Few industries depend on perfect documentation as much as the legal field. Civil and criminal cases of all kinds have a significant bearing on the lives of everyone involved — even on society as a whole in larger cases.

Given the crucial role transcriptions play in documenting hearings, depositions, and trials, a fair and just outcome hinges on these documents being precise, reliable, and secure, without fail. Transcription certification is the process that ensures this outcome each and every time.

Yet, as the work of transcription evolves to rely on new technologies, so too does the process of certification. Here, we’ll explore everything you need to know about certified transcription, what it means, and how it works in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation.

What Is a Certified Legal Transcript?

A certified transcript is a legal document that has been reviewed by a licensed reporter and verified to be accurate and authentic. It means the person or company who produced the transcript (or certified it after the fact) stands behind the words on the page.

Specific requirements to declare a transcript certified vary by state. The certifying reporter typically provides a certificate page at the end of the transcript stating they have reviewed and overseen the transcription process and it is a true and accurate reflection of the proceedings.

Why Does a Transcript Need to Be Certified, Anyway?

Certified transcription plays a critical role in the legal process. The entire purpose of legal proceedings is to get an accurate picture of the facts. If the documents recording testimonials and official statements are unreliable, that process is tainted, and the transcript documents may be unusable. Essentially, certified legal transcripts help uphold the integrity of legal proceedings.

The Transcript Certification Process

The process of legal transcription certification can vary depending on state laws and requirements, as well as the type of legal transcription (e.g., depositions vs. trials). However, the essential steps are usually as follows:

1. Retention: A court reporter retains the proceedings via stenography, digital court reporting, voice reporting, and other methods to capture a record for use during the transcription and certification process.
2. Transcription: A certified court reporter, stenographer, or certified transcription service documents the hearing, deposition, or courtroom proceedings manually or using automated software.
3. Proofreading: This is the stage of reviewing the written document to correct any errors to ensure it accurately conveys everything said in the proceedings. It’s an essential step to ensure the transcription is accurate — which may be the same reporter or a third-party certified transcription service. Proofreading must be completed by someone designated by the firm who arranged the proceeding retention.
4. Formatting: The transcript is then formatted to adhere to court, state, and jurisdictional requirements for page numbers, line spaces, characters per line, margin spacing, document references, and more.
5. Official certification: The reporter attaches a signed statement or affidavit attesting that they have reviewed and stand by the integrity of the transcription. The language of the signature page at the end of the transcript varies depending on the type of court reporter who retained the proceedings.
6. Filing, delivery, and record-keeping: The original certified transcript is then filed with the courts and delivered to any relevant parties, and certified copies are kept on hand at the reporting agency as a record.

Examples of Transcript Certificates

The details included in the final, attached transcript or deposition certificate will vary based on state law, court requirements, and the nature of the specific case. Typical certified transcription statements may look something like the following:

This certification is valid only for a transcript accompanied by my original signature and original required seal on this page.

I, JOE REPORTER, Official Court Reporter in and for the State of Louisiana, employed as an Official Court Reporter by Criminal District Court, Parish of Orleans for the State of Louisiana, do hereby certify that this testimony was reported by me in the stenotype reporting method, was prepared and transcribed by me or under my personal direction and supervision, and is a true and correct transcript to the best of my ability and understanding; That the transcript has been prepared in compliance with the transcript format guidelines required by statute, or by rules of the board, or by the Supreme Court of Louisiana; That I am not of counsel, not related to counsel or the parties herein, nor am I otherwise interested in the outcome of this matter.

JOE REPORTER
Certified Court Reporter
Registered Professional Reporter

*Sample certificate taken from the Criminal District Court, Parish of Orleans, Louisiana

Analog vs. Digital Certifications

Obtaining a certified transcript is only made more urgent with the introduction of AI and other tools now used to record and transcribe court proceedings and remote depositions. Many court reporters now rely on transcription companies like Rev to do the initial work — a process that saves time but still requires verification and certification.

By maintaining the involvement of a certified court reporter in the process, court reporters or legal transcription agencies can ease concerns about the use of technology. Whether the process was done through analog or digital means — the need for legal transcription certification is the same. It ensures transcripts continue to be reliable and meet all legal requirements.

How Long Does a Certified Transcription Take?

While the transcription process itself is relatively quick, certification significantly extends the typical timeline for final delivery. Because of the critical importance of accurate transcriptions in the legal industry, the court reporter certifying the document must carefully review every detail, from the minutiae of every verb to the high-level nuances of index pages, cover pages, and document formatting.

This process can be streamlined by using a service like Rev’s Ready to Certify (RTC) transcription, which blends the speed of AI-based transcription with multiple rounds of meticulous human review to focus on word accuracy, terminology, speaker identification, and numerous other factors. Transcripts are prepared with any personalized jargon or custom requirements and delivered with 99.6% accuracy, making final certification as quick and painless as possible. Rev’s RTC transcripts are fully ready for certification within seven days.

Get Your Transcripts Ready to Certify With Rev

Technology has made transcription more efficient than ever — but it has also made ensuring accuracy more imperative. In the legal industry, there is no substitute for transcription certification. Yet, technology like Rev can support the certification process by providing clean and accurate legal transcripts as quickly as possible.

Learn more about Rev’s legal transcription services today.