Planet Depos has long supported Texas’ legal community by providing highly trained Planet Pro deposition officers to cover proceedings across the Lone Star State.
We remain committed to delivering seamless, compliant deposition support. We follow the Code to the letter, which is why every Planet Depos final, certified transcript is 100% admissible.
Whether proceedings are held in-person or remotely, our tech-forward approach ensures accurate, efficient service that keeps pace with the high demands of Texas' legal landscape.
To see Planet Depos’ recommended notice language, please click here.
Texas’ title protection laws reserve the term “court reporter” exclusively for certified shorthand reporters (CSRs) and voice writers. These professionals are authorized to administer oaths by virtue of their state license. This does not exclude other reporting technologies; it simply means they may not use that title.
Other methods of capturing the record such as digital/audio, video recording, or other non-stenographic technologies are also fully recognized under Texas law and perform the same essential functions as stenographers or voice writers, namely creating an official record of proceedings.
Individuals using these non-stenographic means are designated as “deposition officers.” Like CSRs, deposition officers can administer oaths, but they do so by virtue of their Texas Notary commission. While the title differs, the responsibilities – including accurately capturing testimony, maintaining the integrity of the record, and ensuring the proceedings are properly documented – are the same.
Texas RCP 199.1(c)
Non-stenographic recording. Any party may cause a deposition upon oral examination to be recorded by other than stenographic means, including videotape recording. The party requesting the non-stenographic recording will be responsible for obtaining a person authorized by law to administer the oath and for assuring that the recording will be intelligible, accurate, and trustworthy. At least five days prior to the deposition, the party must serve on the witness and all parties a notice, either in the notice of deposition or separately, that the deposition will be recorded by other than stenographic means. This notice must state the method of non-stenographic recording to be used and whether the deposition will also be recorded stenographically. Any other party may then serve written notice designating another method of recording in addition to the method specified, at the expense of such other party unless the court orders otherwise.
- Our Planet Pro deposition officers are TX Notary Publics and authorized to administer oaths.
- Our recommended sample notice language informs parties of the intent to utilize any permissible reporting method or to appear remotely.
Texas RCP 203.6(a)
a) Non-stenographic recording; transcription. A non-stenographic recording of an oral deposition, or a written transcription of all or part of such a recording, may be used to the same extent as a deposition taken by stenographic means. However, the court, for good cause shown, may require that the party seeking to use a non-stenographic recording or written transcription first obtain a complete transcript of the deposition recording from a certified court reporter. The court reporter's transcription must be made from the original or a certified copy of the deposition recording. The court reporter must, to the extent applicable, comply with the provisions of this rule, except that the court reporter must deliver the original transcript to the attorney requesting the transcript, and the court reporter's certificate must include a statement that the transcript is a true record of the non-stenographic recording. The party to whom the court reporter delivers the original transcript must make the transcript available, upon reasonable request, for inspection and copying by the witness or any party.
- Our Planet Pro deposition officers capture precise, high-quality, non-stenographic recordings of oral depositions, which are then transcribed by qualified legal transcriptionists ensuring a verbatim, certified transcript that is equivalent in accuracy and reliability to those produced by stenographic or voice reporters.
Texas Govt Code 602.002
An oath made in this state may be administered and a certificate of the fact given by: (5) a notary public;
- Our Planet Pro deposition officers are TX Notary Publics and authorized to administer oaths.
Starting in 2016, Planet Depos was the first court reporting company to introduce employee-based deposition officers into its offering and now employs 140 in-house professionals.
through our proprietary, in-house training program (C.O.R.E. Training Academy)
90% of our Planet Pro deposition officers hold the Certified Electronic Reporter (CER) certification – the gold standard – and all must obtain certification within their first year to advance their careers.
Take advantage of Planet Depos' wide range of innovative litigation technology solutions designed to streamline your depositions while keeping confidential information secure.
Facilitate case preparation and management with industry-leading, proprietary AI technology, with instant access to key elements of a proceeding and others available within 24 hours.
Strengthen your case with Planet Depos’ high-definition legal videography, multimedia deposition displays, and video streaming with synchronized transcripts.
Planet Depos upholds strict security measures and protocols to ensure that all client data is kept confidential, securely stored, and never used to train AI models.
Planet Pro deposition officers are skilled professionals, trained in all aspects of court and deposition procedures and protocol, as well as fully versed in their obligations under the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT) Code of Professional Ethics.
Planet Pro deposition officers perform the same duties and responsibilities as stenographic and voice reporters but use different technology to capture the record and produce a verbatim transcript.
Planet Pro deposition officers either transcribe their own work or engage the services of certified reporters and legal transcriptionists to transcribe their work. This process is no different than a stenographic or voice reporter engaging the services of a scopist to transcribe their work.
Planet Pro deposition officer transcripts are admissible in all states where electronic reporting is permitted.
Planet Depos engages skilled stenographic and voice reporters, as well as experienced legal transcriptionists, to transcribe and certify Planet Pro deposition officer transcripts. Our transcribers are certified through the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT).
All Planet Depos audio files and log notes are sent via secure server. This process is no different from a stenographic or voice reporter sending their audio files and notes to a scopist to transcribe.
