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D. C. SMITH <br />CHIEF JUDGE <br />T IIF. T <br />rirp <br />A � � <br />y 66� <br />C <br />y 1 <br />Stab of Xovba <br />December 6, 1974 <br />Honorable Board of County Commissioners <br />Indiaif River County F <br />Vero•?Beach, Florida 32960 <br />Dear Commissioners: <br />224 COUNTY COURT HOUSE• <br />VERO BEACH. FLA. 32960 <br />PHONE? (3051 562.7671 <br />J <br />The Circuit Court of Indian River County has experienced a critical <br />situation in obtaining court reporters for recording court proceedings for <br />the past several months. It has been extremely difficult to obtain court <br />reporters to service the court for the compensation allowable by the State <br />of Florida and this court. Because of this critical situation the State <br />Court Administrator's office has allocated and will during the last week <br />of December or first week of January install an eight -track tape recording <br />machine in the Circuit Courtroom here in the Court House. <br />The aforementioned recording device has eight separate tracks with <br />a separate microphone for each track for the purpose of recording individ- <br />ual court participants on each track. It has already been demonstrated <br />that this type of recording device affords a far more reliable'recording <br />from which transcripts of the court proceedings may be accomplished, as the <br />recording of each court participant on an individual track can be clearly <br />identified. There are no similar accommodations in the recording device <br />presently being used in the courtroom to separate the various participants <br />of the court which makes transcribing the proceedings most difficult. <br />A major problem contributing to extremely poor court proceedings <br />tape recordings which needs to be remedied is that of the outside noises. <br />The sensitive microphones pick up noises resulting from doors opening and <br />closing, the swinging gate between the audience area and the actual court <br />area of the courtroom, and foot noises of individuals moving about the <br />courtroom. In the absence of an official court reporter the courts must <br />rely on the tape recordings of court proceedings as actual records of the <br />court for in court playback and for subsequent appeal purposes. It is <br />essential that the recordings be as clearly distinquishable as possible. <br />In view of the importance of the recordings, it is imperative that all <br />outside n�o`ises�eilti to the extent possible. It is therefore <br />- ----- -- <br />requesfe at a main courtroom area an pathway area e carvgtg�and <br />all entian&6_d6ors__ ani swingi`ng�ga�te be cushioned to rreduce. the noise <br />In addition an L-shaped recorder station with shelves consistent <br />with the existing judges bench material souId Be—constructe nex o <br />ec �gsI6ti�ri'"th' courtroom: <br />Since we invision no other early solution to our court recording <br />problem, I would greatly appreciate your favorable and early consideration . <br />to this request. <br />lay Garner, my Court Administrator, will be available to work with <br />Mr. Jack Jennings, your County Administrator or any other people you may <br />desire on this matter. <br />t <br />C?n@elISI <br />Chief Judge <br />DCS/RG/cr <br />cc: Hon. Jack Jennings <br />County Administrator <br />mo- <br />-37- <br />e <br />o'u - 21 PAG[257 <br />