The 12th District Court employs four Certified Electronic Court Recorders. These Recorders maintain certification as required by the State of Michigan.   

JUDGE / RECORDER

Hon. R. Darryl Mazur, P23327 / Jennifer G. Meade, CER-6130  

Hon. Joseph S. Filip, P22920 / Kelly Purucker-King, CER-8044

Hon. Michael Klaeren, P32163 / Shellie Sanders, CER-7667 

Hon. Daniel A. Goostrey, P58019 / Susan McCave, CER-Pending

When the District Court was created in 1969, the Michigan Legislature approved the use an electronic record as opposed to stenotype, shorthand or steno mask. The first electronic recording system used by the 12th District Court was the Edison Voicewriter System.  Today, the court uses FTR Gold digital software for recording court proceedings. Highly sensitive microphones pick up voice and sound, which are recorded to a computer hard drive.  The proceeding is then transferred to a CD-ROM disk.  It is the responsibility of the court recorder to monitor the proper functioning of the equipment to ensure a quality record. In addition to monitoring the equipment, the recorder must keep comprehensive notes of the court proceedings. 

Only a small percentage of district court proceedings require transcription (a written record).  Preliminary examinations on felony cases and appeals to the 4th Judicial Circuit Court are the most common proceedings that are transcribed.  Anything that has been recorded can be transcribed upon written request to the court recorder.  The cost for a transcript is $1.75 per  original page and $0.30 per copy page. These transcription fees are governed by Michigan statute (MCL 600.2543).

In addition to monitoring equipment and logging court proceedings, the court recorders perform real-time data entry of court cases on the court's case management system (Judicial Information Systems - JIS).  Real-time data entry has proven to be an efficient method of producing notices and updating the case management system which would otherwise have to be handled at a later time by the clerk's office.

In addition to courtroom duties and transcribing, each of the four Recorders serves as a judicial secretary to their respective judge, performing a variety of clerical functions.  

All Court Recorders employed by the 12th District Court and are members of MECRA (Michigan Electronic Court Reporters Association)