General Orders of Division II

2020-5 Procedures for Court Reporters and Transcribers

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

IN RE THE MATTER OF COURT                     )

ADMINISTRATION ORDER:                            )
                                                                         )

REGARDING PROCEDURES FOR                )        GENERAL COURT ORDER

COURT REPORTERS AND                            )

TRANSCRIBERS                                            )

____________________________________)

            WHEREAS amended RAP 9.5(a)(2) effective September 1, 2015 requires that an electronically filed verbatim report of proceedings (VRP) be in accordance with the court’s filing procedures and in searchable portable document format (PDF), and,

           WHEREAS the Court of Appeals wishes to provide an efficient and prompt method for filing VRPs, and,

           WHEREAS the Court of Appeals will transition to Appellate Electronic Court Records effective August 1, 2020 and no hard copy paper case file will be created or maintained, it is hereby

            ORDERED:

1. Division I – General Order-Regarding Procedures for Court Reporters and Transcribers dated July 1, 2019 is rescinded,
2. Division II – General Court Order-Regarding Procedures for Court Reporters and Transcribers dated February 25, 2020 is rescinded,
3. Division III - General Court Order-Procedures for Reports of Proceedings for Court Reporters and Transcribers dated April 17, 2017 is rescinded,
    
4. The Court of Appeals waives the requirement that a paper copy of the VRP be filed with the appellate court.  A Qualifying Electronic VRP shall be filed using the appellate courts’ web e-filing portal. The filing of a Qualifying Electronic VRP shall be the official filing date of the transcript for the purpose of filing and sanction deadlines.

A Qualifying Electronic VRP must meet all of the following format, filing, and service requirements:

1. The transcript “volumes” must be transmitted in 500-page increment files and be in searchable PDF format.
2. The PDF file(s) must have bookmarks added to the Adobe file that mirror the Table of Contents.  (Exception:  Exhibit presentation or admission information does not require bookmarking.)
3. Service on the party requesting the VRP in the filed Statement of Arrangements must be made using the Courts’ web portal system.

No paper verbatim report of proceedings will be accepted for filing after the effective date of this order.  Failure to comply with the requirements of this order will result in the transcript(s) being rejected for filing and/or sanctions being imposed.

Effective date:  June 1, 2020.

             DATED this 17^th day of April 2020

FOR THE COURT:

David S. Mann, Chief Judge

Division I

Linda CJ Lee, Chief Judge

Division II

Rebecca L. Pennell, Chief Judge

Division III