Antoine v. Byers & Anderson, Inc.

Summary

The Court unanimously held that court reporters are not entitled to absolute judicial immunity from damages liability for failing to produce a trial transcript. Justice Stevens explained that court reporters lack a historical common-law entitlement to judicial immunity and perform a ministerial duty to record proceedings verbatim, rather than exercise the discretionary judgment that judicial immunity protects. The Court rejected the asserted policy grounds for extending absolute immunity, reversed the Court of Appeals, and remanded. It did not decide the validity of the underlying cause of action or questions of liability and damages. There were no separate opinions.