Art. 372.Court Reporter

When the court directs it, the court reporter records — in shorthand by stenography or stenotype, by voice recording, or by another court-approved method — the testimony of witnesses, the other evidence introduced or offered, the objections raised, and the court's rulings, at trial of any appealable civil case or matter. That record is what an appellate court will later rely on if the case is appealed.

The reporter also handles transcription. Once the court directs it, the fees are paid or secured, or an appeal is granted in a case where a party was allowed to litigate without paying costs, the reporter transcribes the notes verbatim, in a manner the supreme court approves, files a copy with the trial court, delivers copies to parties who paid for them, and furnishes the clerk with the copies an appeal requires. A party who has paid for a transcript is entitled to an electronic copy along with the paper copy at no extra charge.

Retention has its own rules. The reporter must keep all notes and tape recordings in a civil case for at least five years after the trial ends, or, if the trial record is fully transcribed, for at least two years after transcription is completed. Notes and recordings are destroyed only on order of a court of competent jurisdiction, and they remain the property of the court that heard the case, even though the reporter is the one responsible for maintaining them.

An amendment effective August 1, 2026 renames this article to focus on retention and destruction of court reporters' notes and recordings and adds that these materials stay in the court's custody and control even after a reporter retires or leaves the position.