Fact · Dictation for work and study
Under federal law, each session of a federal court is recorded verbatim, by shorthand, mechanical means, electronic sound recording or any other method the Judicial Conference approves.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“shall be recorded verbatim by shorthand, mechanical means, electronic sound recording, or any other method”
28 U.S.C. 753: Reporters, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (text of the United States Code), n.d., 28 U.S.C. 753(b).
Open the original- What it measures
- Section 753(b) applies to each session of the court and to every other proceeding that a court rule or order, or a judge, designates for recording. The method is subject to regulations from the Judicial Conference and to the judge's approval.
- What it does not show
- The statute allows several methods, not only stenography. A recording made by sound equipment must still be transcribed into a written record before it becomes a transcript.