Rule 80 Stenographic Report or Transcript as Evidence

If a witness testified at an earlier trial or hearing, and that testimony was recorded (whether by a court reporter, tape, or similar device), you can use it as evidence in a later trial if it qualifies as admissible testimony. To do this, you need a certified transcript of what was said.

The person who made the original recording, usually the court reporter, must certify the transcript. If there wasn't an official reporter and someone else prepared the transcript, then the court clerk needs to certify it instead. This certification confirms that the transcript accurately reflects what the witness actually said.

This rule matters because witnesses aren't always available for a second trial. Maybe they moved away, passed away, or can't be found. Instead of losing their testimony completely, the court allows a certified transcript to stand in for their live testimony, as long as the proper certification process is followed.