Sec. 1490.
(1) As used in this section and sections 1491, 1492, and 1493:
(a) "Blanket contract" means a contract under which a court reporter, court recorder, stenomask reporter, or court reporting firm agrees to perform all court reporting or court recording services for a client for 2 or more cases at a rate of compensation fixed in the contract.
(b) "Court reporting firm" means a business entity that provides the services of court reporters, court recorders, or stenomask reporters.
(c) "Owner" means a person who has any ownership interest in a court reporting firm.
(2) A court reporter, court recorder, stenomask reporter, or owner of a court reporting firm shall not provide or arrange to provide court reporting or recording services if he or she is a relative, employee, attorney, or counsel of any of the parties, or is a relative or employee of an attorney or counsel of any of the parties, without disclosing that familial relationship.
(3) A court reporter, court recorder, stenomask reporter, or owner of a court reporting firm shall not provide or arrange to provide court reporting or recording services if he or she is financially interested in the action.
History: Add. 1998, Act 249, Imd. Eff. July 10, 1998
Compiler's Notes: Enacting section 1 of Act 249 of 1998 provides:“Enacting section 1. By enacting this legislation, the legislature does not intend to unduly interfere with fair competition between and among certified court reporters, court recorders, stenomask recorders, or court reporting firms, where that competition does not involve financial arrangements that tend to, or appear to, compromise that impartiality. This amendatory act is to be construed and applied in a manner consistent with this purpose.”