Missing Court Reporter Ordered To Serve 5 Years Probation
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A court reporter who was nearly arrested for failing to show up in court with important transcripts in a dozen trials was ordered Friday to serve 5 years probation.
Roseann McMahon appeared in court with her attorney and family. She was charged with ten counts of indirect criminal contempt of court after she failed to show up to court three times in the past month. She was asked to come to court to explain why her court reporting business that's based at her Pompano Beach apartment could not transcribe depositions in several court cases.
McMahon tried to defend herself earlier this month.
"I was never ever missing," McMahon told CBS4's Peter D'Oench. "I've been a member of this community for more than 20 years. I help the indigent pay people so they can finish their cases in court. You can't say I'm missing and missing transcripts. I take offense to that."
When asked why she didn't show up to court with the transcripts, she replied, "I was at home. I did have the transcripts in the rotation. It was that simple. I had no transportation. I had no phone. It was that simple. I really thought I could appear by phone. I was not available by phone."
McMahon's company was hired to digitally record depositions from 2008 to 2011 for Miami's Regional Conflict Counsel, which helps clients who cannot afford to pay for attorneys.
McMahon testified that she could not produce the depositions because she had not been paid and even faced foreclosure on some of her properties.
The judge sentenced her to 6 months probation per count.
