Sec. 52.046. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES

(a) On request, an official court reporter shall:

(1) attend all sessions of the court;

(2) take full shorthand notes of oral testimony offered before the court, including objections made to the admissibility of evidence, court rulings and remarks on the objections, and exceptions to the rulings;

(3) take full shorthand notes of closing arguments if requested to do so by the attorney of a party to the case, including objections to the arguments, court rulings and remarks on the objections, and exceptions to the rulings;

(4) preserve the notes for future reference for three years from the date on which they were taken; and

(5) furnish a transcript of the reported evidence or other proceedings, in whole or in part, as provided by this chapter.

(b) An official court reporter of a district court may conduct the deposition of witnesses, receive, execute, and return commissions, and make a certificate of the proceedings in any county that is included in the judicial district of that court.

(c) The supreme court may adopt rules consistent with the relevant statutes to provide for the duties and fees of official court reporters in all civil judicial proceedings.

(d) A judge of a county court or county court at law shall appoint a certified shorthand reporter to report the oral testimony given in any contested probate matter in that judge's court.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.