How to order a VCAT Court Transcript
- Generate a Quick Online Quote: Secure your rate for 30 days. Obtain a prompt VCAT transcript quote using our online quote form.
- Request Recording: Apply for the court recording directly through the court using the online form available on the VCAT website. The court will then send the recording directly to us.
- Place the Order: Submit your transcript request through our online order form. This enables us to monitor the delivery from VCAT and ensure timely processing. The final invoice will accurately reflect the recording’s duration in minutes and seconds. Please note, we do not charge for time during court breaks or when the court is not in session.
- Receive Transcript: When we receive the recording from VCAT, we will notify you via email that we have started. When we complete the transcript we will email you a download link.
- Make Payment: After completion, we will send you an email containing an invoice for payment. You can make payments online through bank transfer or by credit card.
Expert Australian Court Typists
Transcript Divas is a professional transcription service. We pride ourselves on being an independent service with a highly skilled and dedicated team, experienced in legal and court-related work. Our mission is to assist you in accessing court recordings, creating accurate VCAT transcripts for you. We operate within the VCAT system, with a steadfast commitment to protecting your privacy rights.
Our team is entirely Australian-based, and we bring to the table extensive experience in managing complex legal and courtroom matters. We guarantee that we never outsource our work overseas, and that we never engage artificial intelligence technologies in our processes. Each VCAT transcript is typed by hand in Australia.
Transcript Divas aligns with VCAT privacy policy, ensuring your information remains confidential throughout the process.
For more details on privacy and confidentiality during the VCAT process, please visit VCAT PRIVACY PROCESS.
Guaranteed Timelines
Along with accuracy, our 200% timeline guarantee covers your agreed-upon timeline. If we confirm a timeline with you, we guarantee the transcript will arrive on time, if not before.
We can typically accommodate your timeline requests. Our team of skilled and experienced court typists is dedicated to completing projects within the desired timeframes—whether that’s the same day, or a more affordably priced seven-day turnaround.
Guaranteed Accuracy
Accuracy in court transcripts is of the utmost importance. This was highlighted in a 2023 case in the Supreme Court of Victoria – Court of Appeal, where an inaccurate transcript from a Victorian County Court proceeding led to a problematic outcome. What began as a relatively straightforward County Court case, involving a man who fell due to a poorly maintained council footpath, ended up requiring a Supreme Court review.
” … the judge relied on the transcript of the applicant’s evidence which was, in an important respect, inaccurate. The transcript misstated the applicant’s evidence about where on the footpath he had fallen. The error is such that the verdict cannot stand … ”
– Russell v City of Melbourne [2023] VSCA 97
We stand by the accuracy of our transcripts—so much so that we offer a 200% accuracy guarantee across all our court (and non-court) work. We exclusively employ experienced Australian court typists and never use AI.
VCAT – Unclear Recordings Process
We developed our best-practice approach to handling unclear audio based on a recent review of audio processes within the Victorian Courts.
(See: Transcripts of Indistinct Audio: Time for Reform).
As an independent service provider to the court, our team will never “guess” or allow an AI to “approximate” unclear content. If they cannot precisely identify any words or phrases, the typist will rewind and review the section to attempt to decipher it. If the content remains unclear, they will flag the relevant section with a timestamp within the transcript itself, e.g. [unintelligible 1:32:12]. This notifies the court of a problematic passage, and of its exact location in the recording. If necessary, the court can quickly and efficiently review the section.
VCAT – Affidavits
Upon request, we can provide an affidavit for VCAT court transcripts—or an affidavit for transcripts of video or audio recordings you may wish to use in a VCAT process. Please select this option when placing your order.
Affidavits provide a legal confirmation that the transcripts provided to the court are produced by a professional and independent Australian agency, and that this agency certifies the transcripts as an accurate representation of the supplied recordings.
There is a $90 processing fee for affidavits. We will need to coordinate with other officials, which can take some time.
For more information on our process, please see: Requesting an Affidavit with Your Transcript Order.
Note: We cannot generate an affidavit after the fact; it must be included as part of the initial order.