Court Reporters

The Court provides “official” court reporters (sometimes also called “staff reporters” or “staff court reporters”) in felony criminal cases, juvenile matters, dependency matters, and Lanterman-Petris-Short Act Conservatorship cases during regular court hours. Official court reporters can be requestedin unlimited civil matters, probate, and family law matters.

The Stanislaus Superior Court provides electronic recording services in most contested misdemeanor proceedings.

A party who has been granted a waiver of court fees and costs may request the services of an official court reporter for a proceeding for which an official reporter is not normally available and for which electronic recording is not provided. Such a request should be made by emailing ctreport@stanct.org .  Requests should be made at least ten (10) days in advance of the hearing.  Failure to comply with this request procedure may result in the court being unable to provide a court reporter or a continuance of the hearing. Parties to the case who do not qualify for a waiver of court fees and costs will be responsible for the cost of a reporter.

Note:  An approved fee waiver does not cover the cost of the reporter’s transcript of the hearing or proceeding. (See Jameson v. Desta (2018) 5 Cal.5th 594, 623-625.) However, assistance with this cost may be available through the Transcript Reimbursement Fund. Further information about this fund is available on the  California Court Reporters Board's  website.

You may request a staff court reporter to cover a law and motion hearing or a trial by calling the Supervising Court Reporter at (209) 530-3105 or by emailing civilreporters@stanct.org . Requests must be made by 4:00 p.m. the day before the law and motion hearing and confirmed by return email or phone call.  For all other matters, the request must be made at least ten (10) days in advance.

Priority for a staff court reporter in law and motion matters is given to Departments 21 and 23 on Wednesday and Friday; and to Departments 22 and 24 on Tuesday and Thursday. 

If a Superior Court staff reporter is not available, then the party, at their own expense, may arrange for the presence of a certified shorthand reporter to serve as an official pro tempore reporter pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 2.956.  

Only one court reporter will be allowed per hearing; therefore, parties must check with the Supervising Court Reporter regarding the availability of a staff court reporter prior to engaging a pro tempore reporter. The Supervising Court Reporter can be contacted via e-mail to civilreporters@stanct.org or by phone at (209) 530-3105.  

You may request a staff court reporter to cover an ex parte hearing by calling the Supervising Court Reporter at (209) 530-3105 or emailing civilreporters@stanct.org at the same time you request an ex parte hearing.

If a staff court reporter is available to report an ex parte hearing, the party requesting the reporter shall pay a $30 reporter fee for any hearing under an hour.  Any ex parte hearing lasting more than an hour will be billed at the ½ day rate of $350. If the hearing continues after the noon hour, then the full day rate of $700 applies.

Note:  Refer to Local Rules of Court rule 3.01 and 3.12 for additional information.

You may request a staff court reporter to cover a law and motion hearing or trial by calling the Supervising Court Reporter at (209) 530-3105 or by emailing familylawreporters@stanct.org . Requests must be made by 4:00 p.m. the day before the law and motion hearing and confirmed by return email or phone call. For all other matters, the request must be made at least ten (10) days in advance.

If a Superior Court staff reporter is not available, then the party, at their own expense, may arrange for the presence of a certified shorthand reporter to serve as an official pro tempore reporter pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 2.956.

Only one court reporter will be allowed per hearing; therefore, parties must check with the Supervising Court Reporter regarding the availability of a staff court reporter prior to engaging a pro tempore reporter. The Supervising Court Reporter can be contacted via e-mail to familylawreporters@stanct.org or by phone at (209) 530-3105. 

You may request a staff court reporter to cover an ex parte hearing by calling the Supervising Court Reporter at (209) 530-3105 or emailing familylawreporters@stanct.org at the same time you request an ex parte hearing.

If a staff court reporter is available to report an ex parte hearing, the party requesting the reporter shall pay a $30 reporter fee for any hearing under an hour.  Any ex parte hearing lasting more than an hour will be billed at the ½ day rate of $350. If the hearing continues after the noon hour, then the full day rate of $700 applies.

Note:  Refer to Local Rules of Court rule 7.26(c) for additional information.

• One hour or less - $30 (pursuant to Government Code § 68086)
• ½ Day proceeding - $350
• Full Day proceeding - $700

Make check payable to  Stanislaus Superior Court. This fee is for the appearance of a court reporter, not for the production of a transcript.

Per Government Code § 69955(e) and the policy of this Court, with the exception of death penalty cases, the reporter’s shorthand notes for criminal proceedings are only required to be retained for a period of ten (10) years. For all other proceedings, including civil, reporter’s notes are required to be retained for five (5) years. Please note: A transcript may not be available for all proceedings.

Requests for Court Reporter Transcripts may be submitted via email to the court reporter present for the hearing, or by phone by calling the Supervising Court Reporter at 209-530-3105.  To process your request, you will need to include the following information:

• Your name, email and/or phone number
• Case Name
• Case Number
• Date of Proceedings
• Judge’s Name
• Name of Court Reporter

After receiving your request, the court reporter who reported the proceeding will provide you with an estimate of the cost for the transcript. You will then need to make arrangements directly with the court reporter for payment . Once financial arrangements and payment have been made, the court reporter will prepare the transcript per your request.

Note:  Please allow up to two (2) weeks to be contacted by the court reporter with an estimate.

Note:  These procedures apply to court reporters working in Criminal, Civil, and Family Law departments.  To request a transcript for Juvenile Dependency or Juvenile Justice proceedings, please fill out this form and take it to the Juvenile Clerk's Office .

Note: If you are not sure which court reporter reported your proceeding or which judge heard your case, you can call the appropriate clerk’s office for assistance in obtaining that information:

Criminal: 209-530-3100, option 4

Family Law: 209-530-3100, option 7

Civil: 209-530-3100, option 6

Juvenile: 209-530-6300

To request a copy of an electronic recording in person: Go to the Appeals Division Clerk’s Office at 1100 I Street, Window 9, Modesto, California, and fill out a request form . Payment is required prior to the recording(s) being copied.

To request a copy of an electronic recording by mail: Download this  form  and send it in by mail to the Appeals Division at PO Box 1098, Modesto, CA 95353-1098 , along with your payment.

The cost for a copy of an electronic recording is $15.00 per hearing.

For questions about this process, please call (209) 530-3100, select option 5, and then option 1 for the Appeals Division. The request form and payment can be sent to:   

Superior Court
Appeals Division PO Box 1098
Modesto, CA 95354