AL · rules

Ala. R. Jud. Admin. 12

Court reporters

activein force · 1987-10-01 – presentact-effective-date

(A) Official court reporters. The administrative director of courts (“ADC”)

shall determine the need for court reporters for circuit and district court judges and

provide court reporters, on either a full-time or part-time basis, for each judge in

accordance with the reasonable requirements of the business of the court, upon

consideration of available funding, the population and the geographic area to be

served, the caseload of the judge seeking a court reporter, the availability of special

roving reporters and other official court reporters within the circuit, and other

special circumstances which may exist in each geographic location. All official

court reporters authorized pursuant to the provisions of this rule shall be

confidential employees of the appointing judge; provided, however, that this rule

shall not be construed to affect the merit status of any individual serving as an

official court reporter on October 1, 1987.

Official court reporters may be authorized by the ADC to take depositions

upon the recommendation of the presiding circuit judge and the judge employing

the court reporter; provided, however, that each official court reporter who is

authorized to take depositions must take particular care to see that such work does

not interfere in any way with the preparation of transcripts of cases on appeal and

other routine work of the court. The ADC is authorized to cancel, modify, suspend

or rescind such authorization at any time when, in his opinion, such action is in the

best interest of the administration of justice.

(B) Special roving reporters. The ADC may appoint special roving

reporters, on either a full-time or part-time basis, who shall perform court reporting

duties at such places as directed by the ADC. When assigned to serve in the circuit

or district courts, special roving reporters shall perform their duties under the

direction and supervision of the judges to whom they are assigned.

first be submitted to the presiding circuit judge, who, upon making a determination

of need, shall request approval from the ADC. The availability of special roving

reporters and official court reporters shall be considered before requesting

approval by the ADC for a special court reporter. When special court reporters are

approved and assigned to serve in a circuit or district court, they shall perform their

duties under the direction and supervision of the judges to whom they are

assigned.

History

[Amended 11-9-76; amended 9-28-87, eff. 10-1-87.] Comment Subdivisions (A), (B) and (C) are supplemental to and should be read in conjunction with Ala.Code 1975, Sections 12-17-271 and 12-17-272, which provide for additional official court reporter positions, special roving reporters and special reporters. Pursuant to Ala.Code 1975, Section 12-17-270, each circuit judge is entitled to appoint an official court reporter. Subdivision (A) provides the criteria to be considered by the ADC when considering requests for official court reporter positions. This subdivision also provides a procedure under which official court reporters may be conditionally authorized to take depositions. Subdivision (B) makes it clear that special roving reporters, when assigned to serve in the trial courts, perform their duties under the direction of the judges to whom they are assigned. Subdivision (C) emphasizes that special reporters should be requested only when other reporters are unavailable. This subdivision also provides that when the ADC approves requests for special court reporters, such reporters shall be subject to the direction and supervision of the judges to whom they are assigned. This Rule replaces former Rules 22 and 24.

Provenance

Source: judicial.alabama.gov
Retrieved: 2026-09-15
Edition: 2026-09-15
Content hash: 30a893fd8b724e357b222b1cc51b0e76aac7609950021a1a84bc9483550ffc18

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