Fairness and honesty are the highest priorities when the legal system works as it should. Court transcripts have become crucial in legal proceedings, serving as the official word-for-word record that helps ensure justice is served. For the same reason, legal transcription services have become one of the most reliable solutions for keeping unbiased records. However, these court transcripts can be altered.
If someone messes with the transcripts or makes mistakes, the legal process can be negatively affected. Inaccurate or changed transcripts could result in innocent people being wrongly incarcerated, the public losing faith in the justice system, and facing more severe consequences. That raises questions about what’s being done to prevent record tampering and what happens if someone gets caught doing it.
In this article, you’ll learn how:
- Altering court transcripts is difficult due to thorough review processes involving court reporters, lawyers, and the Clerk of Court.
- Intentionally falsifying court records is a serious federal offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1506, punishable by fines and up to 5 years imprisonment.
- Human transcription services offer 99%+ accuracy, confidentiality, and the ability to certify transcripts for court admissibility.
What are Court Transcripts?
Court transcripts verbatim accounts of what transpired in courtrooms. These documents are detailed records of all the exchanges between the judge, lawyers, witnesses, defendants, and anyone else who’s spoken during the proceedings. They are also word-for-word accounts useful for things like appeals or legal research.
There are different types of legal transcripts, each with its own special purpose, and trial transcripts are arguably the most important ones as they cover the whole operation, from the opening arguments to the final verdict.
Uses of Court Transcripts
Here are the common uses for court transcripts:
| Setting | Description |
| Appeals | Provide a verbatim record for appellate judges to review trial proceedings. |
| Legal Research | Used by attorneys, law students, and scholars to study case law and legal principles. |
| Media Reporting | Ensure accurate reporting and provide quotes from legal proceedings. |
| Public Records | Considered public records, accessible for background checks and historical research. |
| Investigations | Used by law enforcement and attorneys to investigate potential wrongdoing. |
| Academia | It serves as a primary source for studying legal systems, social issues, and public policy. |
So… Can Court Transcripts Really be Altered?
Certifying transcripts involves multiple verifications and authentications to ensure everything’s above board. However, it’s not foolproof. The professionals writing down everything that’s said must have unwavering ethics and a strong moral compass to ensure the record is unbiased and complete.
Once completed, the transcripts undergo a thorough review, during which the lawyers on the case give them a thumbs-up. Then, it’s certified and handed off to the “clerk of the court.”
With all these measures in place, it’s tough for anyone—even judges or lawyers—to alter the transcript without getting caught red-handed.
Although It’s Improbable, It’s Not Impossible
Creating transcripts isn’t a walk in the park, let alone tampering with one. The perpetrator would need specialized equipment, passwords, and apps made just for the job. If authorities catch reporters or transcribers intentionally messing up the transcripts, they could be in hot water.
If you were in their shoes, would you even consider pulling a stunt like that?
Well, there are many reasons why someone would attempt to alter a court transcript. Some of them are monetary gain, covering a mistake, misleading courts, and influencing the outcome of the case.
Plus, both parties involved in the case will receive copies of the transcript before it’s certified. So, any changes would have to be so tiny that they would escape everyone’s attention.
However, if someone can pull a fast one, that’s where the Judicial Conduct Board (JCB) comes in. They can be considered the sheriff of the legal world, investigating any misconduct from lawyers or even judges.
If the JCB caught someone breaking the rules, they’ll bring them before the Court of Judicial Discipline, which can mean disbarment for legal professionals and, even worse, sometimes behind bars.
Consequences of Tampering with Court Records
Falsifying court records is a serious offense that can erode the integrity of the legal system and make the public lose faith in the judiciary.
Under 18 U.S.Code § 1506, “Whoever feloniously steals, takes away, alters, falsifies, or avoids any record, writ, process, or other proceedings, in any United States court, whereby any judgment is reversed, made void or does not take effect; or whoever acknowledges, or procures, in any such court, any recognizance, bail, or judgment, in the name of someone, not privy or consenting to the same, shall be fined or imprisoned up to five years, or both.”
To keep it simple, tampering with court records can open up cans of worms, like criminal charges, fines, and even jail time. Plus, it can lead to the dismissal of cases or the overturning of convictions, negatively impacting the lives of everyone involved.
Legal Remedies for Suspected Alteration of Court Transcripts
If there are reasons to believe that court transcripts have been altered or tampered with, there are a few legal remedies to keep the legal process straight and narrow. One option is to file a motion with the court to investigate the suspected shady business and get the record fixed with the right information.
Another solution is to appeal the decision based on the inaccurate transcript, arguing that the alteration messed with the case’s outcome. In some situations, it might be best to push for a new trial if the altered transcript significantly impacted the proceedings and made it hard for everyone to get a fair hearing.
However, if someone intentionally commits fraudulent acts, such as altering the details of a deposition transcript, they could face criminal charges for tampering with official court records—and I can guarantee that it will be heavy.
How Can Legal Transcription Services Help Preserve Accuracy
I can’t testify for others; however, professional legal transcription service providers, like us here at Ditto Transcripts, can help keep records of legal proceedings authentic to life.
Our team has skilled transcriptionists who are experts in converting spoken words into accurate written text, ensuring the final transcript is a mirror image of what went down in court. When I say “skilled transcriptionists,” I mean not only can they produce high-quality transcripts, but they also know their way around jargon and other technicalities surrounding the legal field.
Many transcription companies also utilize technology, like specialized court transcription equipment or secure online platforms, to streamline the process and ensure minimal mistakes.
Plus, we go the extra mile with robust security measures—access controls, regular backups, and more—to protect sensitive legal information from unauthorized changes.
How To Choose The Right Legal Transcription Service For Your Needs
Ditto Transcripts offers the best legal transcription in the industry. Signing up for our services gives you several major advantages, including:
Accuracy
Legal transcription inaccuracies can have heavy and far-reaching repercussions. Courts frequently use transcripts, especially verbatim ones, in hearings and other legal proceedings. This means that errors could lead to misinterpretations and have the potential to significantly—and negatively—impact an ongoing court case.
Some companies may offer low prices that reflect their lack of experience, and legal professionals can sometimes unknowingly fall for this trap. Such providers produce inaccurate and low-quality transcripts because they are not well-versed in legalese and jargon. Dealing with low-quality legal transcription companies will cost you more time, money, and effort.
Never settle for the cheapest, fastest transcriber with the lowest accuracy rates. Choose Ditto; you’ll get high-quality court transcripts every time, with 99% guaranteed accuracy rates. We guarantee that any transcript you receive from us is ready for use in court or legal research.
100% Human Transcription
According to studies, typical accuracy guarantees for automated solutions reach up to 86%.
Meanwhile, 100% human transcription services like Ditto are more than 99% accurate. That means human-completed court transcripts won’t have too many glaring errors, if at all. You can reliably use them for any court case with confidence that everything is accurate.
Affordability
Lawyers and legal professionals understand that quality transcription might come with a hefty price, but that price tag shouldn’t say “arm and leg.”
Reliable transcription companies meet their clients’ transcription needs quickly and accurately without charging exorbitant prices. Here at Ditto, we provide costs upfront and are willing to contact clients if the current pricing models don’t match the required work. Additionally, we allow clients pay-as-you-go options without committing to long-term contracts.
Ditto’s pricing is $1.50 per audio minute for more economical requirements. We also offer typical turnaround times and faster options for rush jobs.
Confidentiality And Security Measures
To avoid someone altering your court transcripts, you should look into transcription services that provide the best security. Good thing you’re here, then.
Ditto’s legal transcription service implements rigorous security protocols to ensure that we keep every byte of data safe and confidential. Our security measures include:
- Detailed Reporting and Tracking Features
- Individually Defined User Access Levels
- Individual User Names, Passwords, and PINs (immediate deactivation upon request)
- Scaled Network Redundancy
- Virtual Private Network (VPN) Integration
- Dedicated Data Centers
- Encrypting All Data With SSL 256-bit Encryption
- Criminal Background Checks
Corporate legal departments, law firms, and other institutions in the legal sector handle criminal cases, so it’s better to choose a CJIS-compliant legal transcription services company like ours.
CJIS compliance is the hallmark of a reputable and secure transcription company; not every official transcription provider can attain compliance with the Criminal Justice Information Services, as the division requires passing security guidelines above and beyond typical security requirements.
Ability To Certify Transcripts
Legal transcriptions from depositions, custody hearings, court orders, conference calls, client meetings, witness testimony, even interrogations, and other law enforcement transcription documents are popular in legal proceedings. Furthermore, the court admits transcripts, and parties often submit them as evidence.
However, transcriptions submitted to the court require proper certification—meaning your transcriptionist must be able to certify their transcripts. Transcript certification has strict requirements, including the transcriber’s capacity to appear in open court and testify under oath.
Therefore, offshore and automated transcription services cannot certify transcripts. We, however, can certify any legal transcript upon request.
Quality Customer Service
With Ditto, you don’t have to worry about your transcribers ghosting you when you need them most. It doesn’t matter if you’re a current or prospective client. Call us within normal business hours, and we’ll happily address any of your questions.
Choose Ditto For High-Quality and Ethical Transcripts
Don’t settle for cheap, inaccurate services or pay through the nose for expensive ones. And certainly, don’t sign up with services that run the risk of having your court transcripts altered.
Ditto Transcripts will never compromise on the quality of your legal transcripts.
Contact Ditto for reliable, accurate, and affordable legal and verbatim court proceeding transcription. You can request a sample transcription to assess the quality of our service at any time.
Ditto Transcripts is a HIPAA-compliant and CJIS-compliant Denver, Colorado-based transcription services company that provides fast, accurate, and affordable transcripts for individuals and companies of all sizes. Call (720) 287-3710 today for a free quote, and ask about our free five-day trial.
