Sec. 1491.
(1) A court reporter, court recorder, stenomask reporter, or owner of a court reporting firm shall not do either of the following:
(a) Enter into or arrange for any financial relationship that compromises the impartiality of court reporters, court recorders, or stenomask reporters or that may result in the appearance that the impartiality of a court reporter, court recorder, or stenomask reporter has been compromised.
(b) Enter into a blanket contract with parties, litigants, attorneys, or their representatives unless all parties to the action are informed on the record in every deposition of the fees to be charged to all parties for original transcripts, copies of transcripts, and any other court reporting services to be provided. This subdivision does not apply to contracts for court reporting or recording services for the courts, agencies, or instrumentalities of local units of government, this state, or the United States.
(2) A court reporter, court recorder, stenomask reporter, or owner of a court reporting firm shall not do any of the following:
(a) Give, directly or indirectly, any incentive, reward, or anything else of value to attorneys, clients, or their representatives or agents, except for nominal items that do not exceed $25.00 per transaction or $100.00 in the aggregate per recipient each year.
(b) Charge more than 2/3 of the price of an original transcript for a copy of that transcript.
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.”