For those that just cannot wait to hear what the latest developments are in the criminal trial of sports superhero-turned-actor O J Simpson, computers will be displaying the court transcript literally as it happens live at both the prosecution and defence counsel’s tables, the judge’s desk, the clerk’s desk, and next to the court reporter herself. Stenograph Corp, manufacturer of shorthand machines and software for the court reporting profession, will be providing the system to be used in the trial. It runs the company’s CaseView software and will give instant access to real-time transcription of the court proceedings. As the court reporter’s steno notes are entered into the reporting machine, they will be simultaneously translated into English with the court reporter’s own real-time translation software package, Premier Power. The complete text is then transmitted at the same time to any number of computers inside or outside the courtroom using the CaseView software, thus providing an on-line, unedited transcript to all users of the package. The system enables attorneys on the case to view and interact with the transcript on their own personal computer, make any notes they need and mark text in the file to assist them in cross-examination and trial preparation. In addition to the real-time benefits to the court, CaseView can speed the process for obtaining a certified transcript of the trial by reducing the typical turn-around time on transcripts from around four weeks to the same day – handy for reporters who get bored sitting in court.
