THIS REPORT, REQUESTED BY THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE CONNECTICUT JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT AND PREPARED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS, AIMS AT ANSWERING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: (1) DOES DELAY EXIST IN THE PREPARATION OF TRANSCRIPTS? (2) WHAT IS A REASONABLE TIME WITHIN WHICH TRANSCRIPT DELIVERY CAN BE EXPECTED? (3) HOW CAN MANAGEMENT OF TRANSCRIPT PREPARATION BE IMPROVED? (4) SHOULD SPECIAL TRANSCRIPT RATES BE AUTHORIZED WHEN DAILY COPY IS REQUESTED? AND (5) SHOULD CONNECTICUT CONTINUE ITS PRACTICE OF INCLUDING TRANSCRIPT FEES IN CALCULATION OF RETIREMENT ALLOWANCES FOR REPORTERS? THE PROJECT CONSISTED OF TWO PHASES: ONE TO DOCUMENT EXISTING PRACTICES IN THE AREAS IDENTIFIED FOR ATTENTION, AND A SECOND, TO EVALUATE THOSE PRACTICES AND CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES. DATA FOR THE FIRST PHASE WERE DRAWN FROM DOCUMENTS AND CORRESPONDENCE MADE AVAILABLE BY THE OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, AND ALL AVAILABLE NOTICES OF TRANSCRIPT ORDER AND DELIVERY FOR CALENDAR YEARS 1975 AND 1976 WERE REVIEWED AND RESULTS TABULATED. FURTHER, A SAMPLE OF TRANSCRIPTS PREPARED FOR CASES APPEALED FROM THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS AND FROM THE SUPERIOR COURT WAS REVIEWED FOR COMPLIANCE WITH CONNECTICUT JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS FOR TRANSCRIPT FORMAT, AND FINALLY, INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH COURT REPORTERS. THE SECOND PHASE OF THE STUDY COMPARED RULES, STATUTES, REGULATIONS, AND PRACTICES RELATING TO CONNECTICUT REPORTERS WITH THOSE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS; THE DATA COLLECTED WERE ANALYZED IN DETAIL AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUMMARIZED. THE RECOMMENDATIONS GENERALLY AIM AT THE PRODUCTION OF OF AN ACCURATE TRANSCRIPT OR REPRODUCTION OF SUCH RECORDS WITHIN THE SHORTEST FEASIBLE TIME LIMITS, AND AT THE LOWEST REASONABLE COST. THE APPENDIXES INCLUDE TRANSCRIPT FEES IN THE UNITED STATES AND INFORMATION ON THE DEPARTURE OF SAMPLED TRANSCRIPTS FROM REGULATIONS. (RCB)