

Stenographer, Fired Over Drinking Problem, Left Headaches for Appellate Courts - UVB-76
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/04/nyregion/stenographer-fired-over-drinking-problem-left-headaches-for-appellate-courts.html

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quanticle
What I don't understand is the stenographer's union's objection to
microphones:

    
    
        Mr. DiGiovanna said digital recorders sometimes failed to catch every word, 
        as lawyers tend to move around the courtroom.
    

First, lawyers can only move around the courtroom (Perry Mason style) in
certain jurisdictions. Most places have the lawyer stand behind a podium while
speaking. Second, even in jurisdictions that allow lawyers to pace about the
courtroom, wouldn't a wireless microphone be adequate to capture what he or
she is saying? Finally, every limitation of digital recording also applies to
the stenographer herself. You could strip out "digital recorders" and replace
it with "human stenographer" and the statement would be equally valid.

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UVB-76
According to the New York Post, who originally broke the story, Kochanski
often replaced trial dialogue with the phrase "I hate my job" or other
gibberish [1]

[1] [http://nypost.com/2014/04/03/alcoholic-court-
stenographers-g...](http://nypost.com/2014/04/03/alcoholic-court-
stenographers-gibberish-imperils-guilty-verdicts/)

