Brief (1)
SB 585 amends the Kansas Code of Civil Procedure to provide no deposition shall be taken before a person (court reporter) who is under contract to provide preferential pricing of court reporting services to any of the parties or to an attorney, counsel, or insurer of any of the parties.
Background
The bill was supported by the Kansas Court Reporters Association and several court reporters. Proponents said that when a court reporter is associated with one of the parties in civil litigation at the very least he or she no longer has the appearance of being fair and impartial. The prohibition contained in SB 585 has been endorsed by the American Judges Association and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
The bill has no fiscal impact on the state.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html