Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 257-X-2 — Board Policies and Procedures

257 Alabama Board of Court Reporting

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-2-.01 Change Of Name Or Address

(1) The applicant or licensee shall notify the Board of any legal name change within thirty (30) days of change. Appropriate legal documents and fees shall be submitted prior to changing the name of the licensee on the license certificate.

(2) The licensee shall notify the Board office of any change in the licensee’s address within thirty (30) days of the change. The address of record is the address provided by the applicant or licensee.

(3) The licensee shall notify the Board office of any change in the licensee's employer within thirty (30) days of the change. The employer of record is the name and address of the employer provided by the applicant or licensee.

(4) Address and name changes, as well as employer information, will be included in the information verified by the Board in the course of an audit.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed May 25, 2017; effective July 9, 2017. Amended: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018. Amended: Filed June 11, 2019; effective July 26, 2019.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-2-.02 Lost License

The licensee shall promptly report, in writing, the loss of a license certificate to the Board. A duplicate license certificate requires a completed form.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-2-.03 Verification Of Alabama License

(1) Verification of licensure will be available on a Board-maintained website.

(2) Upon receipt of a written request, the Board’s designee shall provide written verification of Alabama licensure.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-2-.04 Fees

(1) Fees and fines are not refundable.

(2) Fees are payable by certified check, cashier’s check, corporate or business check, or money order or personal check.

(a) Counter checks are not an acceptable method of payment. Personal checks shall be imprinted with the name, address, and account number of the applicant or licensee.

(b) Personal checks by third parties are not acceptable.

(c) Applicants or licensees who submit personal checks returned due to insufficient funds may be prohibited from paying any future fees or fines by personal check.

(d) Statutory charges for returned checks shall be paid by the applicant or licensee within ten (10) business days from receipt of notice to remit full payment pursuant to Code of Ala. 1975, §13A-9-13.1(b)(2) and shall be the maximum fee allowed by Code of Ala. 1975, §8-8-15.

(3) Fines are payable by certified check, cashier’s check, corporate or business check, or money order.

(4) The Board may allow payment of fees by electronic means.

(5) Payment, regardless of the method, that is not honored by the financial institution may result in disciplinary action and/or reporting to the appropriate legal authorities for possible prosecution.

(6) A license may not be issued until payment in full for all applicable fees is received by the Board.

(7) The current schedule of fees is included in the Appendix.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended: Filed October 6, 2009; effective November 11, 2009. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-2-.05 Inactive Status

(1) A person not actively engaged in the practice of court reporting may place his/her license on inactive status by filing an Application for Inactive Status, together with the required application fee of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00).

(2) Any transcripts provided by an inactive court reporter must include his/her license number and the date that the court reporter became inactive from the practice of court reporting.

(3) Inactive court reporters who engage in the practice of court reporting may be subject to disciplinary action by the Board.

(4) An inactive license must be renewed annually, as provided in Rule 257-X-3-.05.

(5) The annual fee for an inactive license shall be Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00).

(6) Inactive status may not be maintained beyond the tenth anniversary date of the grant of inactive status.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018. Amended: Published February 28, 2025; effective April 14, 2025.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-2-.06 Restoration

(1) A person seeking restoration of a license after it has been placed on inactive status for up to ten (10) years shall file an application with the Board together with the required fees. After September 30, 2008, in order to restore a license, a person shall submit proof of fifteen (15) hours of continuing education completed within one (1) year before restoration. The applicant shall also submit either:

(a) Certification of current licensure from another jurisdiction completed by the appropriate board or licensure authority; or

(b) Affidavits from two (2) members of the bench or bar attesting to the applicant’s active practice of court reporting in a state that does not require licensure for at least one (1) year immediately prior to the date of application; or

(c) An affidavit attesting to military service; or

(d) Other proof acceptable to the Board of the applicant’s fitness to have the license restored.

(2) The applicant must receive a renewal certificate reflecting active status prior to providing any court reporting services. Failure to comply with this requirement may constitute unprofessional conduct as provided in Rule 257-X-4-.01.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018. Amended: Published February 28, 2025; effective April 14, 2025.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-2-.07 Review Process

Upon receipt of an application and the appropriate fee, the Board shall issue a license, notify the applicant in writing of the reasons for denying the application, or notify the applicant in writing of the deficiencies in the application. Applicants have one (1) year from the date of the notification of deficiencies to complete the application process. If the process has not been completed within one (1) year, the application shall be denied, and the fee forfeited, and the applicant must reapply and meet the requirements in effect at the time of reapplication. In the event of a hardship, the applicant may apply in writing for a one (1)-year extension to complete the process.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018.