The fees charged by court reporters for trial transcripts are often prohibitively high, which is detrimental to defendants, journalists, and the broader democratic process. It's crucial to implement a new system for compensating court reporters. One option is to raise their salaries to encompass the costs of transcript preparation. Alternatively, courts could invest in providing the necessary training, equipment, and materials for court reporters. Without these reforms, the objective of making trial transcripts openly accessible will remain in conflict with court reporters' ability to earn a sustainable income.