antonio, Texas	Neal R. Gross, CER Neal R. Gross & Co., Inc.     (Washington, D.C.)	Laurel H. Stoddard, CET On the Record Reporting & Transcription, Inc.     (Austin, Texas)
2007 Miami Beach, Florida	Gail Malm Armstrong, CERT     (Logansport, Indiana)	Randel J. Raison, CET**D All Professionals Litigation Support Team, Inc.     (Houston, Texas)
2006 Las Vegas, Nevada	Tracy Gribben Cali, CERT Terry Gribben's Transcription Service     (Monmouth Beach, New Jersey)	Elizabeth (Betty) Eastman, CERT Deposition Services, Inc.     (Silver Spring, Maryland)
2005 Arlington, Virginia	Margaret A. Morgan, CERT Olmstead County District Court     (Rochester, Minnesota )	Karen Bergstrom, CERT KBS Services     (Royal Palm Beach, Florida)
2004 Orlando, Florida	Joe Schafer, CERT Litigation Services of South Texas, Inc.     (San Antonio, Texas)	Ulyn Sawyer, CERT Ninth Judicial Circuit     (Orlando, Florida)
2003 Las Vegas, Nevada	Sherry Simmons, CER Court of Common Pleas     (Wilmington, Delaware)	Pat Petrilla, CERT Petrilla Reporting & Transcribing     (Sacramento, California)