Board brief, Aug. 2007

BOARD OF COURT REPORTING OF THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF GEORGIA

Board Brief

Issue 1

Summer 2007

George William Abel, Jr. Judge Linda S. Cowen Chair John K. Larkins, Jr. Kerry A. McFadden Vickey E. Riggins Marilyn C. Roe Vickie Wiechec Judge Anne Workman

Inside This Issue:

Staff to the Board

2

Members of the Board 3

Important Dates

4

The Importance of

GCCCRA

4

Continuing Education

Notes

5

2007 Revocation List 5

2007 Suspension List 6

LEAP Notice

7

Fee Schedule Correction 8

Official License Renewal 8

A Message from the Chair

There are some interesting and exciting changes occurring with the Board of Court Reporting, including the publication of this, our own newsletter, "Board Brief." As the Chair of the Board, I want to introduce myself to you all, I want to remind you of the role and purpose of the Board of Court Reporting, and I want to let you know what we are doing to try to improve the practice of court reporting in the State of Georgia. Personally, I am a Judge in the State Court of Clayton County, having been on the State Court bench since December 1995. Prior to serving in State Court, I was a part-time Magistrate, and practicing attorney. I graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1985, and have a B.B.A. in Economics from UGA as well. I have an Official Court Reporter, Rebecca Gosdin, who has been with me since my first day on the job, and Beckie has regular help from Kathy Wells a few weeks out of each month. I have been married to Martin L. Cowen III, an attorney, for 25 years, and we have two sons. I have just completed one term on the Board, and have been reappointed to a second term. I have been Chair of the Board for a year, and hope to continue in that role for another year. The Board of Court Reporting is created by statute, and is composed of nine members. Five members are certified court reporters, two members are representatives from the State Bar of Georgia, one is a Judge of the Superior Court and one is a Judge of the State Court. All members are to have at least five years' experience in their respective professions. The members of the Board are appointed by the Judicial Council. It is the role of the Board of Court Reporting to oversee the process by which court reporters

become certified in the State. In that role, the Board creates and oversees the administering of the test given to newly certified reporters, as well as creates rules for the admission of reporters certified in other states by reciprocity. It is the desire of the Board that the testing process be fair, but that the test be designed to certify only those reporters who will prepare an accurate and quality transcript. The Board then continues with the responsibility of issuing renewal certificates to each reporter every year, collecting dues. Also, with the valuable help of the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education, the Board tracks required continuing education hours, and sanctions those who do not comply with this requirement each year.
The Board of Court Reporting is also the disciplinary board for certified reporters. In that role, the Board receives complaints, reviews them, and then may decide to require a response from the court reporter. If necessary, the Board may eventually hold a hearing on a complaint, and may impose discipline, ranging from private reprimand, public reprimand, suspension of permit, limiting or restricting a permit, refusing to issue or renew a permit, or revocation of a permit. The most common complaints received by the Board are that people have requested a transcript, and have not received the transcript after repeated requests and delays.
There are often requests made of the staff for the Board that are outside the scope of the Board's role. For example, the Board cannot help court reporters collect money, cannot resolve disputes that reporters are having with their customers over how their bill is calculated, cannot intervene for the reporter in a dispute the reporter may be having with a judge about what should be recorded or transcribed, and cannot lobby for court reporters with the legislature for changes in the law. The staff may be able to refer
continued pg 2

Page 2
A Message from the Chair cont.

a reporter to the appropriate rule of the Judicial Council as to fees, or the appropriate statute, or may simply refer the reporter to their Handbook.
The Board is striving to streamline processes with the help of an excellent staff. You will see in the near future changes in the renewal process, and the notification of continuing education suspension, so that these matters can be handled more expeditiously and with less paperwork. The Board worked with ICJE last year to make the reporting and tracking of reporters' continuing education hours more efficient and computerized, and will continue in this valuable partnership. The Board staff has worked hard to improve the disciplinary process, and the Board will continue to work on

this issue. The Board has worked diligently to improve the testing process, and will be focusing on this issue as well in the next year. The Board is also going to be working on revising the Rules and Regulations so that they are easier to read and understand.
The Board of Court Reporting welcomes suggestions and input on these issues. We are open to new ideas, and hope you will help us keep court reporting in Georgia a profession that you can be proud of.

Serving Georgia's Courts...
Members honoring Sam Dennis for two years of faithful service to the board.
Board Brief

Staff to the Board

STEPHANIE CHAMBLISS, Assistant Director of Regulatory, chamblis@gaaoc.us
Stephanie Chambliss serves as Assistant Director of Regulatory in the General Counsel Division. Prior to stepping into her current position, Stephanie served the Administrative Office of the Courts as the Program Manager for the Georgia Commission on Access and Fairness in the Courts for 4 1/2 years. She obtained her Master of Public Administration from Georgia College and State University and
Bachelor of Art degree from the University of Georgia.

CHRISTOPHER L. CAUSEY, Assistant Compliance Coordinator, causeyc@gaaoc.us
Christopher joined the Board of Court Reporting as its new Assistant Compliance Coordinator in September of 2006. As the Compliance Coordinator, he is responsible for ensuring the compliance of rules and regulations set by the Board for maintaining a current licensure status. Christopher is currently pursuing his Master of Public Administration at Clark Atlanta University. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Texas Southern University in 2002.

AQUARIA SMITH, Program

Manager, smitha@gaaoc.us

Aquaria serves as Program

Manager to the Board of Court

Reporting. Prior to becoming

the Program Manager for the

Board, she worked in the

capacity

of

Legal

Administrative Assistant for

the General Counsel's Division with the AOC.

Aquaria obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in

Political Science at Georgia State University in

1999 and a Paralegal Certificate from the

National Center for Paralegal Training in 2000.

DEBORAH ATWATER, Administrative Assistant, atwaterd@gaaoc.us
Ms. Atwater has held the position of Administrative Assistant to the Board of Court Reporting since 1998. She maintains a database of court reporters and court reporting firms; is responsible for notifications of various Board of Court Reporting issues; and provides basic information and applications to the general public. Ms. Atwater received her Secretarial Certificate from Atlanta Area Technical School in 1983.

Issue 1

Page 3

Members of the Board of Court Reporting

BILL ABEL has served on the Board since July 2005, and was just appointed to his second term. Bill has been an official court reporter for the Northeastern Judicial Circuit for Chief Judge C. Andrew Fuller for more than seven years. Bill is also a partner with the firm of Appalachian Court Reporting, with Carol Glazier. Upon being honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corp, Bill attended Brown College of Court Reporting. After graduation from Brown, he worked in Washington, D.C. as a free lance reporter. Bill returned to Georgia to work with Lounell Day and Associates as a free lance reporter and worked in court when assigned. He then began working in the Enotah Judicial Circuit for Judge Hugh Stone and Judge David Barrett.
JOHN K. LARKINS, JR. was elected to the Board of Court Reporting in June 2007, as a representative from the State Bar of Georgia. He is an attorney and partner in the Atlanta law firm of Chilivis, Cochran, Larkins & Bever, LLP, where he concentrates on civil litigation and appellate practice. He is the author of a treatise, Georgia Contracts: Law & Litigation, has published articles on legal topics and legal history, and is a frequent speaker at seminars. In 2001, he was selected to Best Lawyers in America (business litigation). He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University (BA, 1973) and the University of Georgia (JD, 1976). He is married (33 years), and has three sons, the eldest of whom is also a Georgia lawyer.
KERRY MCFADDEN has been on the Board since July 2005, and was just appointed to her second term. Ms. McFadden is a firm owner. After graduating from the University of

Florida in 1981 and sampling a few jobs along the way, Ms. McFadden was sure court reporting was the job of a lifetime when she started working with a freelance agency in Atlanta in 1995. She is a member of NCRA and GSRA. Rising each morning before dawn, Ms. McFadden releases a lot of her pentup court reporting energy as a BTB Fitness boot camp instructor in Vinings.
VICKEY RIGGINS joined the Board in July 2006. She has been working as the official reporter for Henry County Superior Court Judge Brian Amero since January 2007. After five years as a legal transcriber, Ms. Riggins became a freelance court reporter in 2001, filling in frequently for official reporters in both Clayton and Henry County. Ms. Riggins has assisted the Testing Committee for the Board of Court Reporting since 2004.
MARILYN C. ROE has served on the Board since July 2005, and was just appointed to her second term. Ms. Roe has been an official court reporter for Cobb County Superior Court since 1983, and works with Judge James G. Bodiford. Before moving to Georgia, Ms. Roe was an official court reporter in Charleston, West Virginia. She is a member of NCRA, and has served on Georgia's Court Reporter Training Council from 2003-2005 and the Testing Committee since 2003. Marilyn is a graduate of Marshall University, Huntington WV. She resides in Roswell, Georgia with her husband and one daughter.
VICKIE WIECHEC was elected to the Board in July 2006. In December 2006, she accepted an official court reporter position with Judge Smith in the Dublin Judicial Circuit. Ms. Wiechec studied machine shorthand

at Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield, Massachusetts in the early 90s. Ms. Wiechec was a court reporter in Massachusetts and Connecticut before moving to Georgia in 1994. In 2001, she became a certified voice writer in Georgia, and has worked as a freelance and official reporter. Ms. Wiechec assists the Testing Committee, and is the chairperson of the Public Relations Committee for the Board. Ms. Wiechec has made presentations at LEAP seminars, and has taught machine shorthand at Flint River Technical College.
JUDGE ANNE WORKMAN joined the Board of Court Reporting in July 2005, and was appointed, in July 2007, to her second term. Judge Workman is an attorney and judge in the Superior Court of DeKalb County. She serves as the superior court judge representative on the Board. Judge Workman has worked extensively in four different classes of court in DeKalb County. She served as Solicitor of DeKalb Juvenile Court for six years prior to becoming a magistrate, and then chief magistrate. She was elected to DeKalb State Court in 1984, where she served 14 years before being appointed by Governor Zell Miller to DeKalb Superior Court, Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit, in 1998. She became Administrative Judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit on July 1, 2007, which entitles her to membership on the Executive Committee of the Council of Superior Court Judges as well as the Judicial Council of Georgia. Judge Workman is a 1969 graduate of Duke University, and Emory University School of Law in 1972.

Join us in welcoming Attorney John K. Larkins, Jr. as the newest member of the Board.

Page 4

IMPORTANT DATES
September 14, 2007

September 22, 2007 October 19, 2007

October 20, 2007

December 31, 2007

Learning Essentials About Professionalism (LEAP) State Bar of Georgia
TIPS for the Test
Georgia Certified Court Reporter Examination (Written Exam)
Georgia Certified Court Reporter Examination (Dictation Exam)
Deadline for CE Credits

The Importance of GCCRA

By Judge Linda Cowen
Many years ago, the Board of Court Reporting created a Rule that provided for the creation and existence of the Georgia Certified Court Reporters Association (GCCRA). The purpose of GCCRA is to improve and upgrade the profession of court reporting in Georgia by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and to further the education of its members. GCCRA has a Constitution and Bylaws, which set a goal of publishing a quarterly newsletter, "On the Record," and providing one continuing education seminar each year. Any person who is a certified court reporter in Georgia is a member of GCCRA. However, one is not eligible to become a voting member until dues are paid to the Association.
In recent years, GCCRA has faced some challenges. "On the Record" has been published sporadically in the last year, and there was no seminar put on by GCCRA. Court reporters across the state must become involved in order

for this organization to remain a valuable functioning resource!
GCCRA is the way to get answers to questions, such as what to do when you are having trouble collecting from an attorney, what to do when someone challenges the way your bill was calculated, where to get the best continuing education, and other professional concerns. There is an online forum for which court reporters can post questions and discuss these issues with other reporters. GCCRA is a medium for court reporters to bond together and lobby legislators for legislation to clarify and improve court reporting in Georgia.
There continues to be a great deal of confusion and problems arising from habeas corpus proceedings. This is an issue that really needs to be addressed legislatively. GCCRA is the way for court reporters to rally together to support a common cause. When a reporter becomes ill or overwhelmed by life circumstances, GCCRA is an organization which can provide referrals of other reporters or scopists.
Many reporters call the staff of the

Board of Court Reporting for assistance in these areas. The staff cannot make referrals, as these are not issues the Board was created to handle. GCCRA was created to assist with these issues. Rather than getting frustrated with the staff for the Board, take action! Join GCCRA as a dues-paying member. Run for office in that organization! Get GCCRA "fired up!" Volunteer to help publish "On the Record." Volunteer to help maintain the GCCRA web site, help organize a seminar, or present at a seminar. Volunteer to be the representative from GCCRA to the Court Reporters Training Council. Volunteer to be a mentor to a new reporter. These are the important, valuable resources GCCRA can provide, but it takes people with energy and pride in their profession.
Visit the GCCRA web site, www.gccra.org to learn more about becoming more involved in YOUR court reporting association. Help make it the vital organization it needs to be.

Board Brief

Issue 1

Page 5

Continuing Education Notes

By Barbara Teskey, ICJE
Now is a great time to work on your CE course requirement and get those hours submitted to ICJE.
CE Deadline The deadline for submitting 10 hours of CE
for 2007 is: 12/31/2007. By getting your hours in early, you will be able to check your CE status online and rest assured that you have completed your requirement for the year. Submissions date-stamped by 12/31 will be processed, of course, but you may not be able to confirm a last-minute submission until after the deadline has passed. In fact, the ICJE office closes for year-end holidays, so the submission deadline for December online confirmation is approximately 12/10 the earlier, the better!
Finding Classes and More Where can you find CE courses that are pre-
approved for Georgia court reporters? The ICJE website, www.uga.edu/icje (click "Court Reporters"), has a variety of CE information, including:
"Classes and Seminars" currently lists pre-approved seminars coming up in July, August, September and October. More listings are added all the time.

"CE Credit Hour Status" shows your individual status toward your CE requirement. This information is updated monthly, usually during the first week. In December, it will be updated again just before the ICJE office closes for the year.
"Continuing Education Manual" CE guidelines updated 1/1/2007.
"CRTC-1" and "CRTC-2" downloadable forms for submitting your CE requests to ICJE.

Now is a great time to work on your CE course requirement and get those hours sumbitted to ICJE!

Recommending Classes

Do you have a

favorite

CE

provider whose

course is not yet

listed on the ICJE Tina Harris and Barbara Teskey at the Spring

website? By all means, have your

Continuing Education Conference.

CE provider contact ICJE. Providers can use

the same website to submit their application

for course pre-approval: www.uga.edu/icje

(click "Court Reporters"). Once approved,

the class will be listed for the educational ben-

efit of all your fellow reporters.

2007 Revocation List
Alice Ann-Smith Alice D. Boni Anne S. Higgins Annette R. Trefz Bobbie A. Sellers Bonnie Craft Brenda G. Watson Cheri Lynne Young Cornelius J. Donnelly Cynthia D. McClary DeVonna M. Seabolt Diane Guldin-Templeton Donna C. Kaylor-Keeble Elaine R. Horne Frances S. Sanderlin

Gina Oertil Holly Rea Cotney James O. Emerson Jr Jean M Moralee Joy L. Elmore Julie K. Hermanson Karen J. May Kimberly K. Walstad Lisa G. Erickson Lori A. Wolfe Lori S. Mortge Lori Sizemore Lynda F. Calcagno Marcia Sheinis Margaret E. Johnson

Melanie Hannaman Melanie L. Robinson Melissa Taylor Renee M. Overton Roberta Gose Kelley Rose Arnold Sandra Pemberton Sharon S. Hayhurst Stephanie M. Skala Susan E. Willis Suzette M. Magee Tonya D. Russell W. Darlene Wright Yolanda G. Coleman

Page 6

2007 Suspension List

Name

Reinstated Name

Reinstated Name

Reinstated

Alice-Ann Smith

5/21/2007

Allison B. Zirbes

2/23/2007

Amanda Upton

2/9/2007

Amy Jo Kaska

3/30/2007

Angelia Evert

2/9/2007

Arlene M. Wright

5/21/2007

Barbara J. Prindle

3/28/2007

Betty Walden

5/1/2007

Blanche J. Harris

3/23/2007

Brenda Douglas

Bridgette Law

5/8/2007

Carree Summer Loudermilk

Cary L. Jackson

Cathy L. Jones

5/7/2007

Charlotte E. House

Cheryl S. Hecht

Christine L. Smugle

Christy L. Freyberg 5/18/2007

Cindee B. Deen

6/27/2007

Connie Lynn Boykin 5/17/2007

Corliss Lynch

6/11/2007

Dana R. Brooks

5/21/2007

Darla J. Coulter

David R. Roy

Denice V. Graham-Johnson

Denise L. McCauley 3/23/2007

Dennis G. Bull

5/21/2007

Dennis Zambataro

5/29/2007

Diane Miller

5/2/2007

Dominica M. Hotchkiss

Donald Leavell

Donna Fishman

2/1/2007

Dorotha L. Wade

5/25/2007

Eileen Wickberg

Evelyn Parker

4/19/2007

Evelyn T. Patterson 5/17/2007

Gere M. Rivera

6/30/2007

Gladys J. Leonard

8/7/2007

Gwen Ricketson

5/21/2007

Howard Torch

Janell A. Buchanan

Janet R. Allen

6/5/2007

Janet Wilson

4/17/2007

Jennifer A. Smith

Jennifer Thun

Jewel E. Reid

Jo Langston

Joyce Lee

4/7/2007

Judy A. Grill

Julie A. Mikulicic

Kamra Toalson

Karla T. Pittman

4/5/2007

Kathleen Lusz

Kelly J. Babler

4/25/2007

Kelly M. Dorsey

Kimberlie B. Woodie 6/22/2007

Kimberly A. Smith

5/4/2007

Kimberly Hopkins

Kimberly L. Coursey 5/7/2007

Kimberly V. Smith

5/21/2007

Krista S. Pruehs

LaRita J. Cormier

6/12/2007

Laura M. MacKay

Laura W. Gibson

Leita J. Seaborn

Linda S. Hershey

5/23/2007

Lisa D. Smith

7/18/2007

Lisa E. Lewis

Lisa Gainey

Lisa P. Thomas

Lisa Patrick

Lolita G. Morris

6/27/2007

Lori Alaoui

4/3/2007

Lori J. Rieke

Marcia Welch

5/17/2007

Marsha L. Evans

5/8/2007

Mary Jac Thompson 6/15/2007

Mary M. Armistead

2/1/2007

Melissa A. Bray

5/11/2007

Melissa M. Woodford

Michele Elizabeth Becker

Michelle Cason Drown

Michelle Jean Conger

Monica A. Walsh

Norma H. Rowe

Pamela Fisher

4/16/2007

Pamela Graham Hall

Pamela Pittman

6/8/2007

Pat Tanner Patsy B. Grooms Patti P. James Paul W. Alexander Paula O'Regan Rachel Gibson Rachel M. West Rebecca M. Rusk Regina Hollis Rene Loizou Renee Rachel Miller Richard A. Dueringer Richard Ballard Rochel Albert Rosanne Middleton Rosemary Rogers Sandra Daniels Sandra W. Martin Sandy Beauford Sandy Brown Sandy K. Angel Sarah E. Williams Sarah J. Greenwell Shana W. Spencer Sharon L. Ables Sharon R. Grimm Sharon S. Hartley Shelley Satterwhite Slone Huseby Sonya D. Tatum Stacy N. McPhaul Stephanie A. Comings Stephanie Kelley Tabitha L. Jones Tiffany S. Alley Timi M. Hannon Tina C. Henry Trenna M. Lacy Vito Dario Stanziola W. Steve Walker Wanda Robinson

4/27/2007
5/1/2007 4/4/2007
7/19/2007 5/22/2007
2/1/2007 5/8/2007 6/25/2007
5/18/2007 6/4/2007 2/9/2007 4/9/2007 5/17/2007
5/30/2007 5/22/2007 5/17/2007
5/17/2007 4/24/2007

The Board of Court Reporting of the Judicial Council of Georgia provides the following listing of court reporters that have recently had a court reporting license suspended or revoked by the Board of Court Reporting. Though every effort has been made to provide an accurate listing since as of April 1, 2007, a listing is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up-to-date. This listing is for convenience purposes only and is not intended to be an official record on the current status of court reporting licenses. It is recommended that the reader contact the Board of Court Reporting for verification of information and to not rely solely on the information of this listing.

Board Brief

Issue 1

Page 7

Learning Essentials About Professionalism
The mission of the Board of Court Reporting is to ensure the integrity and competency of the profession by setting and enforcing the standards by which court reporters are governed.

The Board of Court Reporting is excited about Learning Essentials About Professionalism (LEAP) seminar offered twice annually. LEAP seminar is designed to educate, guide and mentor the new Georgia Certified Court Reporter. Many of the subjects covered include Board rules and regulations, fundamental office procedures, freelance and official fiduciary issues and most importantly, transcripts. Attendees will learn the dynamics of being a professional reporter.

The Judicial Council of Georgia adopted LEAP into the Board of Court Reporting rules and regulations. Every newly certified Georgia court reporter shall complete the LEAP seminar authorized by the Board within 12 months of certification. Any newly certified Georgia court reporter who fails to complete the LEAP seminar authorized by the Board shall be automatically suspended.

Who is required to attend LEAP seminar?

Every newly certified Georgia court reporter shall complete the LEAP seminar authorized by the Board of Court Reporting within 12 months of certification.

Who may attend LEAP seminar?

Any certified Georgia court reporter who has not obtained the minimum of 10 continuing education (CE) hours per calendar year to maintain a valid certificate to practice as a reporter in Georgia. Note: The certified court reporter must not have previously attended and earned CE hours for LEAP.

Please bring your Georgia Certified Court Reporter's Handbook and Continuing Education Manual, as they will be referenced throughout the seminar.

If you have any questions, please contact Christopher Causey, Assistant Compliance Coordinator, 404.463.1319 or via email at causeyc@gaaoc.us.

Date:

September 14, 2007

Location:

State Bar of Georgia 104 Marietta Street Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30303 See www.gabar.org for directions and parking information

Register online @ www.georgiacourts.org/
agencies/bcr

Fee Schedule Correction

Effective July 1, 2007, the new scale of compensation for court reporters appearing in court proceedings is as follows:

Units in Hours Within a 24-hour Period

Compensation in dollars

More Than
0 8 9 or more

But No More Than
8 9

$184.54 $206.65 $221.45

Please visit www.georgiacourts.org/agencies/bcr to view the Court Reporters' Fee Schedule and Compensation Chart.

Please Recycle

Board Brief
Board of Court Reporting 244 Washington Street, S.W., Suite 300 Atlanta, GA 30334-9015

New Changes for 2008! Official License Renewal
Effective January 1, 2008, every certified court reporter and registered court reporting firm eligible for renewal may process their License Renewal application online. Visit the Board of Court Reporting Licensing site at www.georgiacourts.org/agencies/bcr. Click on the License Renewal link to begin the renewal process. Applicable renewal fees can be paid via our secure server using a Visa or Mastercard.
For a hardcopy, please contact the Board staff. The form will be mailed to the address on file. Please allow up to four weeks for processing.
If you have any questions, please contact the Board of Court Reporting at (404)656-6422 or via email, bcr@gaaoc.us.