was
constructed with network and audio/visual infrastructure that allows a
single Automated Court Reporter (ACR) to monitor and annotate up to four courtrooms
at one time from a centralized location. Digital Court Reporting
The Ninth Circuit Court’s automated
court reporters are using cutting edge technology to monitor, record, transcribe,
and annotate court proceedings. The Ninth Circuit's new courthouse was
constructed with network and audio/visual infrastructure that allows a
single Automated Court Reporter (ACR) to monitor and annotate up to four courtrooms
at one time from a centralized location.
How It Works
Starting in each
courtroom, an analogue mixer receives the signals from as many a six microphones.
The signals are mixed down to four channels of audio, plus one channel for backup,
and are transmitted over several sets of twisted pair to the ACR server room,
located in another building. The servers receive the signals and encode
the audio digitally by using a special card. The audio is then streamed
to the server’s RAID hard
drives, where it can be played back from any workstation running special software.
One server is used as the primary machine and records four channels of audio.
If the primary server crashes for some reason, then the backup server still
records a single channel feed from the courtroom, so there is no loss of testimony.
From a main control center, the ACRs can access each of the courtrooms and turn
on and off the recordings, as well as make annotations for each case in each
courtroom. Additionally, the ACRs can can remotely monitor all court
proceedings through video cameras mounted in each courtroom.
The Software
The Ninth Circuit uses software called FTR (For the Record).
FTR has several different features that allow ACRs to annotate, turn on and
off the recording in the courtroom, and switch between different courtrooms.
There are also features that allow ACRs to transcribe as well as Judges to review
testimony in their chambers by using a browsing module. You can check out FTRs
latest by visiting their site at http://www.ftr.org/
The Process
Each
morning, the ACRs come in and fire up the annotator software and connect to
each courtroom. They have a list of the court dockets, so they know when court
will begin in each courtroom. They also can tell if court is running on time,
because they can check the video monitors in the courtroom. 
Once
court starts, the clerk slides the case folder under the bar scanner in the
courtroom, and the case number is automatically entered into the database and
annotation record. The ACRs watch each courtroom on the monitors and switch
back and forth between courtrooms making annotations. After the trial or hearing
is over, in the courtroom the clerk slides the next case file under the bar
scanner, and the next case begins.
Transcription
The servers’ disk drives are large enough
to hold up to five days of audio, after which the audio
files are archived onto 4mm tape. If the audio hasn't been archived, a transcriptionist
can access the audio directly from the servers hard drives, without the need
of restoring data. If the audio has been archived, the ACR can lookup the tape
number and restore the audio. Audio playback is controlled via foot pedals that
plug into the back to their PC.
Hear comes the Judge
During breaks, before court , and/or court, the
Judge can retire to his/her chamber and access the ACR system using their PC.
They can access the database, find the case, and scroll down through the annotation,
until they find the testimony they’re interested in hearing. Judges who
take 
over
cases or aren’t familiar with a case, may choose to listen to the testimony
rather than reading it. Testimony can also be played back in the courtroom via
request from an attorney.
The Gear
FTR requires four large Digital servers
running Windows NT 4.0. Each server requires 36GB of disk space, two tape drives.
Each courtroom requires a PC that is accessible via remote control software
called Timbuktu. Each annotator requires a PC, as well as each transcriber.
The Payoff
The
Ninth Circuit was able to reduce the number of ACRs from 28 to 18 by putting
this technology to work. In the past, each ACR was required to sit in court
all day and record using standard tape machines. They would make annotations
on paper, indicating the tape number for each entry. Now, one ACR can simultaneously
monitor up to four hearings, depositions, or trials, at one time from a remote
location. This not only reduced the number of ARCs required to maintain the
court record, but it also reduced the physical number of people required to
be in the courtroom each day.