Pierce County Superior Court is Washington’s second largest trial court, with 22 judges and 9 commissioners all operating out of the County-City Building at 930 Tacoma Avenue South. Vernon Court Reporters is headquartered in Tacoma, right down the street, and we have been on the Pierce County approved transcriptionist list for decades.
One thing that makes Pierce County different from most other Washington courts: not every courtroom is recorded. Understanding which type of courtroom your hearing was in is the first step to knowing how to get your transcript.
Judge Courtrooms vs. Commissioner Courtrooms
Every judge in Pierce County employs a full-time court reporter. If your hearing was before a judge, a court reporter was in the room taking stenographic notes. That reporter owns that transcript — you contact them directly to arrange it. Vernon does not transcribe stenographic records.
Commissioner courtrooms are different. Pierce County’s nine commissioners preside over civil, family law, juvenile, mental health, and adoption matters, and those hearings are electronically recorded. Courtroom 270 — the high-volume criminal arraignment courtroom — is also electronically recorded and does not use a court reporter. Those are the proceedings we handle.
Not sure which type of courtroom your hearing was in? Call the Pierce County Superior Court Clerk at (253) 798-7717 or check your case on LINX, Pierce County’s online case access system. LINX accounts are free for self-represented parties.
How to Get Your Audio Recording
For Commissioner hearings and Courtroom 270 recordings, go to the Clerk’s Office at Room 110 of the County-City Building and request a copy of the disc. The cost is $25 per hearing. You can also mail your request to:
Pierce County Clerk
ATTN: Records & Copies
930 Tacoma Avenue S #110
Tacoma, WA 98402-2177
The Transcript Request Form is available on the Pierce County website.
Turn Your Recording Into a Certified Transcript
- Request your audio recording from the Pierce County Clerk’s Office
- Ship the CD or drop off at our office in Tacoma or upload the file through our platform.
- Register an account on our platform.
- Get an instant quote with pricing and an estimated delivery time.
- Submit your request and we will take care of the rest.
Who We Help in Pierce County
The biggest driver of transcript requests in Pierce County is Commissioner hearing revision motions. When a Commissioner issues a ruling on custody, support, or a civil matter, any party who wants a judge to review that ruling must file a motion for revision — and if sworn testimony was taken, a transcript of the entire hearing is required under local court rules. That deadline is tight: six court days before the revision hearing. We know that timeline well.
We also work with criminal defense attorneys pulling transcripts from Courtroom 270 arraignments, family law attorneys at every stage of dissolution and parenting plan cases, and self-represented parties navigating the system on their own. Pierce County has a large military population connected to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and military family law cases — custody disputes involving deployments, PCS moves, support modifications — are a regular part of our Pierce County work.
Why Choose Vernon Court Reporters
We are based in Tacoma. We know this court, its local rules, and its filing requirements. We have been serving Pierce County for over 40 years. Every transcript is verbatim and certified for official use.
Vernon is approved in courts across western Washington, including King County, Mason County, and Kitsap County.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between a Judge courtroom and a Commissioner courtroom in Pierce County?
- Judge courtrooms use official in-house court reporters who take stenographic notes — contact that reporter directly for a transcript. Commissioner courtrooms and high-volume criminal courtrooms are electronically recorded, and that is where GR 35 approved transcriptionists like Vernon Court Reporters come in.
- What is GR 35?
- GR 35 is Washington State General Rule 35, which requires every Superior Court to maintain a list of approved transcriptionists. Only transcriptionists on that list can prepare official certified transcripts of electronically recorded court proceedings for use on appeal.
- How long does transcription take?
- Most transcripts are returned within 3 to 5 business days. Rush and same-day options are available depending on recording length.
- Can I order a transcript if I am representing myself?
- Yes. We regularly work with self-represented litigants. The process is the same regardless of whether you have an attorney.
