Friday, April 27, 2012

SoCalPROS Walk Team Raises Over $1,800 for Alzheimer's Association

The SoCalPROS Walk To End Alzheimer’s Team may have been short on walkers, but we raised over $1,800! This is the SoCalPROS Walk Team’s 2nd year of participation in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s which took place on Saturday, April 21st in Tustin, California. Pictured: Martha Hutchings, Shannon Kennedy, Sangeeta Agrawal, and Diana Baker.

Hutchings Court Reporters “Hutchings Heroes” team will be walking on September 22, 2012 at the Angel Stadium in Anaheim. We'd Love To Have You Join Us This Year!



Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Hutchings Mentor Program - Beginning Its 19th Year!

submitted by Hillary Sackett, Hutchings Mentor Program Coordinator


Hutchings Court Reporters' Mentor Program is designed to give southern California students an exciting opportunity to receive practical and professional advice along with priority treatment for deposition apprentice hours. The program complements the instruction of court reporting schools.

Over 550 court reporting students from the following southern California schools have participated in Hutchings Mentor Program over the past 18 years: Cypress College, Cerritos College, Sage College, South Coast College, Downey Adult School, Tri-Community College and Bryan College.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Deadbeat Lawyer's Case: Dead on Appeal

Hot off CCRA's press is news that the appeal of a deadbeat lawyer is dead. The decision was filed and certified for publication on April 20, 2012. This represents a major victory in what could have had a devastating effect upon any court reporter or agency trying to collect fees.


CCRA's President Early Langley assisted appellate lawyers Philip Landsman, Robert F. Cohen and Frances L. Diaz by writing an amicus curiae letter on behalf of the plaintiff court reporting firm, Personal Court Reporters, Inc., and all the court reporters in the state of California.

The deadbeat lawyer tried to make this case into a violation of free speech. In the Second Appellate District, Division Four, the court found that the causes of action do not arise from his free speech. Instead, they found that his nonpayment of overdue invoices was really at issue.

This illustrates the point that no matter what legislation may exist to get a deadbeat lawyer to pay his bills, there will always be someone out there who will find a way to avoid paying. And in this case, the lawyer went all the way, at a cost of thousands of dollars to the court reporting firm.

To view the published opinion, visit http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/B229358.PDF