The state of the art of computer-aided transcription at the end of 1980 is presented first and includes a description of current CAT technology, crucial functional steps that determine the efficiency of any CAT system, usage of CAT technology by court reports, and future developments in CAT including the availability of low-cost edit-only terminals and distributed networks for CAT systems. In addition, the summary addresses the cost-effective use of CAT systems in today's courts and the benefits that can be realized by courts in using CAT. Three different kinds of CAT situations are examined: two courts that have installed the computer at court expense and have been using it for more than 1 year; two private agencies that have contracts to provide reporting services to trial courts; and two courts that installed CAT systems in the spring of 1980. Each of the case histories provides information on the environment in which the CAT system was installed and on the costs and benefits of that situation. The summary concludes that whether the CAT system is a cost-beneficial investment for a court will be determined by how CAT system use is integrated into a particular court's management strategies, including managing court reporting resources and services. Finally, implementation guidelines that should lead to a cost-effective operation are presented. A list of the National Center for State Courts Board of Directors, the entire table of contents for the full report, and lists of tables and figures contained in both the full report and the executive summary are given. Two appendixes list current CAT vendors and CAT systems in the courts.