White Opinion No. 78061 Opinion No. You ask if it is the responsibility of the county to pay a court reporter when one is demanded in a county court criminal trial and, if so, whether the costs thereof can be adjudged against a convicted defendant.
County courts are courts of record.
It is thus the duty of the county judge to appoint an official court reporter for the court, and it is the duty of the official reporter, when requested, to attend all sessions of court, take full shorthand notes, preserve them, and furnish transcripts of evidence and other proceedings. See also Tex. Although such reporters should be certified, non-certified reporters may be employed if certified reporters are not available. See also V.T.C.S. art. Even before article 2321 was amended to apply to all courts of record, it was mandatory that county courts appoint court reporters to report all trial proceedings in criminal trials when requested by the defendant.