01 Apr
2026

Modernizing the Court Record in New Mexico: From Microphones to Managing Workflows

Tags  Customer Case Studies | Justice Technology

At the recent National Association for Court Management (NACM) Midyear Conference, For The Record and Amazon Web Services (AWS) welcomed Judge Levy and Judge Loveless of New Mexico’s 2nd Judicial District Court to a panel discussion. They discussed how technology can make court records—including audio and video recordings, log notes, transcripts, and exhibits—more reliable, searchable, and secure, all while supporting judges and staff in the day-to-day realities of running a courtroom.

The partnership between For The Record and AWS lets each organization focus on what it does best. Both share responsibility for protecting sensitive justice data. AWS provides a highly resilient cloud backbone, comprised of geographically distributed data centers, redundant storage, and robust encryption and security compliance.

For The Record builds on that foundation with an application layer designed specifically for justice: recording systems for the courtroom and beyond, audio and speech-to-text processing, enhanced access to the record, and secure and scalable storage options.

The result is a solution where AWS concentrates on robust infrastructure, For The Record focuses on justice-centered workflows, and both share responsibility for keeping court data secure, available, and trustworthy over the long term.

Below, we’ve summarized six practical takeaways from the session.

Key Takeaways

1. More reliable record (including hybrid hearings)

  • Integrated microphones and speakers at each position ensure that if it can be heard, it’s captured—while sensitive audio/video, such as attorney‑client conversations or juror deliberations, remains private.
  • Improved clarity across both in‑person and remote participation creates a more complete, accurate recording.
  • In New Mexico, the audio itself serves as the official record, making courtroom modernization and cloud-based audio processing critical to preserving the integrity of the court record and accessibility of it.

2. Faster order writing and case preparation

  • Live, searchable speech‑to‑text lets judges and staff quickly find what was said and by whom.
  • Exportable text (e.g., to Word) speeds up drafting orders and findings, especially in multi‑day hearings.

3. Dramatic time savings finding past hearings

  • Automatic case detection groups all hearings for a case into a single view.
  • Powerful search (by name, term, date, courtroom) cuts retrieval time from hours to minutes.

4. Complete, long‑term record for appeals

  • Centrally stored, encrypted audio with full audit logs supports a durable appellate record.
  • Works alongside existing court reporter/transcription workflows where certified transcripts are needed.

5. Built for real‑world reliability and support

  • Local recording continues during network outages and syncs later.
  • Remote monitoring and support help diagnose and resolve issues quickly in high‑volume courts.

6. Maximum security with AWS’s shared responsibility model and For The Record’s security framework compliance

  • AWS provides the underlying secure infrastructure (regions and multiple availability zones with synchronous replication and geographic separation).
  • For The Record builds the application layer on top—features, user access, and courtroom workflows—while courts retain control over data governance and use.
  • Data is encrypted in transit and at rest; For The Record or AWS cannot decrypt customer data, helping protect court records over the long term.
  • For The Record is compliant with SOC 2 Type 2, NIST 800‑53 Rev. 5 (which forms the basis of the FEDRAMP certification), and CJIS security frameworks.
  • Every change to the text (names, labels, speakers) is tracked and auditable.

With FTR Justice Cloud, you’re not just getting convenience—you’re strengthening accountability, transparency, security, storage scalability, and the chain of custody. Find out more today.

Scroll to Top
For The Record is set to be acquired by Tyler Technologies.
Read the announcement
This is default text for notification bar
Learn more