Trial Court Reporting
Retain a certified trial court reporter in Washington for a complete record, with rough drafts, daily copy and realtime. B&A Litigation, since 1980.
or call 253-627-6401
At B&A Litigation Services, we provide professional trial court reporting services for attorneys who require a reliable, accurate, and certified record of courtroom proceedings. As more courts move toward electronic or digital audio recording systems, many attorneys are choosing to retain a certified court reporter to ensure the integrity and usability of the trial record.
B&A’s trial services allow counsel to proceed with confidence, knowing that testimony, rulings, objections, and bench conferences are captured by a trained professional who is in the room. Trial reporting is one part of B&A’s court reporting services.
Daily copy
Delivered the same evening
Court approval
We work with you on the request
Rough drafts and realtime
Available at trial
Court reporter–owned
Co-owner Sarah Fitzgibbon still takes depositions every week
Part of B&A’s court reporting services
Certified Reporting in Lieu of Electronic Recording
In some courtrooms, the default method of record creation is electronic recording rather than a live court reporter. Audio recording documents the proceeding; turning that audio into a transcript happens later, by someone who was not present, which becomes harder when proceedings are fast-paced, complex, or contentious.
Not every Washington court allows a privately retained court reporter at trial. Where it is allowed, the court’s approval has to be obtained first, and we work with you on that request. Once it is in place, B&A provides certified court reporters to report trials in lieu of electronic recording. A certified reporter actively listens, identifies speakers, manages overlapping dialogue, and creates a readable, authoritative transcript.
In Washington, that reporter holds a Department of Licensing certificate under chapter 18.145 RCW, and RCW 5.28.010 names a state-certified court reporter among those authorized to administer the oath.
Why Attorneys Choose a Certified Trial Reporter
Trials present unique challenges that make professional court reporting especially valuable. These include:
- Multiple speakers and rapid exchanges
- Simultaneous objections and rulings
- Sidebars and bench conferences
- Witnesses speaking softly, quickly, or with accents
- Technical, medical, or expert testimony
- High-stakes evidentiary and appellate considerations
A certified court reporter produces a clean, intelligible, and legally reliable record from the outset, rather than reconstructing it from audio after the fact.
Experienced Trial Reporters
B&A assigns experienced, trial-tested reporters to courtroom proceedings. Our reporters understand courtroom protocol, judicial expectations, and the importance of professionalism in a trial setting. They are prepared to handle long days, complex testimony, and the heightened pace of trial work. They are also able to provide rough drafts, daily copies, and realtime.
We work closely with counsel in advance to coordinate scheduling, courtroom logistics, and any specific needs related to the case. Our goal is to ensure that the reporting process is seamless and unobtrusive while delivering a complete record.
B&A has been reporting in Washington since 1980 and is court reporter–owned: co-owner Sarah Fitzgibbon still takes depositions every week, so the people coordinating your trial know what the reporter in the courtroom needs.
Transcript Delivery and Daily Copy
Trial transcripts produced by B&A are subject to the same rigorous quality-control standards as all of our reporting work. Attorneys can rely on a timely delivery for trial transcripts, as well as dailies if needed. Daily copy is delivered the same evening, so you can prepare the next morning’s cross-examination from the day’s actual record rather than from your notes.
“Thank you all so much for all of your patience and assistance during our recent trial in coordinating the many depositions (many of them last minute) and trial depos that you helped us set up through the past few months. Everyone at B&A Litigation Services has been incredibly willing to help and professional throughout this process and I can’t tell you how much that means to us.”
A Record for Post-Trial Motions and Appeals
When a trial record is needed for post-trial motions, appeals, or settlement discussions, clarity and accuracy are critical. Transcribing audio after the fact can require repeated playback, especially when speakers overlap or audio quality is compromised.
A B&A trial reporter creates a transcript that reflects the proceeding as it occurred, with proper speaker identification, formatting, and contextual awareness. This results in a transcript that is easier to review, cite, and rely upon throughout the life of the case.
Many attorneys choose to retain a trial reporter not only for accuracy but for peace of mind: the testimony is captured by a certified professional who was present for every word. In an environment where courtroom technology varies widely, B&A’s trial services provide consistency and reliability in the record.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring my own court reporter to a Washington trial?
Sometimes. Not every Washington court allows a privately retained reporter at trial, so the court’s approval has to be obtained first. We will work with you on the request. Once it is approved, B&A handles the scheduling and courtroom logistics and assigns a certified reporter for each trial day.
What is daily copy?
Daily copy is a transcript of each trial day’s testimony delivered before the next day begins, so counsel can prepare cross-examination and closing from the actual record. B&A delivers daily copy the same evening. Rough drafts are also available when you need testimony faster than a certified daily.
Can I get realtime during trial?
Yes. A B&A reporter can send a live realtime feed to counsel’s laptop or tablet in the courtroom, so you can read testimony as it is given, scroll back to earlier answers and mark passages. The realtime feed is an unedited draft; the certified transcript or daily copy follows.
Can the reporter also cover trial depositions?
Yes. B&A covers depositions taken to preserve testimony for trial as well as the trial itself, and our scheduling team coordinates them together, including on short notice. If the trial deposition is being videotaped for playback, we can book a legal videographer at the same time.
Book a Court Reporter for Trial
Tell us your trial dates and courtroom when you schedule trial reporting, or call 253-627-6401 or toll-free 1-800-649-2034.
Trial reporting is coordinated from our Tacoma headquarters and our Seattle office for courtrooms across Washington.