The courtroom of Lawrence County has found an ally in technology to deliver timely transcripts, with court reporter Tina Riedel leveraging AI to handle the heavy lifting. Finding audio files of court proceedings on her computer, Riedel drops them into an AI software that churns out text transcriptions in Word format, according to an article published by Court News Ohio. The transcription tool, although not perfect, has slashed the time required to produce a final, certified transcript by about 50% as per Judge Andrew Ballard's estimates.
However, these technological advances do come with a caveat. "Nothing is certified straight from AI," Judge Ballard told Court News Ohio, underscoring that human oversight remains crucial for the official record. Being overwhelmed with waves of transcript requests a few years ago, Riedel now reads through the AI-generated text, correcting any discrepancies while listening to the recording, which essentially saves her from starting transcripts from a blank page.
The AI doesn't just type up words; thanks to a smart sound system in the courtroom, it helps Riedel zoom in on particular voices, making the wording clear. Her role during court sessions is not merely to make transcripts but also to ensure the smooth running of the audio equipment, which Riedel confirmed in her multi-tasking as part of the hearing proceedings. The microphones placed strategically around Judge Ballard's courtroom capture every utterance, which the AI then interprets into a helpful but imperfect draft.
Despite the aid of AI, challenges remain. When an attorney grills a witness, the rapid-fire exchanges can render AI transcriptions too jumbled for Riedel's standards. In such instances, she often elects to delete the AI's attempt and instead types afresh, relying on the playback capabilities of the recording software to catch every word. Riedel told Court News Ohio that though the program creates an initial transcription for an hour-long hearing in less than 15 minutes, it is the capability to pick up words by isolating sound at one microphone that proves invaluable.
The technology is a boon, especially under the pressure of tight deadlines, where Riedel faces a 40-day window to deliver transcripts for appeals. She acknowledges that without AI, the volume of requests would instill panic, alluding to a particular criminal case that involved transcribing proceedings over four years. Embracing these tech advancements, Judge Ballard has become an advocate, sharing his experiences at the annual Court Technology Conference and underscoring the substantial time savings editing drafts can offer compared to traditional transcription methods.
