Question - Court transcripts

[Loxxie]

Do court transcripts have to be word for word accurate and what is the authority for this if it is/isnt in the case?

It was a question that my friend has asked as she is currently gained court transcripts and whats to know if they should be accurate - this is within the UK


Kind regards

Laura

[Eloise01]

Re: Question - Court transcripts

For those courts that have "transcripts" (some do not), they no longer have "transcripts". What they have are recordings, which are usually stored for a limited period (five years I think, but I would have to check that). People who want transcipts must then purchase those, and these should be accurate renderings of what is on the tape. So yes, they should be an accurate word for word written "copy" of what is on the tape.

[Loxxie]

Re: Question - Court transcripts

Thank you Eloise

Is there a practice direction or any authority as to the fact that the recordings should be an accurate word for word written copy of what is on the tape?

[Eloise01]

Re: Question - Court transcripts

No - or if there is it is lost in the mists of time (or my memory). It's the definition of "transcript"! If something isn't an accurate rendering of the recording, then it isn't a transcript! Obviously there may be an element of human error in transcripts - that has always been the case although it is much reduced as a risk now - but these would be minor, such as mishearing a word. I cannot imagine that there is any scope for major ommissions in transcripts.

Are you sure that she is talking about transcripts? Court transcripts are extremely expensive to obtain, and the entire transcript of a typical court hearing could be scarily expensive - I think that the last time I acquired one it was somewhere in the region of £160 - £170 per hour of transcript. At that price you'd have to hope for a short case! Although you can obtain partials (for specific parts of a case, such as the judgement).

[ploddertom]

Re: Question - Court transcripts

If it is a transcript of a Judgment then you also find there may be a delay as the Judge wants to sign them off as true record of what he decided. Those that do transcripts have to be authorised to do so - try Googling & you'll come up with the likes of Harry Counsell.

[leclerc]

Re: Question - Court transcripts

Do court transcripts have to be word for word accurate and what is the authority for this if it is/isnt in the case?

It was a question that my friend has asked as she is currently gained court transcripts and whats to know if they should be accurate - this is within the UK


Kind regards

Laura

Laura, I have obtained transcripts for a case and so depending on whether you want the whole case or part of the case will depend on how much it will cost. I got about an hour or so argument in one case and it cost me £80 but as Eloise has said it could go up to many thousands of pounds for the whole transcript.