Calif. Gov. Schwarzenegger cannot keep his facts straight about stenographic court reporters

Calif. Governor Schwarzenegger is not getting all the facts when it comes to replacing stenographic court reporters with digital audio to save the state money.

Said Gov. Schwarzenegger: "We have electronic court reporting, 100 million dollars. We do not need any people there. We have the technology now to do the reporting and the recording." No, California will NOT save 100 million dollars by replacing court reporters. Yes, you DO need people there, and not just any people, but stenographic court reporters. No, you don't have the technology to do the reporting and the recording that would provide the level of integrity to the court system that the citizens of California and its entire judicial system deserve.

"I can appreciate Governor Schwarzenegger's plight," said Sonntag, "He's got to find ways to cut the state's deficit. But the cost savings of using digital audio are inflated. They're not considering all the costs of digital audio. In fact, there's no proof that digital audio saves ANY money at all. In the meantime, California would be chasing phantom savings and, in the process, severely compromise the integrity of its judicial system and access to the system by its citizens. In his own words, Gov. Schwarzenegger wants to 'usher in a golden new era of prosperity in California.' That's what court reporters want as well. I hope he gives the state's court reporters a role in the process-an opportunity to work on that with the courts and legislators together."

Sonntag also directs media to a YouTube video of court reporter Lisa Michaels, president of the Deposition Reporters Association of California (DRA), that is directed to Gov. Schwarzenegger and presents additional facts about stenographic reporters.

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