A transcript of a recording for a US court is usually on Letter paper with 1 inch margins in a monospaced font, with numbered lines on every page and a page number at the foot, so any passage can be cited by page and line. It opens with a caption page naming the court, the case and the recording, labels every speaker, marks where the recording is unclear, and ends with a declaration by the person who prepared it. Local rules come first, so check yours.
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Numbered lines, restarting on each page, let a lawyer or judge point to "page 4, line 12". Twenty-five lines a page is the common layout for transcripts. The page number, ideally "Page X of Y", goes at the foot so missing pages are obvious.
Each change of speaker starts a new turn, labelled in capitals: OFFICER RUIZ, DRIVER, DISPATCHER. Use names where they are known and roles where they are not. A timestamp at each turn ties the text to the recording, so anyone can check a line against the audio.
Mark what cannot be made out rather than guessing: [inaudible] or [unintelligible] for words that cannot be heard, [crosstalk] where people talk over each other, [foreign language] where another language is spoken, and a timestamp with each so the reader can listen for themselves. Add these while checking the draft against the recording.
The last page is a short statement by the person who prepared or checked the transcript that it is accurate to the best of their ability, with a date and signature. If a machine made the first draft, say so. Your court may prescribe its own wording, such as a declaration under penalty of perjury; use it if so.
The Court PDF follows this layout: Letter paper, 1 inch margins, Courier 12, 25 numbered lines a page, timestamps and capitalised speaker labels at every turn, "Page X of Y", a caption page and a declaration page. Correct the text in the browser before exporting, or download the Word file to edit there.
Sources: California Rules of Court, rule 2.1040.
Last reviewed 27 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Twenty-five numbered lines a page is the common layout, with numbering restarting on each page.
In brackets, with a timestamp: [inaudible 00:04:12]. Use [crosstalk] where people talk over each other.
The court, case name and case number, a description of the recording and its length, who prepared the transcript, and when.
Usually the preparer signs a declaration of accuracy at the end. Check whether your court requires specific wording.