In a blow to court reporter unions, the California Supreme Court ruled Monday that courts must allow electronic recordings of hearings when a certified professional reporter is not available. The decision “should increase job opportunities for court reporters,” attorney Scott Kronland, who represented the court reporter organizations, said in a written statement. They can either pay for a private court reporter to transcribe their hearing for them, which can cost more than $3,000 per hearing, or delay their case for months, hoping for a court reporter to be available. For instance, Los Angeles Superior Court offers a $50,000 signing bonus and $25,000 finder’s fee for court employees who refer a court reporter. The county reported it had 92 vacant court reporter positions, according to an online dashboard the superior court created to highlight the problem.