Silencing the court reporters in NC

[G_j]

http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/2013/05/30/silencing-the-court-reporters/

Silencing the court reporters
Published on May 30th, 2013
Written by: Sharon McCloskey

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No money for judges. No money for drug treatment courts. No money for attorneys to represent prisoners. No money for technology upgrades to bring the courts into the 21st century.

Why then, should there be money for court reporters, the state employees whose job it is to record testimony during hearings and trials and preserve it for possible appeals? Who would notice cuts to their ranks?

Plenty of people, it turns out.

Judges, lawyers and advocates working in the courts say that the Senate’s budget proposal to reduce the number of reporters by half and replace them with contract employees and audio equipment is not only wrong-headed and short-sighted; it also reflects a fundamental lack of understanding of how the court system functions.

“At the heart of justice is the right of appeal, which necessarily includes an accurate record of lower court proceedings for the appellate court to review,” said Edgar B. Gregory, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge in District 23, which covers Allegheny, Ashe, Wilkes and Yadkin counties. “By eliminating court reporters, we’re doing away with a professional in the courtroom who most everyone agrees is essential.”

..more..

[byeya]

1. "professional" - Wingnuts: Does not compute. Away with them.

There is nothing less than horrible going on in NC at this time.

[atreides1]

2. It may be horrible

But...it's what the majority voted for!

Which proves that the zombie apocalypse has begun in NC...because only brain dead, knuckle draggers could vote in a group of ass hats that they have now!