All attorneys remember that one client, that one prosecutor, that one records clerk who made their lives unbearable for weeks on end. While dealing with difficult people is one of your strengths, you cannot abide when people are unable to perform a simple task adequately.
But when the difference between prison and freedom rides on the ability of a court reporter to do his or her job, you aren’t merely agitated—you’re outraged. Delays caused by procrastinating court reporters are not only costly, they can cause a corruption of justice. Consider how court reporter issues have affected cases in the past:
- Absentee reporters. In 2010, a Texas attorney attempted to track down a court reporter to appeal a case he had lost just three months prior. Despite leaving numerous messages, the court reporter could not be found, and without the original trial transcript, appeal was impossible.
- Retrial. In the above case, a judge ruled that since the original transcript could not be found, it was as if the trial had never taken place. The case would have to be tried all over again from the beginning, costing the client not just an appeal, but a retrial—complete with gathering original documents and evidence.
- Life-and-death appeals. After a woman was sentenced to death in a 1997 case, her lawyers immediately appealed the decision. However, the court reporter failed to provide the trial transcript by the appeal due date, and it took three years to complete the appeals process. When the record was finally delivered, it was full of errors and omissions, causing the trial judge to comment that the transcript was “seriously flawed.”
Casamo Court Reporters Are Among the Best
When you’re trying the high-profile cases that are common in D.C., you cannot risk leaving your transcripts in the hands of an amateur. That’s why Casamo & Associates hires only court reporters who can deliver timely and accurate work in a hectic legal environment. We offer a variety of court reporting services, call us today to learn more about how we can assist you & your firm. Or, request a reporter using our Online Scheduler.
