One month earlier, a court reporter would have sat there with a stenotype machine, recording everything said during the hearing. But the desk and chair remained empty. That’s because the San Diego Superior Court is no longer providing court reporters for family law proceedings. Court reporters are responsible for creating an exact record of what was said during hearings, depositions and trials. Not having a court reporter present in court means there is no verbatim, written record of the proceedings. The court reporter cuts, which went into effect Sept. 5, are drawing concern from local family law attorneys who say the changes will hurt low-income and middle-income individuals. Since many people who go through the family courts cannot afford a lawyer — in two-thirds of all family law cases in San Diego, at least one party will not have legal representation — hiring a court reporter is....MORE
