486.10 FREELANCE COURT REPORTERS; DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL
ARRANGEMENTS.
    Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.
(b) "Court reporting firm" means a business that provides services of freelance court
reporters.
(c) "Freelance court reporter" means an officer who captures and transcribes verbatim legal
proceedings and who is authorized to administer oaths to witnesses. Freelance court reporter does
not include a court reporter while working in a courtroom setting as an employee of the court.
(d) "Contract or agreement" means a contract or agreement, whether oral or written, for court
reporting services between a freelance court reporter or court reporting firm and an attorney, law
firm, party to a legal proceeding, or party having a financial interest in a legal proceeding that
provides for ongoing court reporting services not limited to a particular case or reporting incident.
    Subd. 2. Disclosure; court reporter requirements; objections. (a) The existence of a
contract or agreement for court reporting services must be disclosed as provided by this paragraph.
Written notice of a contract or agreement must be included in the notice of taking deposition
or the notice of legal proceeding before commencement of a legal proceeding at which court
reporting services are being provided. Oral disclosure of a contract or agreement must be made on
the record by the court reporter at the commencement of the legal proceeding.
(b) A freelance court reporter:
(1) shall treat all parties to an action equally, providing comparable services to all parties;
(2) may not act as an advocate for any party or act partially to any party to an action; and
(3) shall comply with all state and federal court rules that govern the activities of court
reporters.
(c) An attorney shall state the reason for the objection to the provision of court reporting
services by a freelance court reporter or court reporting firm and shall note the objection and the
reason on the record.
    Subd. 3. Remedies. Upon the court's or presiding officer's learning of a violation of
subdivision 2, paragraph (a), the court or presiding officer may declare that the record for which
the court reporting services were provided is void and may order that the legal proceeding be
reconducted. Parties who violate subdivision 2, paragraph (a), are jointly and severally liable for
costs associated with reconducting the legal proceeding and preparing the new record. Costs
include, but are not limited to, attorney, witness, and freelance court reporter appearance and
transcript fees.
History: 1999 c 215 s 1