Opinion ID: 484935
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the education for all handicapped children act

Text: 12 The EAHCA affords any party to an administrative hearing the right to a written or electronic verbatim record of such hearing. 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1415(d). Like the court below, we read this to give appellants only the right to receive either a written or an electronic verbatim record of the hearing, with the state having the authority to provide either alternative, at its option. Here, the State of New Hampshire has provided an electronic recording of the hearing, and so has complied with the statute. 13 We, of course, accept appellants' argument that a written transcript of the state administrative hearing would be more helpful than a recording for purposes of a civil action under the EAHCA. In this regard, it seems likely, although we do not now decide the question, that a district court has discretion in a non-frivolous civil action brought under 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1415(e)(2) to order the transcription of the state administrative record at federal expense where the litigant is indigent and his case substantial. See 28 U.S.C. Sec. 753(f) (1982). But even if that option is available, appellants' problem should be addressed to Congress or to the New Hampshire legislature rather than to this court. Any non-constitutional right appellants may have to force the state to pay for such a transcript would have to derive from the language of the EAHCA, and since the state has complied with that language, which is clear, there is no basis for relief. We add that there is no legislative history revealing a congressional intent, by means of the statute in issue, to impose a duty upon the states to furnish a free written transcript. Congress clearly provided that a verbatim record be kept and be furnished to a party--which occurred here; but Congress allowed this to be accomplished by electronic as well as by written means, leaving appellants with their present problem. We, therefore, agree with the court below that appellants have not stated a claim under the EAHCA upon which relief may be granted.