To: National Court Reporters Association, NCRA Board and Executive Director Marica Ferranto
It's All About Ethics: NCRA Needs To Stand By Its Actions On Contracting
NCRA has long promoted the impartial role of the court reporter, and it needs to continue to do so by supporting state initiatives to enact anti-contracting legislation, activity protected under the Noerr-Pennington doctrine.
Why is this important?
Changes to NCRA’s position on contracting took place in 2016 without notice to membership. We request that NCRA continues its Government Relations support at the state level for anti-contracting legislation in keeping with its longstanding promotion of high ethical standards and its past statements on this subject:
"NCRA believes that the focus should be on ethics, not money. Arizona, Arkansas, Nevada, and other states have the sovereign right and responsibility to make sure that court reporters are neutral and impartial, both in fact and appearance. The integrity of the judicial process and the confidence of the people under our rule of law require no less.
"NCRA is constitutionally protected in its efforts to support state legislation that will preserve the integrity of the legal system by ensuring the neutral and impartial role of court reporters in the administration of justice as officers of the court and guardians of the record."
If the board will not renew its efforts to support states in upholding the profession's integrity against contracting, the signators of this petition will enact our rights under the NCRA Constitution & Bylaws, Article IX, Section 5, and appeal such decision for a membership vote at the 2018 Annual Business Meeting.
"NCRA believes that the focus should be on ethics, not money. Arizona, Arkansas, Nevada, and other states have the sovereign right and responsibility to make sure that court reporters are neutral and impartial, both in fact and appearance. The integrity of the judicial process and the confidence of the people under our rule of law require no less.
"NCRA is constitutionally protected in its efforts to support state legislation that will preserve the integrity of the legal system by ensuring the neutral and impartial role of court reporters in the administration of justice as officers of the court and guardians of the record."
If the board will not renew its efforts to support states in upholding the profession's integrity against contracting, the signators of this petition will enact our rights under the NCRA Constitution & Bylaws, Article IX, Section 5, and appeal such decision for a membership vote at the 2018 Annual Business Meeting.