Civil Actions: shorthand reporters.

Assemblymember Chen's legislation modifies California's meet and confer requirements for civil motion proceedings by adding new documentation requirements regarding court reporters. The measure amends existing law to require that meet and confer declarations specify whether parties have discussed retaining a certified shorthand reporter for motion hearings.

The amendment introduces two key changes to current practice. First, moving parties must now document in their declarations whether they have conferred with other parties about securing a certified shorthand reporter to record the motion hearing. Second, the bill explicitly permits these meet and confer discussions to take place through electronic communications. The measure clarifies that while documentation of these discussions is required, the new provisions do not restrict parties' ability to retain a shorthand reporter for proceedings.

These procedural modifications affect multiple stakeholders in civil proceedings, including attorneys who must adapt their declaration practices, parties who need to address court reporter retention during pre-motion discussions, and certified shorthand reporters whose services may be discussed more systematically in advance of hearings. Court administrators will oversee compliance with the updated declaration requirements as part of their standard motion review process.