Transcript retention requirements

[Lorrie L. Marchant]

Can anybody please remind me how long we freelance deposition reporters are required to retain our electronic transcript files? Is it seven years?
Thanks!

Lorrie L. Marchant (aka: LouLou)

[Rhoda Collins]

I thought it depends on the State and firm/Judge you work for?? I would just keep them on a DVD. I have an extra copy in my safe deposit box, along with all my digital pics I store like that too.
Rho

[Lorrie L. Marchant]

Thanks!
I'm going to hold everything from 2000 on.
:)

[Lauri Pullman]

you need to hold on for one year!!!

[Matt Spievak]

Hi,

My understanding is that it was changed to eight years at some point, but I may be mistaken.

[Marla Sharp]

I found the CA code (not always an easy task for some reason):

Article 5. Transcript or Recording
2025.510
(e) Stenographic notes of depositions shall be retained by the reporter for a period of not less than eight years from the date of the deposition, where no transcript is produced, and not less than one year from the date on which the transcript is produced. Those notes may be either on paper or electronic media, as long as it allows for satisfactory production of a transcript at any time during the periods specified.

[Lois Whitley]

Hi, Lorrie,

Just as a side note: As a scopist , I save all jobs I scope onto floppy disks or Zip disks and keep an index of them for each reporter I have worked with. So far, I still have all jobs backed up I have done for the past 9 years! I noticed the CA Code given,, which may not apply to other states as well. Question: Do the latest steno machines still give a paper steno note record also?

Lois

[Marla Sharp]

Lois, that's awesome that you keep a backup of the reporters' files. Good thinking.

A lot of machines are going paperless because the CA code changed to say, "Those notes may be either on paper or electronic media..."

It's wonderful to go paperless, but you've got to have double and triple backups now.