Table of Contents Sec. 51-60. Appointment of official court reporters. (a) The judges of the Superior Court shall appoint one skillful stenographer for each judicial district to be the
official court reporter of the Superior Court therein, and shall appoint as many stenographers to be assistant court reporters for the court as the judges or an authorized committee
thereof determines the business of the court requires. Sec. 51-61. Court reporter to be sworn. Duties. Transcript. (a) Each official
court reporter, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall be sworn to faithfully
perform them and shall then be an officer of the court. He shall attend the court and
make accurate records of all proceedings in the court, except sessions of small claims
and the arguments of counsel, provided upon the request of any party, he shall make
accurate records of the arguments of counsel. Sec. 51-62. Official court reporters before state referees, judges and family
support magistrates. (a) Whenever a judge of the Superior Court sitting in chambers,
a family support magistrate or a state referee deems it necessary, the judge or referee
may call upon the official court reporter for the judicial district in which any action
pending before the judge sitting in chambers, family support magistrate or state referee
is to be heard to take the evidence therein. The judge, magistrate or referee shall have
and may exercise all the powers conferred by law upon a judge of the Superior Court
when sitting as a court, with respect to transcripts of the official records of the court
reporter. Sec. 51-63. Salary and fees of Superior Court reporters, monitors, official stenographers of Workers' Compensation Commission. (a) Each official court reporter
of the Superior Court, and as many assistant reporters as the judges of the Superior Court
consider necessary, shall receive a salary. Each other assistant reporter shall receive a
per diem rate fixed by the judges, to be paid as court expenses. Sec. 51-64. Traveling expenses. Section 51-64 is repealed. Sec. 51-65. Vacancy in office of court reporter. If the official court reporter dies,
resigns, or is permanently unable to serve for any reason, the presiding judge of the
court shall appoint a successor. If the official court reporter is temporarily absent, the
presiding judge may appoint a competent person to act during his absence. Secs. 51-66 to 51-71a. Court reporters and stenographers, generally. Sections
51-66 to 51-71a, inclusive, are repealed. Sec. 51-72. Probate Court; stenographer may be called in by agreement.
Whenever, in any court of probate, the parties or their attorneys so agree in writing, the
judge of the court may call in a competent and disinterested person who is capable to
act as a stenographer to act as the official stenographer in the whole or in such portion
of the cause or matter as may be agreed upon. The compensation of the stenographer
shall be paid by the parties in such proportion as the judge of the court decides, except
that the compensation shall not exceed that of the official court reporter of the Superior
Court. Sec. 51-73. Powers and duties of stenographer. Notes to be evidence. Appeals
on record. Each stenographer called in and acting under the provisions of section 51-
72 shall be sworn and shall have the powers and be subject to the duties prescribed by
law for the official court reporter of the Superior Court. Evidence taken by any such
stenographer shall have the same effect and be evidence to the same extent as evidence
taken by the official court reporter of the Superior Court. Appeals from any decision
rendered in any case after a record is made under this section and section 51-72, shall
be on such record and shall not be a trial de novo.
Sec. 51-60. Appointment of official court reporters.
Sec. 51-61. Court reporter to be sworn. Duties. Transcript.
Sec. 51-62. Official court reporters before state referees, judges and family support
magistrates.
Sec. 51-63. Salary and fees of Superior Court reporters, monitors, official stenographers
of Workers' Compensation Commission.
Sec. 51-64. Traveling expenses.
Sec. 51-65. Vacancy in office of court reporter.
Secs. 51-66 to 51-71a. Court reporters and stenographers, generally.
Sec. 51-72. Probate Court; stenographer may be called in by agreement.
Sec. 51-73. Powers and duties of stenographer. Notes to be evidence. Appeals on record.
Sec. 51-74. Use of shorthand writing machine or recording device.
(b) A person shall not be appointed a court reporter under the provisions of this
section who has not passed the entry level examination provided for under section 51-
63 and a reporter shall not be placed in the higher court reporter salary classification who
has not passed the examination provided for in said section for such higher classification,
provided each person serving on July 1, 1978, as a court reporter or assistant court
reporter in the Court of Common Pleas shall continue to serve in the Superior Court for
the balance of the term for which he was appointed. In no event shall the compensation
of such person be affected solely as a result of the transfer of jurisdiction provided in
section 51-164s.
(1949 Rev., S. 7727; 1957, P.A. 199, S. 2; 445, S. 8; 1969, P.A. 16, S. 1; P.A. 76-436, S. 73, 681; P.A. 77-576, S. 20,
65; P.A. 78-280, S. 78, 127; P.A. 82-248, S. 58; P.A. 84-529, S. 2.)
History: 1969 act deleted requirement that court reporter for Waterbury be a resident of that city; P.A. 76-436 authorized
appointment of assistant court reporters, changed reporters' term of appointment from two years to one year and added
provisions re salary and examination requirements, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-576 substituted judicial district for
county and deleted specific reference to Waterbury, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 78-280 specified that committee of judges
has power to remove reporters from office and deleted reference to reporters' receipt of compensation as was received in
common pleas court pursuant to compensation plan under Sec. 51-12; P.A. 82-248 reworded section, divided section into
Subsecs., deleted provisions re salaries and appointment of court reporter for Stamford and added "provided for under
section 51-63" after "examination"; P.A. 84-529 deleted requirement of annual appointment of court reporters by judges
of the superior court at their annual meeting in June and deleted Subsec. (b) re one-year term of office of court reporters,
relettering former Subsec. (c) accordingly.
See Sec. 51-63 re salary and fees of court reporters.
See Sec. 51-166 re annual meeting of judges.
Former statute cited. 128 C. 290.
Cited. 36 CS 9, 14.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 33 CA 311, 324.
Cited. 43 CS 246, 251.
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(b) Each official court reporter shall, if the judge or judges of the court so direct,
employ assistant court reporters and monitors to attend such court as the judge or judges
may desire. He shall not employ assistant reporters or monitors receiving a per diem
rate to attend any session unless their employment is authorized by the judge holding
the session. Each assistant court reporter or monitor, before entering upon his duties,
shall be sworn to faithfully perform them.
(c) Each official court reporter, assistant court reporter and monitor shall, when
requested, furnish to the court, to the state's attorney or any assistant or deputy assistant
state's attorney, to any party of record and to any other person, within a reasonable time,
a transcript of the proceedings, or such portion thereof as may be desired, except that,
if the proceedings were closed to the public, such court reporter or monitor shall not
furnish such transcript or portion thereof to such other person unless the proceedings
were commenced on or after October 1, 1988, and the court in its discretion determines
that such disclosure is appropriate.
(d) Whenever a transcript of proceedings, or a portion thereof, has been requested
by any party of record pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the court reporter or
monitor shall furnish a transcript or portion thereof to the state's attorney, assistant
state's attorney or deputy assistant state's attorney at no cost as provided in subsection
(c) of section 51-63.
(e) Whenever a transcript of proceedings, or a portion thereof, has been requested
by the state's attorney, assistant state's attorney or deputy assistant state's attorney and
the public defender, assistant public defender or deputy assistant public defender, the
court reporter or monitor shall provide a transcript or portion thereof, in a form that may
be photocopied, to either such state's attorney or such public defender and the cost of
such transcript, or portion thereof, shall be shared by such state's attorney and such
public defender.
(f) Each official court reporter, assistant court reporter and monitor shall inform the
court whenever a transcript of proceedings, or a portion thereof, has been requested by
the state's attorney, assistant or deputy assistant state's attorney or any party of record
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. If such transcript or portion thereof has been
requested, the court, upon request, shall receive from such court reporter or monitor a
transcript, or portion thereof, at no cost as provided in subsection (c) of section 51-63.
(g) Whenever the court deems it necessary, it may order a transcript of the proceedings, or any part thereof, to be filed with the clerk of the trial court.
(h) All records of the proceedings taken on the trial of any action shall, within thirty
days after the action has been submitted, be filed with the clerk or the clerk's designee,
except that for the purpose of transcribing such records the court reporter or monitor
may at any time withdraw them for a reasonable time.
(1949 Rev., S. 7729; 1953, S. 3135d; P.A. 76-436, S. 74, 681; P.A. 78-280, S. 79, 127; P.A. 82-248, S. 59; P.A. 84-
23; P.A. 88-31; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-12, S. 43, 55; P.A. 93-142, S. 6, 8; P.A. 98-81, S. 4.)
History: P.A. 76-436 specified that court reporters need not make records for small claims sessions proceedings and
replaced reference to prosecuting attorneys with reference to assistants and deputy assistant state's attorneys, effective
July 1, 1978; P.A. 78-280 deleted references to terms and sessions of court reflecting change to court's continuous operation;
P.A. 82-248 reworded section, divided section into Subsecs. and added provision re authorization of employment of
assistant reporters formerly in Sec. 51-63; P.A. 84-23 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring a court reporter to make accurate
records of the arguments of counsel upon the request of any party; P.A. 88-31 amended Subsec. (c) to require each reporter
to furnish a transcript "to any other person" when requested and to add exception that if the proceedings were closed to
the public the reporter shall not furnish such transcript to such other person unless the proceedings were commenced on
or after October 1, 1988, and the court determines disclosure is appropriate; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-12 created a new
Subsec. (d) requiring a reporter to furnish a free copy of a transcript to prosecutors whenever one is requested by a party
of record, created a new Subsec. (e) requiring the prosecutor and public defender to share the cost of a transcript when
requested by both parties, created a new Subsec. (f) requiring reporters to inform the court whenever parties of record
request a transcript and provide the court with a free copy if requested and relettered the remaining Subsecs. accordingly;
P.A. 93-142 added references to "monitors", effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 98-81 amended Subsec. (h) by adding "or the
clerk's designee".
The trial court may decline to stop a witness to enable prisoner's counsel to take notes of the testimony. 47 C. 534.
Brief absence of stenographer does not make intervening proceedings void or erroneous. 71 C. 554. Notes may be read,
or transcript submitted, to jury. 82 C. 66. If court concludes that transcript as certified by stenographer is incorrect, it has
duty to correct it. 128 C. 289. Cited. 165 C. 152. Cited. 190 C. 219, 226. Cited. 193 C. 439, 440. Cited. 194 C. 233, 235,
240. Cited. 195 C. 496, 497, 503, 504. Cited. 208 C. 156, 160.
Cited. 36 CS 9, 11.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 193 C. 48, 58. Cited. 199 C. 207, 224. Cited. 216 C. 604, 609. Cited. 231 C. 43, 73.
Cited. 3 CA 148, 156. Cited. 21 CA 235, 243. Constitutional right to have voir dire proceedings recorded not established
in Connecticut. 26 CA 125, 126, 128, 131. Cited. 46 CA 269.
Cited. 43 CS 246, 251.
Subsec. (b):
Cited. 43 CS 246, 251.
Subsec. (c):
Cited. 208 C. 156−158, 160. Cited. 237 C. 339, 343.
Cited. 42 CS 10, 15.
Subsec. (h):
Cited. 43 CS 246, 251.
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(b) The court reporter when called upon, or a competent assistant designated by
him, shall attend the hearings, and shall have all the powers, be subject to the same
duties and receive the same compensation for attendance and fees for transcripts of his
official records as are authorized by law for official court reporters of the Superior Court.
(c) Compensation for attendance and fees for copies ordered by the judge or state
referee, when approved, shall be paid by the clerk of the superior court for the judicial
district in which the action is heard in the same manner as other court expenses.
(1949 Rev., S. 7728; 1953, S. 3134d; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127; P.A. 82-248, S. 60; P.A. 89-360, S. 40, 45.)
History: P.A. 78-280 substituted "judicial district" for "county"; P.A. 82-248 made technical revision, rewording some
provisions and dividing section into Subsecs. but made no substantive change; P.A. 89-360 amended Subsec. (a) by adding
references to family support magistrates.
Cited as recognizing unique status of state referees. 164 C. 360.
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(b) The salaries of the court reporters and assistant court reporters shall be established as provided in section 51-12 and shall be in two classes. Examinations shall be
held to determine level of skills and placement in a class.
(c) In addition to other compensation, official and assistant reporters and monitors
shall be entitled to charge a party or other individual one dollar and seventy-five cents
for each transcript page which is or previously was transcribed from the original record
as provided by law, except that (1) the charge to any official of the state, or any of its
agencies, boards or commissions or of any municipality of the state, acting in his official
capacity, shall be one dollar and fifty cents for each transcript page which is or previously
was transcribed from the official record, provided the charge to any such official shall
be fifty cents for each page for which a charge of one dollar and fifty cents already has
been made, (2) there shall be no charge to the state's attorney, assistant state's attorney
or deputy assistant state's attorney for a transcript provided pursuant to subsection (d)
of section 51-61, and (3) there shall be no charge to the court for a transcript provided
pursuant to subsection (f) of section 51-61. For purposes of this subsection, "transcript
page" means a page consisting of twenty-seven double-spaced lines on paper eight and
one-half by eleven inches in size, with sixty spaces available per line. The Chief Court
Administrator shall adopt policies and procedures necessary to implement the provisions
of this section, including but not limited to, the establishment and administration of a
system of fees for production of expedited transcripts.
(d) The fee for a transcript of such record, when made for the court or for the state's
attorney when acting in his official capacity, and for one copy each to the plaintiff and
the defendant, shall, upon the certificate of the presiding judge having so ordered such
transcript, be paid as other court expenses and, in all other cases, by the party ordering
the same, and such copies shall be furnished within a reasonable time.
(e) Official and assistant stenographers in the offices of the workers' compensation
commissioners shall be entitled, in addition to the compensation otherwise provided
for, to the same fees for preparing transcripts as are provided for reporters in the Superior
Court.
(f) Official court reporters shall be allowed such clerical assistance in each judicial
district as may be determined to be necessary by the judges of the Superior Court at
such compensation as may be fixed by the judges.
(g) Official court reporters and assistant reporters shall receive, in addition to the
compensation allowed by law, necessary traveling expenses to be taxed and paid as
other court expenses.
(1949 Rev., S. 3607; 1957, P.A. 193; 1967, P.A. 450; 537; P.A. 74-261; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127; P.A. 79-376, S. 70;
P.A. 81-390; P.A. 82-248, S. 61; 82-429, S. 1, 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-12, S. 44, 55; P.A. 93-142, S. 5, 8; P.A. 94-64, S.
1, 2.)
History: 1967 acts changed compensation of assistant reporters from twenty-eight dollars for each day of attendance
at court to such per diem rate as may be fixed by the judges and changed compensation for transcribed records from twenty
cents for each folio and copy to forty cents for each folio and ten cents for each copy; P.A. 74-261 increased compensation
from forty to fifty cents per folio and from ten to sixteen cents per copy and added proviso retaining former rates as charges
for state officials; P.A. 78-280 substituted "judicial district" for "county"; P.A. 79-376 substituted "workers' compensation"
for "workmen's compensation"; P.A. 81-390 increased the fee for court transcripts from fifty to seventy cents for each
folio and from sixteen to twenty cents for each copy of each folio; P.A. 82-248 reworded section, divided section into
Subsecs., deleted provision re employment of assistant reporters and reenacted such provisions as part of Sec. 51-61 and
added language formerly in Sec. 51-64 re traveling expenses; P.A. 82-429 increased fee from forty to sixty cents for each
folio and ten to twenty cents for each copy of each folio; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-12 amended Subsec. (c) by creating a
Subdiv. (1) and new Subdivs. (2) and (3) requiring court reporters to provide free copy of transcripts to the state's attorney,
assistant state's attorney, deputy state's attorney or the court; P.A. 93-142 amended Subsec. (c) by increasing amount
charged for each transcript page and added definition of "transcript page", effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 94-64 amended
Subsec. (c) by adding reference to adoption of procedures and to establishment and administration of system of fees for
production of expedited transcripts, effective May 19, 1994.
Subsec. (c):
Cited. 7 CA 286, 290, 291.
Subsec. (e):
Cited. 7 CA 286, 290, 291.
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(1949 Rev., S. 3608; September, 1957, P.A. 11, S. 36; 1959, P.A. 615, S. 12; P.A. 82-248, S. 163.)
See Sec. 51-63 re salary and fees of court reporters.
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(1949 Rev., S. 7730; P.A. 82-248, S. 62; P.A. 85-613, S. 76, 154.)
History: P.A. 82-248 restated provisions but made no substantive changes; P.A. 85-613 made technical change.
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(1949 Rev., S. 3608, 7591, 7613, 7614, 7731, 7732; 1949, S. 3109d; 1957, P.A. 199, S. 1; 446, S. 2; September, 1957,
P.A. 11, S. 36; March, 1958, P.A. 27, S. 57; 1959, P.A. 28, S. 14−18; 204; 1963, P.A. 31; 1967, P.A. 228; P.A. 74-183, S.
43, 44, 280, 291; P.A. 75-530, S. 8, 35; P.A. 76-436, S. 75, 547, 681.)
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(1949 Rev., S. 7733; 1959, P.A. 28, S. 94; P.A. 82-248, S. 63.)
History: 1959 act deleted references to municipal court and the taxing of costs therein, municipal courts having been
abolished; P.A. 82-248 reworded section.
Cited. 194 C. 635, 637. Cited. 237 C. 12, 15, 16.
Cited. 27 CA 333, 345.
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(1949 Rev., S. 7734; 1959, P.A. 28, S. 95; P.A. 81-349, S. 4, 5.)
History: 1959 act deleted obsolete references to sections 51-70 and 51-71; P.A. 81-349 provided that appeals from any
decision rendered in any case after a record is made shall be on such record and shall not be a trial de novo.
See Sec. 52-161 re consideration of transcripts of stenographer's record as part of official record.
Cited. 194 C. 635, 637. Cited. 237 C. 12, 15, 16.
Cited. 27 CA 333, 345.
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