Public Notice

• Changes to Policy Regarding Normal Availability and Unavailability of Official Court Reporters Effective August 8, 2022

How Do I Request a Court Reporter?

Official court reporters are available in felony criminal cases and juvenile matters during regular court hours. Official court reporters are not available for civil matters. The services of official reporters for family law and probate matters are very limited.

The Sacramento Superior Court utilizes electronic recording for infractions and most misdemeanor proceedings. The court may electronically record limited civil proceedings, including unlawful detainers, collections, and small claims, if recording equipment is available. This does not apply to Law & Motion matters in Departments 53 and 54.

The parties have the right to arrange, at their own expense, for the presence of a court reporter if the services of an official court reporter are not available for a proceeding (Gov. Code § 68086 & Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.956). The court maintains a Court-Approved List of Official Reporters Pro Tempore to provide court users with contact information for court-approved official reporters pro tempore. The parties may also stipulate to the use of a reporter who is not on the list. All pro tem reporters must have a valid license from and be in good standing with the Court Reporters Board of California

If the reporter is not on the Court-Approved Pro Tempore list, the parties must file a completed Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (form CV/E-206) before the hearing. The court has discretion to deny appointment of a pro tem reporter.

In civil proceedings, a party who has received a fee waiver may request an official court reporter pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 2.956(b)(3) at least 10 calendar days prior to a trial or hearing by submitting a Request for Court Reporter by a Party with a Fee Waiver (form CV-211). The court, for good cause, may shorten or waive the 10-day requirement. The clerk will notify the party as soon as possible if no official court reporter will be available. Given the general unavailability of official court reporters, final notice of the availability of a court reporter may not be known until the day of the hearing.

The following materials provide information related to official court reporters, including official reporters pro tempore:

• Changes to Policy Regarding Normal Availability and Unavailability of Official Court Reporters Effective August 8, 2022
• Policy Regarding Normal Availability and Unavailability of Official Court Reporters
• Request for Court Reporter by a Party with a Fee Waiver (CV/E-211)
• Policy for Official Reporter Pro Tempore
• Court-Approved Official Reporter Pro Tempore Agreement
• Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (CV/E-206)
• Court Reporter Electronic Reporting Notes Upload / Archiving Policy
• Official Reporters Pro Tempore FAQs

For a Civil Matter Downtown?

Effective August 8, 2022, official court reporters are not available for civil matters downtown except as provided in the Court’s Policy Regarding Availability and Unavailability of Official Court Reporters.

Parties arranging for their own reporter, may choose a reporter from the Court-Approved Pro Tempore list or bring a reporter not on the list. If the reporter is not on the Approved Pro Tempore list, the parties must file a completed Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (form CV/E-206) prior to the hearing with the assigned department.

Stipulations for Civil Law & Motion departments filed the day before or day of a hearing, must be emailed to the appropriate department email box: Dept53@saccourt.ca.gov or Dept54@saccourt.ca.gov.

For parties who have a fee waiver and request a court reporter, please see the How Do I Request a Court Reporter section above for the required form and directions.

For a Family Law or Probate Matter Held at the Family Relations Courthouse?

The services of an official court reporter are very limited in family law and probate. To request a court reporter for an upcoming hearing or trial in a family law or probate matter, contact familylawprreporters@saccourt.ca.gov no later than 4:00 p.m. at least five (5) court days before the hearing or trial.

Parties arranging for their own reporter may choose a reporter from the Court-Approved Pro Tempore list or bring a reporter not on the list. If the reporter is not on the Court-Approved Pro Tempore list, the parties must file a completed Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (form CV/E-206) before the hearing. For family law and probate hearings at William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse, please file the Stipulation through the drop box no less than 2 days before the hearing.

Additional information regarding the Court’s Policy for Official Court Reporter’s Pro Tempore can be found above or the policy can be reviewed here: https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/court-reporters/docs/crtrp-6a.pdf.

Court reporter fees must be paid in advance of the hearing, unless a fee waiver is on file. You may pay these fees at the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse.

For parties who have a fee waiver and request a court reporter, please see the How Do I Request a Court Reporter section above for the required form and directions.

What Are the Court Reporter Fees?

• One hour or less - $30 (pursuant to GC 68086)
• ½ Day proceeding - $239
• Full Day proceeding - $478

Make check payable to Sacramento Superior Court. This fee is for the appearance of a court reporter, not for the production of a transcript.

How Long Do Reporters Retain Their Notes?

According to state law (Cal. Gov. Code, § 68152(j)(7), court reporters’ notes for criminal cases are destroyed after ten years, and notes for civil cases are destroyed after five years. (Exception: The notes for criminal cases in which the death penalty was imposed are retained for a longer period of time.).

How Do I Determine Who the Court Reporter Was for Proceedings?

You may access your case file which shows the department number and dates of every hearing heard in the case through our:

After determining the date(s) and department(s) of the desired hearing, go to our assignment logs. The logs will show what reporter was assigned to the department on the day you are requesting. If the log indicates electronic or digital recording, please see the instructions below.

If you do not have access to the Internet, you may go to the downtown courthouse (civil and criminal cases) or WRRFRC courthouse (family law and probate cases), and order the physical court file. The court file will note the CSR# in the column of the court appearance.

How Do I Request a Court Reporter Transcript?

Requests for Court Reporter Transcripts may be submitted via our online Transcript Request Form. In order to process your request, you will need to include the following information:

• Name and phone number of requestor
• Case Name
• Case Number
• Date of Proceedings
• Courtroom Number / Department
• Name of Court Reporter

After receiving your request, the court reporter will provide you with an estimate of cost for the transcript. Payments must be made directly to the reporter. Once payment has been made, the court reporter will prepare the transcript.

The court is not obligated to provide court reporter transcripts free of charge to a party who has been granted a waiver of court fees and costs. (Jameson v. Desta (2018) 5 Cal.5th 594, 623-625.) Assistance may be available through the state Transcript Reimbursement Fund. Additional information about the Transcript Reimbursement Fund is available on the California Court Reporters Board website at > https://www.courtreportersboard.ca.gov/trf/index.shtml - external link.

Please allow two weeks to be contacted by the reporter with an estimate. If you do not see the name of the court reporter on the list or have not been contacted in two weeks regarding your request for a transcript, please call the facility where the case was heard and ask to speak to the court reporter supervisor.

Note: These procedures apply to court reporters working in the downtown court facilities and family law and probate matters. For instructions on how to submit a transcript request for Juvenile Delinquency proceedings, see the information listed below.

For court reporters not listed, please refer to the Court-Approved Pro Tempore list or the Court Reporters Board of California for contact information, or contact the lead court reporter or court reporter supervisor.

How to Request A Court Reporter Transcript for a Juvenile Delinquency/Dependency Proceeding

If you are a party to the case, to obtain a transcript for a Juvenile Delinquency or Juvenile Dependency proceeding you will be required to submit a completed and signed Juvenile Proceedings: Request for Court Reporter’s Transcript (local form JC-E-010) and Declaration for Access to Juvenile Case File (local form JC-E-667). Completed JC-E-010 and JC-E-667 forms should be mailed or delivered to Juvenile Division, Court Administration, 9605 Kiefer Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95827 or emailed to JuvenileCourtAdmin@saccourt.ca.gov.

The court reporter will contact you with an estimate of the cost and preparation time for the transcript(s).

If your parental rights have been terminated, or if you are not a party to the case, your request for records (i.e., transcripts) must be made by submitting a Request for Disclosure of Juvenile Case File (form JV-570), Notice of Request for Disclosure of Juvenile Case File (form JV-571), and Proof of Service – Request for Disclosure (form JV-569) to the Juvenile Court in which the proceedings were held. For full instructions, please see Standing Order No. SSC-JV-99-021. If your request for records is granted by the judicial officer, then the court reporter(s) will contact you with an estimate of the cost and preparation time for the transcript(s). All fees must be paid to in full before the transcript(s) will be prepared.

All transcript fees must be paid to the court reporter in full before the transcript(s) will be prepared.

For questions about, or requests for, Juvenile Delinquency proceedings or Juvenile Dependency proceedings, please contact Juvenile Court Administration, 916-875-5686 or JuvenileCourtAdmin@saccourt.ca.gov.

How Do I Request an Electronic Recording Audio CD?

An electronic recording is an alternative method to capture court proceedings of misdemeanor or infraction cases by using an electronic recording device (Government Code Section 69957).

Proceedings in Departments 1, 2 and 3 are generally captured digitally rather than through the use of a Court Reporter. Digital proceedings for these misdemeanor hearings in the Downtown court facilities are maintained by the Criminal Records Unit. The audio recording of a proceeding can be purchased for your use; however, it is not considered the "official record." Audio recordings of trials in criminal court are not available.

The Court will assess a charge to cover the cost of the CD, creating the recording, and administrative costs in processing your request. The current fee is $12.50 per disc. Note: Please use a separate form for each recording request.

Complete the Electronic Recording (Audio CD) Request Form. Make check payable to Sacramento Superior Court in the amount of $12.50. DO NOT SEND CASH. Mail to:

Sacramento Superior Court
720 9^th Street, Room 101
Attention: ER (Audio CD) Request
Sacramento, CA 95814

Upon receipt your request/payment will be processed in 7-10 business days.

What if I Need My CD ASAP?

If your request is urgent, please write "RUSH" on the form. It usually takes 7-10 business days, but the ER clerk may expedite rush requests. Please note: In some cases it may not be possible for the Court to provide a copy of a recording on a rush basis, but every effort will be made to meet the request.

What if I Need a Transcript of the Recording?

If you wish to have your electronic recording transcribed for personal records, please contact a transcription agency through the local telephone book or through the Internet.

How Do I Request an Electronic Recording Transcript?

An electronic recording is an alternative method to capture court proceedings of misdemeanor or infraction cases by using an electronic recording device (Government Code Section 69957).

Some misdemeanor proceedings in the downtown trial departments are captured digitally rather than through the use of a Court Reporter. Digital proceedings for these hearings are maintained by the Criminal Records Unit.

Complete the Electronic Recording Transcript Request Form. Once the Court has received the request, a clerk will send an “estimated cost” for the transcript(s). Upon receipt of payment your request will be processed in 7-10 business days.

Once you have completed the form, please mail to:

Sacramento Superior Court
720 9^th Street, Room 101
Attention: ER Transcript Request
Sacramento, CA 95814

Who May I Contact if I Have a Court Reporter or Transcript Question?