Court Reporters / Stenographers, Screw-Ups, State Judges

ATL Public Service Announcement: Procrastination Does Have Consequences

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Is trouble brewing in Paradise? And no, we’re not referring to the computer and wi-fi problems that are causing us to blog at a somewhat sluggish leisurely pace today, here in sunny Miami.

We now bring you a bit of local color, about allegedly procrastinating court reporters in south Florida….

From the Miami Herald:

A Broward judge on Friday jailed a stenographer for contempt of court, saying she had failed for months to deliver a transcript needed to move forward with a defendant’s appeal.

Circuit Judge Charles Greene said he will release stenographer Ann Margaret Smith, 44, as soon as she completes the transcript.

He said he issued orders for Smith’s equipment and notes to be sent to the jail, and for the Broward Sheriff’s Office to provide a place for her to work.

This idea is not half-bad. Nothing solves a case of writer’s block — or typist’s block, as the case may be — like jail time.

(Biglaw shops employ this same tactic, except the “jails” are stocked with Aeron chairs, plush carpets, and contemporary art.)

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P.S. It’s inconsistent with the lighthearted tone of this post, so we have omitted mention of it, but the underlying crime in this case is particularly heinous.

Broward Judge Jails Stenographer [Miami Herald]

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