NCRA President warns court transcripts created by unlicensed providers put judicial integrity at risk
Reston, VA, April 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cindy Isaacsen, RPR, President of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), the country’s leading organization representing stenographic court reporters, captioners, and legal videographers, recently urged members and other legal professionals to uphold the law when it comes to making the official record in a video statement released by the Association on April 6.
Isaacsen, an official court reporter from Shawnee, Kan., noted that across the country, courts are increasingly being presented with transcripts that were not produced by licensed, certified court reporters but rather generated through unsupervised recording devices, remote third-party transcribers, and automated systems operating outside the statutory framework established by state law.
“If we allow unlawful transcript production to become normalized through admission, we risk creating precedent that erodes the reliability of sworn testimony itself,” she said. “We risk introducing uncertified, unverified, and potentially compromised records into the foundation of judicial decision-making.”
In her statement, Isaacsen said that NCRA urges courts nationwide to not allow certification requirements to be stipulated away, statutes mandate licensure, or treat unauthorized recording and outsourced transcription as equivalent to sworn officer oversight.
“Do not compromise the integrity of the record ever. The judicial system depends on an accurate, impartial, legally certified record. That record is not optional. It is structural,” she added.
Isaacsen further noted that NCRA’s position is not about technology or job protection but is about legality, accountability, and the preservation of evidentiary standards that protect every American who enters a courtroom.
“We, as the only profession dedicated to accurate creation and the sanctity of the record, ask you to stand firm against an inferior record and those trying to circumvent the current law. NCRA asks these simple things: Uphold the law, protect the record, and preserve the integrity of justice itself,” she added.
About NCRA
The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) has been internationally recognized for promoting excellence among those who capture and convert the spoken word to text for more than 125 years. NCRA is committed to supporting its more than 10,000 members in achieving the highest level of professional expertise with educational opportunities and industry-recognized court reporting, educator, and videographer certification programs. NCRA impacts legislative issues and the global marketplace through its actively involved membership.
Annemarie Roketenetz National Court Reporters Association 7039696363 aroketenetz@ncra.org
© Copyright Globe Newswire, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained in this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of Globe Newswire, Inc.
