One of the Rangers assigned to the FLDS Ranch investigation is trying to decipher some recovered writings. The writings appear to be a shorthand type that was in popular use prior to the 80's. Does anyone have an administrative assistant or court reporter that still uses shorthand? Please contact me directly via e-mail for a sample copy of the shorthand.

If you don't get any response, try contacting a Business School...they may have some of their old shorthand books around. Just a thought

We have a court reporter that temps in our court from time to time that still does shorthand. When I get to work tomorrow I'll email with her name and number.

The Court Reporter Certification Board may be able to help you. There was also a court reporter named Frank Howell who used to work in Dallas County who I believe can read pen shorthand. The CRCB should be able to give you contact info in response to a open records request. He may actually be an attorney right now. The problem is that pen shorthand can be very unique to the author, like handwriting, and thus difficult for another to translate.

The Lizard Man is innocent!

Hi Rudy,
Long time no see.
Lucille Collins, the court reporter in Judge Miller's court in Bowie County (the 102nd) still does shorthand. I'm always amazed she can keep up when I get on a roll during argument, but she does. Of course, every time I see her, she greets me with a "I bet you still talk too fast"

I believe Judge McSpadden's reporter in Harris County does shorthand, if she has not retired.

I think my doctor does shorthand, very hard to decipher his scribbles. On a similar note though, his hand may be short, but when that certain time of year comes, his fingers are live oak limbs. Like I said, exit, please exit...only.

Now that sounds like cruel and unusual punishment.

The Lizard Man is innocent!

ewwwwwwwww...and it didn't sound like an "exit only" to me.

We had a prosecutor who wrote shorthand and put notes in files in that form. Note to self: advise lawyers to put notes in legible print. When we need something from those files, we have to ask her what she said.

Thanks for the advice and info. I will pass it on to the case agent.