Opinion ID: 1533286
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Verbatim Record Requirement

Text: For his final point on appeal, Mr. Johnson asserts that the trial court committed reversible error by failing to make a verbatim record of his visit to the location of the arrest. We hold that an appropriate record was made, and affirm on this point as well. Our Administrative Order No. 4 provides: Unless waived on the record by the parties, it shall be the duty of any circuit, chancery, or probate court to require that a verbatim record be made of all proceedings pertaining to any contested matter before it. See also Ark.Code Ann. § 16-13-510 (Repl. 1994). It is clear that personal inspections of property are permissible and proper as an aid to a better understanding by the fact-finder of what witnesses had testified to, so long as the judge notifies the parties prior to the inspection and limits the inspection to that purpose. See Potter v. Bryan Funeral Home, 307 Ark. 142, 817 S.W.2d 882 (1991); Mitcham v. Temple, 215 Ark. 850, 223 S.W.2d 817 (1949); Clark v. Clark, 4 Ark. App. 153, 632 S.W.2d 432 (1982). We have also held that a judge's personal observations of the site are not considered evidence of facts. See Potter, supra ; Mitcham, supra . Hence, such observations by the fact-finder should not be included in the record. The record here reflects that the trial judge informed the parties of his intention to visit the location of the arrest. Neither party objected to the viewing, although defense counsel objected to any officer accompanying the judge to the location. Both attorneys were invited to follow the judge to the site, but both declined the offer. The judge drove to the arrest site alone and, upon returning to the courtroom, made a record of where he went and the route taken. Neither party objected to the manner in which the trial court made a record of the viewing. Pursuant to our holdings in Potter, supra , and Mitcham, supra , we conclude that the trial court's record of his visit to the arrest site complied with Administrative Order No. 4 and Ark.Code Ann. § 16-13-510. Affirmed.