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Part of Court procedures and hearings

Order a courtroom transcript

How to order a courtroom transcript from Transcript Management Services for Court of Justice, Court of King's Bench or Court of Appeal.

Courtroom transcripts

A courtroom transcript:

  • can only be ordered online
  • is a verbatim record of what was said in court or a legal proceeding
  • may be used for review or reference

Emergency Protection Order transcripts

  • You cannot order a transcript for an Emergency Protection Order hearing issued by the Alberta Court of Justice.
  • Transcripts for later hearings in Court of King’s Bench can be ordered online. 
  • Read how to respond to an Emergency Protection Order.

Publication bans or restrictions

This notice appears on the cover page of certified transcripts:

“This transcript may be subject to a publication ban or other restriction on use, prohibiting the publication or disclosure of the transcript or certain information in the transcript such as the identity of the party, witness, or victim. Persons who order or use transcripts are responsible to know and comply with publication bans and restrictions. Misuse of the contents of a transcript may result in civil or criminal liability.”

Read the Court Information Access Guide for Alberta on the court’s Media page.

Timelines, fees and estimates

Service timelines

Fees are based on turnaround time. You can choose one of these turnaround times:

  • 2 business days
  • 5 business days
  • 10 business days
  • 30 calendar days

The turnaround time starts the next business day for orders placed after 3 pm. When the due date falls on a weekend or holiday, or Government of Alberta office closure, the transcript will be delivered on the next business day.

Your transcript will be released by 4:30 pm on the due date.

Service fees

Table 1. Transcription fees

Turnaround timeRate (dollars)
2 business days0.0072/character
5 business days0.0062/character
10 business days0.0052/character
30 calendar days0.0040/character

The transcription fees in Table 1 are outlined in Alberta Rules of Court, Division 4 – Tariff of Fees Payable for Court Reporting Services.

Estimating your order's cost

TMS does not provide estimates over the phone or by email.

The following information may help to estimate your cost:

  1. One hour of transcribed court time is approximately 45 pages.
  2. The average character count per page is 1,200.

The table below shows estimated transcription costs for one hour of court time – approximately 45 pages – with an average character count of 1,200 per page:

Table 2. Transcription costs – for example only

Turnaround timeCourt time transcribedCost estimate
2 business days1 hour$389
5 business days1 hour$335
10 business days1 hour$281
30 calendar days1 hour$216

Get a cost estimate online

You can get an online cost estimate of your transcript order:

  1. Create an online account at Transcripts Digital Service.
  2. Enter the start and end time(s) of your proceedings.
  3. Choose a turnaround time.

The Transcripts Digital Service platform estimates the cost of your order like it is a completely new transcript being made. Your credit card is pre-authorized for that amount. The final cost might be different – it depends on the final character count of the transcript. The cost will be lower if a previously produced transcript already exists for that proceeding. Previously produced transcripts cost $0.40 per page.

Order a transcript online

Step 1. What you need

Credit or debit card 

You need one of these types of cards to order and pay for a transcript online:

  • Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit card
  • debit card with a Visa or Mastercard logo on it

Email TMS if you do not have a credit or debit card to find out how to order a transcript.

Gather the following information:

Hearing details

  • date to be transcribed
  • start and end times
  • court location
  • courtroom number
  • docket or action number
  • party names

Commencing documents

  • Statement of Claim
  • Notice of Motion
  • Indictment or Information
  • for Court of Appeal, either:
    • Notice of Appeal, or
    • Application for Permission to Appeal

Supporting endorsements

  • sheets of paper where the clerk or judge wrote down what happened each day in court

Court-specific documents

  • choose from the drop-down lists below:

  • Court of Justice documents

    Family court

    You must upload these documents:

    • application – this shows the parties to the action
    • Endorsement sheet (for the hearing date) – this includes counsel, parties, start times, judge, clerk

    If applicable, you also need to upload these documents:

    • Ban on Publication form
    • case law and / or list of authorities referred to in court

    If you're a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Civil

    If you’re not a party to a child welfare or child protection action, you must obtain a court order before you can order a transcript for that action’s hearing.

    Civil court

    You must upload these documents:

    • civil claim – this shows the parties to the action
    • Endorsement sheet (for the hearing date) – this includes counsel, parties, start times, judge, clerk

    If applicable, you also need to upload these documents:

    • Ban on Publication form
    • case law and / or list of authorities referred to in court

    If you're a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Civil

    Criminal court

    You must upload these documents:

    • Information document – this document is called ‘information’ and will have the spelling of the accused, the victim(s) and list all the charges
    • Endorsement sheet for the hearing date – this includes counsel, parties, start times, judge, clerk

    If applicable, you also need to upload these documents:

    • Endorsement sheet(s) for the co-accused
    • Ban on Publication form
    • case law and / or list of authorities referred to in court

    If you’re a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Criminal / Traffic

    When ordering transcripts for docket court and the matter is spoken to several times in one day and in one courtroom, the client must:

    • indicate the ‘start time’ as the first time the matter was spoken to
    • indicate the ‘end time’ as the last time the matter was spoken to
    • indicate in the ‘language, spelling, instructions’ field each of the specific time frames they wish to be transcribed
    • if the matter was stood down and re-called, the ordering party must indicate each time the matter was spoken

    Bail / hearing office

    You must upload these documents:

    • Information document – this document is called ‘information’ and will have the spelling of the accused, the victim(s) and list all the charges
    • Endorsement sheet (for the hearing date) – this includes counsel, parties, start times, judge, clerk

    If applicable, you also need to upload these documents:

    • Ban on Publication form
    • case law and / or list of authorities referred to in court

    If you're a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Criminal / Traffic

    The client (or ordering party) must select the appropriate hearing office (Edmonton or Calgary) and courtroom where the justice of the peace resides.

    • indicate the ‘start time’ as the first time the matter was spoken to
    • indicate the ‘end time’ as the last time the matter was spoken to
    • indicate in the ‘language, spelling, instructions’ field each of the specific time frames they wish to be transcribed
    • if the matter was stood down and re-called, the ordering party must indicate each time the matter was spoken

    Preliminary inquiries

    Contact the Crown’s office for transcript ordering requirements.

    Traffic court

    You must submit these documents:

    • Violation ticket
    • Endorsement sheet – this includes counsel, parties, start times, judge, clerk

    If applicable, you also need to submit these documents:

    • Ban on Publication form
    • case law and / or list of authorities referred to in court, if possible

    If you’re a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Criminal / Traffic

  • King's Bench documents

    Civil

    You must upload the document that commenced the action (for example: Statement of Claim, Originating Application).

    If applicable, you also need to upload these documents:

    • Ban on Publication form
    • case law and / or list of authorities referred to in court

    If you’re a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Civil

    Family law pursuant to Practice Note 10

    You must upload the document that commenced the action (for example: Statement of Claim, Originating Application, Family Law Act Claim).

    If you're a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Civil

    If you are not a party to the action or one of the people allowed to access a family file under Court of King’s Bench Family Law Practice Note 10 you will need to complete the process outlined in Practice Note 10 to access the family file and obtain copies of the required documents. 

    If applicable, you also need to upload case law and/or list of authorities which were referred to in court.

    Timelines for the preparation of transcripts in family law court matters will start when you have provided all required documents.

    Criminal

    You must upload these documents:

    • Indictment document – this document is called ‘indictment’ and may have the spelling of the accused, the victim(s) and list all the charges
    • Endorsement sheet for the hearing date – this includes counsel, parties, start times, judge, clerk, court reporter (if present)

    If applicable, you also need to upload these documents:

    • Endorsement sheet(s) for co-accused
    • Ban on Publication form
    • case law and/or list of authorities referred to in court

    If you’re a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Criminal / Traffic

    Resolution services

    For a support application or support variation application, you need to upload these documents:

    • Notice of Hearing
    • Notice of Confirmation Hearing

    If applicable, you also need to submit these documents:

    • Ban on Publication form,
    • case law and / or list of authorities referred to in court

    If you’re a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Civil

    If the matter has gone to court and the client is ordering a transcript, they must include the docket number in the ‘docket / action number’ field (e.g., FL01-1234 , FL-4567 or FF-6789).

  • Court of Appeal documents

    For hearings that happened before January 1, 2019

    To order Court of Appeal hearing transcripts you must upload:

    • the document that commenced the appeal – for example a Notice of Appeal or Application for Permission to Appeal
    • the letter of permission from the Court of Appeal allowing you to order transcripts – contact the Court of Appeal for instructions to get your letter of permission
    • a completed and signed Undertaking to the Court of Appeal for Access to Court Transcript – see page 2 of the document on the court’s Policy on Access to Transcripts of Oral Proceedings page

    If you do not upload these documents, your transcript order will be delayed or cancelled.

    Learn how to get an appeal record.

    For hearings that happened on or after January 1, 2019

    To order Court of Appeal hearing transcripts you must upload:

    • the document that commenced the appeal – for example a Notice of Appeal or Application for Permission to Appeal
    • a completed and signed Undertaking to the Court of Appeal for Access to Court Transcript – see page 2 of the document on the court’s Policy on Access to Transcripts of Oral Proceedings page

    If you do not upload these documents, your transcript order will be delayed or cancelled.

    Learn how to get an appeal record.

  • Sealed documents

    For young offenders / persons, section 119 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act lists who can have access and the time frame without a court order.

    For child welfare / child protection cases (unless party to the action), and early intervention case conferences, only certain people are eligible for these transcripts. There is a time limit as to when these transcripts can be released.

    You may need a court order releasing transcripts and other required documents including commencing documents, statement of claim, endorsements and court information.

    If you’re a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Civil

  • Criminal Code Review Board hearing documents

    You must upload these documents:

    • disposition
    • reasons for disposition

    Criminal Code Review Board hearings are often held at the Alberta Hospital in Edmonton or at Forensic Assessment and Outpatient Services in Calgary. They are not held in courtrooms.

    If you are a party to the action, you may already have these documents. If not, you can get them from the appropriate court by submitting this form:

    Search Request - Civil

Step 2. Place your order

You need a credit or debit card to order a transcript.

Payment

The estimated cost of your transcript will be pre-authorized to the card you entered on the order page, and held until the final cost is determined. Once the transcript is complete, your payment will be processed and the exact final cost will be charged to your card.

Separate orders

You must place a separate transcript order for each day of a proceeding.

User accounts

You need a user account to place an order:

Order a transcript online

Step 3. Get your transcript

You’ll be sent an email with a link after your payment is processed. This link will allow you to download a PDF copy of your transcript.

You can only download your transcript if you don’t owe funds to Transcript Management Services, an Alberta government service.

TMS does not give transcript cost estimates over the phone or by email.

Contact

Email is the fastest way to contact TMS if you:

  • have questions about ordering a courtroom transcript
  • do not have a credit or debit card to order the transcript

Transcript Management Services
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:00 pm (Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 403-297-7034

Transcript Management Services does not provide transcriptions of Bar Call ceremonies.