Artificial intelligence and digital recorders are transforming industries, but court reporting is not one of them. In Texas, where deposition records are considered sworn evidence, relying on digital reporters or AI transcripts can expose your litigation strategy to risk.

Despite vendor claims of a “stenographer shortage,” Texas maintains robust stenographic coverage. The problem isn’t supply—it’s profit margins.

The Myth of a Stenographer Shortage

National court-reporting chains, many backed by private equity, cite a “dire shortage” to justify replacing stenographers with digital workflows. Why? Because margins from AI or digital reporting can exceed 90%, compared to ~30% with licensed stenographers.

But independent labor projections and statewide data show a very different picture. Texas alone fields:

• 167 stenographers in Austin
• 329 in Houston
• 306 in Dallas/Fort Worth
• 1,238 statewide

Shauna Beach and her team have never missed coverage when a stenographer was requested.

Key Risks of Digital & AI Reporting

Chain of Custody Gaps
Audio files are vulnerable to device failures, storage issues, and unauthorized access.

Confidentiality Risks
Uploading sensitive testimony into AI models creates exposure.

Accuracy Problems
Overlapping speakers, accents, or emotional testimony confound digital methods. A quiet “yes” can vanish from the record.

Legal Consequences
AI-generated transcripts face hearsay objections and authentication challenges. Digital reporters are not sworn officers of the court and cannot certify verbatim accuracy.

Comparison Table: Deposition Capture Methods

Criterion
Licensed CSR
Digital Reporter
AI Transcript

Officer of the court
✅ Yes
❌ No
❌ No

Verbatim accuracy
✅ Real-time
⚠️ Post-hoc cleanup
❌ Statistical output

Admissibility risk
✅ Lowest
⚠️ Elevated
❌ Highest

Chain of custody
✅ Sworn & secure
⚠️ Device dependent
❌ Opaque pipelines

Works at panel rate
✅ Yes
⚠️ Sometimes
❌ Not applicable

Compliance in Texas

Texas rules are explicit: depositions should be taken by a CSR, with rare exceptions. Digital substitutes create unnecessary risk.

Digital methods may look cheaper, but they introduce compliance, quality, and admissibility risks. Licensed stenographers remain the gold standard in Texas. Protect your cases: require licensed CSRs for every deposition. Shauna Beach ensures statewide stenographic coverage at your contracted panel rate.