The Michigan Electronic Court Reporters Association (MECRA) was founded in 1978.  Since then, MECRA has grown to be the largest association in the field of electronic/digital court reporting in the United States.  Certification in the state of Michigan is mandatory and is accomplished through a testing process administered by the Court Reporting and Recording Board of Review.  For more information on testing, call the State Court Administrative Office at (517) 373-9526 or email at CtRec-Info@courts.mi.gov.

 

Michigan’s premier digital/electronic court reporting professional association for over 30 years, MECRA is a nonprofit corporation organized to promote education and certification for professionals engaged in electronic reporting, transcribing, and supportive employment roles, and to promote public awareness of the electronic/digital state-of-the-art reporting industry.

Some of the benefits of becoming a member of MECRA, include:

* Continuing education

 

* Invaluable career-focused networking and information gathering in cooperation with member forums

* Active participation in the advancement and preservation of the court reporting profession

 

* Legislative updates and current events

 

* Conference and seminar opportunities to keep you informed of state-of-the-art technology

* Quarterly newsletter

 

* Website resources and support

 

Dear Member,

 

It is hard to believe we are at the end of another year. I want to thank all of you for your support since I have become your president, and welcome any questions or concerns you may have about your organization. 

 

In the past year, I have become increasingly alarmed by the number of courts that have gone completely to a JAVS (the only system that does not need a certified reporter to operate it) video recording of their courtrooms.  I have no problem with video courtrooms in theory, but I do have an issue with a trial courtroom using JAVS video without the benefit of a certified professional individual monitoring the record.  I can see its use where there are courts whose records do not need transcribing, such as small claims, probate, or traffic courts, but it presents bigger issues in major courts where a good record is needed, from preliminary examinations to murder trials and the like.  JAVS is also necessary for investigative subpoenas. 

I understand why many counties are using video recording, which is as cost-saving means for their budgets which would otherwise go to a certified reporter.  However, this means that the video equipment is being operated (or only turned on) by a clerk or other person who has no idea of what it takes to make an accurate record of a courtroom hearing, and, may not be entirely accurately recorded in the end. 

 

One of the issues that comes out of this "new and better” way of taking the record and needs to be considered is how do you monitor and know what is actually being recorded.   In a stenographic courtroom, that answer is easy - the CSR is taking down each word, and they also now have an audio backup feature built into their machines.  They are certified professionals, and understand what is needed for a good record.  In a courtroom where there is electronic recording equipment, either audio alone or a combination audio/video, there has to be a CER who is monitoring the record through a delayed playback through their headsets during the proceeding, as well as speaking up if there are any problems with recording what has been said on the record.  They are also well versed in what is needed for a good record. 

 

In a courtroom where there is only JAVS video, neither a CER nor a CSR is needed to make sure the record is accurate and complete. There is no delayed playback of what has been recorded; only real-time sound comes out of the headsets.  There is usually no one around to tell someone to speak up or monitor that all is being recorded accurately.  Oftentimes there is not even anything on the record to tell when the hearing started and ended, or even who the parties were that appeared, as many often do not even state their names for the record. 

 

Another issue in this same line is a jury selection proceeding.  Jurors are NOT to be photographed.  So, now the problem becomes how do you identify which juror spoke during the voir dire process?  As our manual states, jurors are to be listed by NAME, and not seat numbers.  If there is no one in the courtroom monitoring which juror is speaking, they can only be listed as "Unidentified Juror,” which is not acceptable by our manual standards.  This is going to be especially more important as the rules concerning what a jury can or cannot do in the course of a trial.  Each court will have to decide its own way of regulating the new rules where, when, and how jurors can ask questions.  We, as certified professionals in a courtroom taking the record, will be able to know if a juror decides to suddenly pop out with a question, and we will be able to identify that person, whereas you would not be able to do so if there is no certified professional taking the record. 

 

Not only that, but JAVS is a voice/sound-driven system, and the cameras and microphones go to the loudest noise or speaker.  We all know that potential jurors are notorious for not speaking up during voir dire.  If there is no one in the courtroom to accurately take the record or make the juror speak up, there will be many instances in a transcript that goes something like this: "UNIDENTIFIED JUROR: (No verbal response),” which is clearly unacceptable. 

 

That leads to the issue of people speaking over each other. Which microphone gets picked up and who gets transcribed?  It is important to make sure the entire record is accurately transcribed.  You could have a person with a very booming voice speaking, and a very soft-spoken, timid individual just barely speaking, and the record may not indicate an answer by the soft-spoken individual. Although you may be able to pick and choose your channels while transcribing and hopefully pick up the soft-spoken speaker, unless there is someone in the courtroom, preferably a certified professional who knows how important the record is, many times the transcripts from these hearings are going to be replete with either "unidentified speaker” or "no verbal response.” 

 

As appellate courts are not going to be viewing hours and hours of videos, the records they look at are going to be our transcripts, and they should accurately reflect the record of those hearings.  They cannot accurately reflect the record if those hearings are not accurately recorded, no matter what record you use, but they will be more inaccurately reflected if there are no certified professional individuals taking that record. 

 

So, for those certified individuals who sit in a courtroom with JAVS and are taking wonderful records, good for you!!  For those of you who contract with courts to transcribe the records from JAVS courtrooms, try to make contact with those courts and judges, and see if there are better ways to make the record you need to type more accurately reflect what is being heard in those courtrooms you contract for. 

 

Happy New Year,

 

Sylvia Stratton

MECRA

President

 

 

CEO WORKSHOP:  By Web-cast only.  Please contact Denice Purves, SCAO, 517-373-9526 to arrange to watch the webcast.  This is MANDATORY before being allowed to test for certification.

CER WORKSHOP:  The next CER workshop TBA.  Please check back after June 30, 2012 for more information.   Registration for the certification testing is separate from the workshop registration.   

 

2012 EXAM SCHEDULE

CER - Thursday, October 25, 2012 (application deadline - September 1, 2012)
CER Transcription Reexamination - Wednesday, October 24, 2012 (application deadline - September 1, 2012)
CEO - Wednesday, October 24, 2012 (application deadline - September 1, 2012)

Note: Stenotype reporters who have passed the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) exam and stenomask reporters who have passed the Certified Verbatim Reporter (CVR) exam should call 517-373-9526 to schedule their written CSR/CSMR certification examinations.

 

 2012 Dates to Remember

 

 **Saturday, June 16, 2012, MECRA Board Meeting

Saturday, September 15, 2012, CER Workshop, Lansing, MI (Tentative date) - Registration Date - TBA

 Tuesday, September 4, 2012, MECRA Board Meeting, Park Place Hotel, Traverse City

MECRA Conference - Traverse City, MI - Wednesday, September 5, 2012 through Friday, September 7, 2012

 

**The Lexington Lansing Hotel is the former Sheraton at address is: 925 N. Creyts.

Ph. 517-323-7100.

**Meetings are held at Christie's Bistro (Library Room).