Effective February 1, 2022, official court reporters are normally available in all felony and
juvenile proceedings, civil commitment and contempt proceedings, conservatorship
proceedings under the Lanterman-Petri-Short Act, habeas corpus evidentiary proceedings,
grand jury proceedings when requested by the district attorney, Family Law proceedings
pursuant to Family Code, §§ 3042, 3410, 7892 and 9005 and any other proceeding in
which an official court reporter is mandated by law.
Official court reporters are not normally available in all other civil, family and probate
matters including pretrial proceedings, proceedings related to restraining orders, and court
and jury trials. Official court reporters are not normally available in all Department of Child
Support Services proceedings. Effective March 30, 2022, court reporters are not normally
available in guardianships or probate conservatorships.
Infractions, misdemeanor, small claims and limited civil proceedings will be reported
electronically as authorized by statute.
A party requesting an official court reporter in a matter in which an official reporter
is not normally available must file and submit a timely request and make
arrangements to satisfy the applicable fee or qualify for a fee waiver if one
has not been previously approved. Due to the statewide shortage of court
reporters and the duty to prioritize official reporters for proceedings in which
reporting is mandated, the court may not be able to guarantee access or
continuous access to an official court reporter without delay or interruption.
A party may request an official court reporter for any proceeding which is not
normally reported and is not subject to electronic recording by filing a written request (Form
3020-CV) not less than 10 days before the hearing date, or at the time the hearing is set
if less than 10 days. The form shall be filed with the court or emailed to the Court Reporter
Coordinator at reporterrequest@solano.courts.ca.gov. Any request submitted to the
court shall additionally be immediately served on the opposing party. Untimely requests will
not be processed.
Upon receipt of a written request for a court reporter in any civil, family or probate matter, an
official court reporter will be scheduled, subject to availability. For each proceeding lasting
less than one hour, a fee of $30 shall be charged for the cost of an official court reporter. For
each proceeding lasting more than one hour, a fee equal to the actual cost of providing
that service shall be charged per one-half day to the requesting party, on a pro rata
basis for the services of an official court reporter on the first and each succeeding
judicial day those services are provided. The fees do not apply to a litigant who has an
active fee waiver on file.
If after a party requests the presence of an official court reporter it appears that none will
be available, the court will notify the party as soon as possible.
For matters in which the court does not normally provide an official court reporter, or
in circumstances in which an official court reporter is not available despite a timely request
(and no fee waiver is involved), a party or parties may privately arrange for certified
shorthand reporter services to serve as the official reporter pro tempore at the party’s
own expense pursuant to Government Code, section 68086 and California Rules of Court,
rule 2.956.
There can only be one official record of court proceedings and only one reporter appointed
by the court may report a court proceeding. (CCP, § 273; Govt. Code, §§ 66941, 70043,
70044.) When a party arranges for a reporter, the reporter must be appointed as an official
reporter pro tempore before the hearing begins. Every reporter who is not otherwise on
a court-approved list of reporters pro tempore shall complete and sign the Request for
Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore (Form 3021-CV).
The party arranging for an official reporter pro tempore is responsible for paying the
reporter’s fees although the parties may arrange to share the fees. If the parties are unable
to agree on a reporter, the court will select the reporter to be used.
Note: The Court is not obligated to provide court reporter transcripts free of charge to a
party who has been granted a waiver of court fees and costs. (See Jameson v. Desta
(2018) 5 Cal.5th 594, 623-625.) Assistance may be available through the Transcript
Reimbursement Fund. Further information https://www.courtreportersboard.ca.gov/
consumers/index.shtml.
Additional information regarding the availability of official court reporters can be found in
the court’s Policy Regarding Normal Availability of Official Court Reporters. This policy
and requirements for requesting a court reporter are available on the Solano Superior
Court’s website at www.solano.courts.ca.gov.