2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for court reporting. As courts and lawmakers confront the limits of agencies, AI, and automated recording, the profession is seeing renewed focus on responsible charge, accountability, and human judgment. Legislative clarity, reporter-centric technology, and coming court decisions may finally reassert who—and what—the legal record truly depends on.
Tag Archives: ResponsibleCharge
“They Don’t Know We Need Them” – The Growing Silence Around the Disappearing Court Reporter
As digital recording and AI transcription quietly replace certified court reporters, the justice system risks losing its most vital safeguard — the human record. Attorneys, judges, and legislators don’t realize they’re standing on a collapsing foundation. Without stenographers, there is no certified transcript, no reliable appeal, and no accountability. Saving steno isn’t nostalgia — it’s protecting the rule of law itself.
Top Court Reporting Trends to Watch in 2025 – Real Innovation, Legal Integrity, and the Return to Verbatim
The future of court reporting isn’t automated—it’s live, verbatim, and unstoppable. In 2025, certified stenographers and voice writers are shattering the shortage myth, expanding remote coverage, and using cutting-edge tools to uphold the integrity of the record. “Record now, transcribe later” isn’t innovation—it’s regression. The real revolution is happening in real time, with reporters leading the charge.
Why Transcribing from Electronic Recordings Is Hearsay — and the Stenographic Profession’s Strongest Defense
AI and electronic recordings can’t replace stenographic reporters. Why? Because transcripts created by someone not present are hearsay — and hearsay is inadmissible. Only a sworn reporter assumes Responsible Charge of the record, accountable under law. AI can’t be punished, fined, jailed, or defend its transcript in court. Without accountability, it’s just unverifiable hearsay.
Human Oversight is Now Law – Virginia Leads the Nation with Groundbreaking AI Legislation Protecting the Judicial Record
Virginia just became the first state to legally require human oversight of AI in courtrooms. With HB 1642, justice stays human-centered—protecting certified transcripts, ethical decision-making, and the future of court reporting. This is a national model for balancing innovation with integrity.
Court Reporting at a Crossroads – How to Win the Battle for the Future of Justice
Court reporting isn’t dying—it’s being hijacked. Big-box firms are replacing certified professionals with offshore labor and uncertified notaries, bypassing due process and threatening our existence. But we hold the leverage: laws, credentials, and the truth. If we don’t act now, we face extinction. If we rise, we reclaim our rightful place at the top. The clock is ticking—our profession depends on it.
The Subtle Power of a Word – Why ASR Can’t Replace Human Court Reporters
One wrong word — like “sale” instead of “cell” — can alter the facts. ASR doesn’t understand the difference, and neither did my scopist, because they weren’t a trained court reporter. In legal proceedings, every word matters. Court reporters aren’t just typists — we are the responsible charge, the last line of defense for truth and accuracy in the record.
Empires Built on Convenience – The Parallel Collapse of Big Pharma and Court Reporting
The collapse of Big Pharma’s credibility mirrors the slow unraveling of the court reporting profession. Both industries ignored warnings from within, replaced professionals with profit-driven shortcuts, and now face a reckoning. As automated systems fail to protect the integrity of legal records, certified court reporters must reclaim their role as the Responsible Charge—before our justice system loses something it can’t afford: the truth.
STENOIMPERIUM 