GENERAL ORDER 09-29

RE: DIGITAL RECORDING OF PROCEEDINGS

The Illinois Supreme Court has provided that circuit court proceedings may be recorded verbatim by a certified court reporter or by digital electronic recording equipment (“digital recording”), subject to regulations of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts and Order of the Court.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED THAT:

1. Courtroom 10-J is designated as a pilot courtroom for proceedings to be recorded verbatim by digital recording equipment.
2. When digital recording and an official state paid court reporter (“official court reporter”) are both present at a court proceeding, the transcript of the official court reporter’s notes shall be the official record.
3. No individual other than the Circuit or Associate Judge assigned to the case may obtain or listen to copies of digital recordings of the proceedings without order of the Presiding Judge of the Child Protection Division.
4. Digital recordings of proceedings shall remain under the control of the Circuit Court of Cook County with access to such recordings subject to regulations set by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, Circuit Court of Cook County Local Rules, and such general or administrative orders as may be entered by the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County or the Presiding Judge of the Child Protection Division, except that no party shall be entitled to request a transcript from digital recording when a transcript of the official court reporter’s notes constitutes the official record.
5. Digital recordings of proceedings shall be disseminated by transcripts prepared by the digital recording control room staff. The transcript and not the medium shall be the official record. A certificate is to be signed and attached to the transcript by the digital recording control room staff member stating that, to the best of his/her ability, the transcript is a true and accurate transcript of the digitally recorded proceeding.
6. All digital recording transcript requests shall be in writing and submitted to the digital recording control room supervisor and shall be subject to the policies set by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.

This General Order supercedes Special Order 08-1.

This order is entered this date, March 19, 2009, and shall be spread of record and published.

Patricia M. Martin
Presiding Judge
Child Protection Division