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How to transcribe court hearing audio to text

In Mexico's oral-trial system, hearings are recorded in audio and video, and courts hand the parties a copy of the recording — not a transcript. Reviewing a two- or three-hour hearing means listening to all of it, taking notes by hand, and hunting for every key statement again later.

With Dolcenota you upload the audio or video file exactly as the court delivered it and get the full transcript in minutes, with each speaker identified, an AI summary, and the ability to ask questions about what was said. Then export it to Word or PDF to work on your case file.

Transcribe a hearing in 4 steps

  1. 1

    Get the copy of the hearing recording

    Request the audio or video copy of the hearing from the court (parties usually receive it on DVD or USB). Copy the file to your computer as-is; there's no need to convert it.

  2. 2

    Upload the file to Dolcenota

    Create your free account, click "Upload file" and choose the recording. We accept audio (mp3, m4a, wav and more) and video (mp4, mov) — from video we use only the audio track. If the hearing is split across several files, upload them together and we merge them into a single transcript.

  3. 3

    Review the text and identify each speaker

    Dolcenota automatically separates who said what. Rename each speaker — judge, prosecutor, defense, witness — and the name is applied across the whole transcript and the summary.

  4. 4

    Summarize, ask and export

    Generate a summary with the key points, ask the AI about the content ("what did the witness say about the date?") and export the result to Word, PDF or TXT for your case file.

Courts hand you the audio, not the transcript

In the accusatory criminal system, the official record of a hearing is the audio/video recording (as established by Mexico's National Code of Criminal Procedure). Parties can request a copy of that recording, but courts do not produce written versions — transcription is up to each lawyer.

That's why transcription became part of litigation work: to prepare appeals, quote testimony verbatim, or share with your client what happened, you need the content as text you can search, copy and annotate.

How much does it cost to transcribe a hearing?

Manual transcription services in Mexico typically charge MX$400–1,300 (roughly US$20–70) per audio hour, with 3–7 business-day turnaround. A three-hour hearing can cost thousands of pesos and arrive after you needed it.

With Dolcenota it's a fraction of that: start free with 60 minutes per month, and paid plans start at MX$149 per month, with transcripts ready in minutes. Pay by card, OXXO or SPEI.

Multiple speakers, long sessions: built for hearings

  • Speaker identification: tells judge, prosecutor, defense and witnesses apart, and you can assign real names.
  • Merge several files or sessions into one continuous transcript.
  • Search any phrase in the text and copy it verbatim for your briefs.
  • The AI summary extracts the key points; chat lets you ask about what was said without replaying the audio.

Confidentiality: your recordings, protected

Hearing recordings contain sensitive data, and we treat them accordingly: your files are processed securely on Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure, they are never used to train AI models, and you can delete them from your account at any time.

Important: a Dolcenota transcript is a working document for your analysis and preparation. The official record of the hearing remains the recording held by the court.

Frequently asked questions

Does the court give me a transcript of the hearing?

No. Courts provide the parties a copy of the audio/video record (usually on DVD), but they don't produce a written version. Transcription is up to each party — and that's the work Dolcenota saves you.

Is the transcript an official certified record?

No. Dolcenota produces an accurate working document for studying the hearing, quoting testimony and preparing your briefs, but it doesn't replace the official record or constitute a certified stenographic version.

How long does a multi-hour hearing take to transcribe?

Minutes, not days. A two- or three-hour hearing is usually ready in a few minutes — far less than it would take to listen to it again.

Can I upload the hearing video directly?

Yes. We accept video files (mp4, mov) and use only the audio track for transcription. If the court gave you a DVD, copy the file to your computer and upload it as-is.

Is it safe to upload recordings with confidential information?

Yes. Files are processed securely on AWS, never shared or used to train AI, and you can delete them whenever you want. Still, check the confidentiality rules that apply to your case before sharing the transcript with third parties.

How many minutes does the free plan include?

60 minutes per month with every feature: transcription, speaker identification, AI summary, chat and Word/PDF export. For long hearings or frequent use, plans start at MX$149 per month, plus minute top-ups from MX$29.

Transcribe your first hearing today

Create your free account and turn the court's recording into text, a summary and AI answers — in minutes.

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