IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

IN AND FOR HARDEE, HIGHLANDS AND POLK COUNTIES, FLORIDA

WHEREAS, Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.070(g)(3), provides that the chief judge may enter a circuit-wide administrative order authorizing the electronic recording and subsequent transcription by persons other than court reporters, of any judicial proceedings, including depositions; and

WHEREAS, Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.220(h), provides that the parties to a criminal prosecution may, in accordance with the rule, take discovery depositions; and

WHEREAS, Chapter 29.005, Florida Statutes, provides that reasonable court reporting and transcription services for the state attorneys’ offices is to be provided from state revenues; and

WHEREAS, Chapter 29.006, Florida Statutes, provides that reasonable court reporting and transcription services for the public defenders’ offices is to be provided from state revenues; and

WHEREAS, the legislature has made specific appropriations to the Office of the State Attorney and the Office of the Public Defender for due process costs, including the cost of court reporting and transcription services; and

WHEREAS, the Office of the State Attorney and the Office of the Public Defender have a responsibility to ensure that court reporting and transcription services are accurate, reliable, and economical; and

WHEREAS, the Office of the State Attorney and the Office of the Public Defender have entered into an agreement concerning the electronic recording and transcription of discovery depositions; now, therefore

IT IS ORDERED that the Office of the State Attorney and the Office of the Public Defender are authorized to electronically record and subsequently transcribe discovery depositions in accordance with the provisions of the agreement between the respective offices attached hereto as Exhibit A.

DONE AND ORDERED on this 19th day of September 2006.

RONALD A. HERRING

Chief Judge