Article I. General Rules · Last amended 2024 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRule 46 tells Illinois courts how to create the official record of a hearing or trial, whether by a court reporter or an approved electronic recording system, and how to keep that record secure.
(a)Taking of the Record. The record of court proceedings may be taken by stenographic
means or by an electronic recording system, including video conferencing services, approved by the Supreme Court. All transcripts prepared as the official record of court proceedings shall be prepared pursuant to applicable supreme court rules.
(b)Security of the Record. The confidentiality of court proceedings and the retention and
safekeeping of notes and electronic recordings shall be maintained consistent with standards established by the Supreme Court through its Administrative Office.
(c)Court Reporting Personnel. For purposes of this rule and other supreme court rules regarding the official record, “court reporting personnel” shall include:
(1)court reporters as defined by the Court Reporters Act (705 ILCS 70/1);
(2)court personnel who have fulfilled the training and certification standards promulgated by the Supreme Court and consistent with paragraph (d) of this rule; and
(3)certified shorthand reporters hired through an agency or as an independent contractor by a private party or parties to take a stenographic record in court proceedings.
(d)Electronic Recording of Court Proceedings. (1) The Supreme Court shall provide for and prescribe the types of electronic recording equipment and video conferencing services that may be used in the circuit courts. Those jurisdictions with electronic recording systems installed are required to properly utilize and staff such equipment in order to produce a reliable verbatim record of the proceedings. (2) Court reporting personnel, including court reporters as defined by the Court Reporters Act (705 ILCS 70/1), must successfully complete training and certification designed to qualify them to operate electronic recording equipment, prepare transcripts from such proceedings, and certify the record on appeal. Such training and certification shall be consistent with standards established by the Supreme Court, through its Administrative Office. (3) Electronic recordings of proceedings shall remain under the control of the court having custody of them. The chief judges shall provide for the storage and safekeeping of such recordings consistent with the standards referenced in paragraph (b) of this rule. (4) The Administrative Office shall monitor the operation of electronic recording equipment, the security of the electronic recordings, and the training of court reporting personnel to assure that each county is in compliance with this rule.
Plain-English Summary
Every hearing needs a reliable record of what happened, and Rule 46 spells out how courts make one. Judges can use a certified court reporter working in shorthand, or an electronic recording system the Supreme Court has approved, including video conferencing platforms used for remote hearings.
The rule also covers who counts as “court reporting personnel”: reporters licensed under the Court Reporters Act, court staff trained and certified to run recording equipment, and independent certified shorthand reporters hired for a case. Whoever takes the record, courts must keep proceedings confidential and store notes and recordings securely, under standards set by the Supreme Court's Administrative Office.
Because more circuits now rely on digital recording instead of stenographers, the rule requires ongoing training and certification for the staff who operate that equipment, and it puts the Administrative Office in charge of checking that every county follows the standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every Illinois court still use a live stenographer?
No. Rule 46 lets courts use an approved electronic recording system instead of, or alongside, a court reporter, as long as the equipment and staff meet Supreme Court standards.
Who is allowed to operate courtroom recording equipment?
Certified court reporters, court staff trained and certified under standards the Supreme Court sets, and certified shorthand reporters hired privately for a case.
What happens to the recordings once a case ends?
The court that heard the case keeps control of the recordings, and the chief judge is responsible for storing and safeguarding them under confidentiality standards from the Administrative Office.
Can a video-conferencing hearing be the official record?
Yes, if the video conferencing service is one the Supreme Court has approved for producing a verbatim record.
Who checks whether a county is following Rule 46?
The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts monitors recording equipment, the security of recordings, and the training of court reporting personnel across the state.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules,
promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
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