June 14, 2017 Fourth DCA Opinion, Hart v. Streitz, Demonstrates the Importance of Having a Court Reporter Present at Your Hearings

Probate litigation lawyers know that it can be very helpful to have a court reporter present at all hearings. This includes hearings that you may believe are “no big deal”. This makes sense since the cost is relatively small, and transcripts provide a solid record of what was said by whom, and what transpired throughout a lawsuit.  

If a Florida probate court wishes to read beyond the plain language of its’ order, they are probably going to start at pertinent hearing transcripts. Furthermore, hearing transcripts can be essential if you wish to appeal a judgment. Palm Beach appellate lawyers frequently request to read trial transcripts to determine if your appeal is strong. Moral of the Story: Have a court reporter with you in court…even for “agreed” matters and “simple” issues! Click here to read Hart v. Streitz. In this June 14,2017 Fourth DCA appeal, Hart submitted a statement of evidence to the trial court. The trial court  denied her statement, stating that it had inaccuracies and omissions. Hart appealed. The appellate court was unable to judge the merits of Hart’s claim. This was because there was no approved statement of evidence and no trial transcript. Don’t lose an appeal simply because you forgot to, or didn’t bother to, have a court reporter at your hearings!