California Court Reporters Ass'n v. Judicial Council

Opinion

REARDON, J.

Effective in 1994, the Judicial Council promulgated rules of court allowing electronic recording of superior court proceedings, despite a statutory scheme authorizing official shorthand reporting of these proceedings and the Legislature’s rejection of legislation authorizing electronic recording. (See Cal. Rules of Court, rules 33(e), 891, 892, 980.3.) As rules of court are only valid to the extent that they comply with the constitutional charge to be “not inconsistent with statute,” we conclude that these rules were promulgated in excess of Judicial Council authority. (See…