Speech-to-Text System Takes Court Reporting to Another Level

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – It has been nearly three years since the judiciary rolled out a state-of-the-art digital recording system in courts across the country.

From the outset, officials said the program—called For the Record—would modernize the justice system by using advanced audio technology to convert speech to text, allowing for faster and more accurate court transcripts.

So has it lived up to expectations?

According to the team overseeing the system, long waits for court transcripts are now a thing of the past.

Assistant Supervisor of Court Technology Katrea Saunders says transcripts that once took months can now be produced within 24 hours—or less.

She says the faster turnaround has helped reduce delays in court proceedings by giving judges and attorneys quicker access to accurate records, removing one of the long-standing obstacles that slowed trials.

Initially used only in criminal courts, the For the Record system has since expanded into civil and family courts. Saunders adds that stenographers now work alongside the technology, using recorded audio to review and verify proceedings in real time.

The For the Record system has been working with the Bahamian judiciary since 2017, when the first digital court project was launched in the country. The initiative is also supported by the United States Department of State.

Service Engineering Manager Keaton Stacks, who helped implement the program, explains that the system captures individual speakers throughout the courtroom, allowing transcripts to clearly identify judges, witnesses, plaintiffs, and defense attorneys.

Stacks says one of the biggest successes has been the judiciary’s willingness to fully adopt and continue improving the technology, ensuring it is used to its full potential.

He adds that the system has been widely welcomed across the courts, with officials recognizing how much easier it makes their daily work.