By Nikki Adams
As audio and video evidence become more common in criminal cases, defense teams are facing an increasingly difficult challenge: reviewing hundreds of hours of recordings under tight deadlines and with limited resources. Many cases involve recordings in multiple languages, making manual transcriptions and reviewing slow and expensive. Transcription and translation software can provide an efficient starting point by quickly converting recordings into searchable text, helping attorneys identify important conversations, locate potentially exculpatory evidence, and focus their time where it will have the greatest impact. While these tools cannot replace careful human analysis, they can significantly improve efficiency and help ensure that critical evidence is identified earlier in the defense process, giving defense teams a better opportunity to build a strong case.
Beyond efficiency, there are several other critical considerations. Cost is a key factor, particularly for teams working within limited budgets. Security also raises important questions –who retains ownership of the data once it is uploaded, how vulnerable it may be to unauthorized access, where it is stored, and who is responsible for handling the transcription? Quality is equally important, as the usefulness of any transcript depends directly on the clarity and reliability of the underlying audio.
In response to frequent requests for guidance, NLST has compiled a non-exhaustive list of additional transcription and translation tools we have reviewed, along with key considerations associated with each. We do want to note one tool in particular, Axon Justice Premier Plus, as there is a CJA Panel discount available for it. Though the NLST holds a national contract with Axon, which is one reason we can offer this discount information; as always, we encourage attorneys and offices to evaluate all tools based on their own needs.
Axon Justice Premier Plus: https://www.axon.com/products/justice
Axon Justice Premier Plus is a digital evidence management platform that provides unlimited access to Axon’s Auto-Transcribe service, allowing audio and video evidence to be converted into searchable transcripts in minutes for files up to 12 hours long. One of its standout features is a built-in transcription assistant that lets users review and edit transcripts directly within the platform. It also makes it easy to navigate lengthy recordings by allowing users to click on any section of the transcript and jump directly to the corresponding point in the audio or video, making evidence review faster and more efficient.
If you’re considering Axon, it’s worth noting a few limitations. Its automatic transcription and translation features currently support only seven languages. Axon has a Public Beta program that it states can support an additional 50 languages/dialects, however, they do not publicly list the languages and users must contact sales to request activation of additional languages. Translations are only available to Auto-Transcribe Unlimited customers. Our testing found that the translation results can be inconsistent in accuracy. Also, bulk upload of files and uploading files larger than 4 gb requires a separate Windows application called Axon Upload XT.
Axon provides discounted pricing for Federal Defender Offices and CJA panel attorneys, currently at $1,560/license per year (though there is a minimum of two licenses).
JusticeText: https://justicetext.com/
JusticeText is a cloud-based platform that uses AI to quickly generate searchable, time-stamped transcripts from audio and video in 100 languages/dialects. Its standout features include AI-generated summaries and MirandaAI, a defense-focused assistant that answers questions and directs users to relevant portions of recordings. JusticeText has some built in prompts, however user prompt history is automatically saved until users opt to delete it, allowing users to return to their sessions and resume working. Prompt history can also be exported with links to the document(s) it referenced. The platform also allows users to create clips, including multi-camera sync for up to 9 videos, add timestamped notes, and work with a wide range of audio and video formats. In a recent platform update, JusticeText added document uploads, which it states can automatically convert documents—including tables, images, and handwritten notes—into searchable text for easier review and analysis though document translation is not currently supported.
JusticeText is a valuable tool, but it does have some limitations. Our testing has found transcription accuracy may decline when recordings contain background noise, overlapping speakers, or poor audio quality. Transcripts are generated entirely by AI with no option for human review or proofreading. In addition, the subscription model can be less flexible for smaller defender offices, and because the platform relies on third-party cloud providers for storage and processing, it carries the standard security considerations associated with cloud-based services.
JusticeText uses custom, quote-based pricing – if you are interested you will need to contact the vendor directly for current pricing.
Reduct.Video: https://reduct.video/legal
Reduct is designed for defense legal teams and offers AI transcription, with optional human transcription for an additional cost, along with translation in 95 languages/dialects. Reduct reports SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance, does not use customer data to train AI models, and gives users control over case access. Standout features include synchronized multi-camera playback, searchable transcripts, downloadable video clips linked to selected transcript text, and captioning. Reduct also offers live capture for court proceedings, generating an audio recording and transcript immediately after a hearing. Its document support, now available on all Enterprise plans, allows users to upload, search, summarize, organize, and annotate documents—including handwritten materials—alongside audio and video evidence. A 14-day free trial with five hours of AI transcription is also available.
Reduct performs well overall, but our testing found transcription is slower than other tools, its accuracy can decline with poor audio quality, and human-verified transcription is available only for English recordings. Automated translations may miss legal terminology or cultural idioms, and both transcription and translation count against the same subscription minute allotment. Some features also vary by plan, with priority support limited to Enterprise customers and collaborator limits based on subscription level.
Professional plans run around $40/editor/month; Enterprise/Legal plans start around $75/editor/month with usage-based, case-based, and unlimited options also available.
Rev: https://www.rev.com/
Rev offers both AI-powered and human transcription services, giving users options ranging from quick AI-generated drafts available in 30 minutes or less to certified transcripts that can be signed and filed. Rev states its AI transcription is available in 37 languages/dialects. Key features include AI-powered evidence analysis, which allows users to ask questions about files, generate summaries, and identify important insights. The platform also supports mobile client intake and dictation, multilingual captions and subtitles, clip creation, multi-file analysis, an AI notetaker, and a mobile app for reviewing and managing evidence on the go.
Our testing of Rev’s AI transcription found it can be less reliable with poor audio quality, background noise, heavy accents, or overlapping speakers, and it may struggle to accurately separate multiple voices. Additionally, the AI transcription will not translate the file only transcribe it in the target language. However, if users ask the RevAI chatbot to translate the audio, it will. Though Rev has pre-built prompts, user prompt history is not saved; users need to copy and paste their prompts and outputs into a separate document or can paste the prompt on the document itself. Human transcription and translation services offer higher accuracy but come with higher costs and longer turnaround times. Side-by-side foreign language translation is limited to higher-tier subscription plans, and while Rev reports it is GDPR and SOC 2 compliant, HIPAA and CJIS compliance those are only available through the AI Unlimited Custom plan. Lower tier plans also include limits on file sizes and transcription minutes, which may require upgrades for teams handling larger volumes of evidence.
Subscription plans range from a limited free plan up to $25.49-$47.99 per seat/month, and an option for an Unlimited custom priced plan. Human verified services start from $1.99/min. with a subscription plan.
Sonix AI: https://sonix.ai
Sonix is an automated transcription platform with a browser-based editor that allows users to search, edit, organize, and share transcripts. The platform includes AI-powered analysis tools for generating summaries, chapters, and sentiment insights, along with translation, subtitles, and captions in 54 languages/dialects. Collaboration features allow teams to manage permissions, share files, and control access levels, while integrations with tools like Zoom and Adobe Premiere support broader workflows. Sonix reports SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, DPA & BAA compliance. A free trial includes 30 minutes of transcription.
Sonix’s limitations are primarily tied to subscription structure and support options. Plans vary in the number of transcription and translation hours included each month, as well as available storage, and translation services require an additional cost. Support availability and response times also depend on the subscription tier, with faster assistance reserved for higher-level plans. Additionally, Sonix does not offer an option for human proofreading or review, which may be a limitation for low-quality recordings or sensitive content requiring additional accuracy.
Standard pay-as-you-go pricing has run around $10/hour for transcription and translation and $25, $50, and $80/month in various subscription plans currently available.
Subtitle Edit: https://www.nikse.dk/subtitleedit
Subtitle Edit is a free open-source editor tool that allows you to create and modify subtitles that are synchronized with video files. Within the customizable main interface, users can review and correct transcripts. Stand out program features include auto timing, batch processing, find and replace, merge/split of subtitles, network collaboration, OCR, and more. Subtitle Edit states it supports translations in over 100 languages/dialects using built-in engines such as Google Translate, Bing Microsoft Translator, DeepL, local LLMS such as Ollama and LM Studio, or Facebook’s NLLB. Facebook’s NLLB supports over 200 languages/dialects.
Subtitle Edit is a useful tool for transcription and subtitle editing, but testing revealed its performance depends heavily on system hardware and audio quality. Local transcription engines may run slowly on older computers, and accuracy can decline with background noise, overlapping speakers, strong accents, or specialized terminology. Translation capabilities may require external tools or APIs, and automated translations often need manual editing to address context, formatting, and language nuances. Additional limitations include the lack of speaker identification and fewer options for easily converting transcripts into different output formats.
Veritone: https://www.veritone.com
Veritone offers three tools—Investigate, Illuminate, and Redact—that support audio and video transcription workflows. Investigate adds advanced features such as facial recognition, object tracking, and searchable transcripts. Veritone states AI translation is available in over 100 languages/dialects. Illuminate and Redact allow users to search across audio and video files, with transcripts generated during the initial upload process. The platform’s enhanced search capabilities allow users to quickly locate specific words or objects across content, including the use of custom dictionaries for terms like slang. Transcripts can be exported in multiple formats, including plain text, Word documents, TTML, WebVTT, and SRT files.
Veritone provides powerful AI-driven transcription and analysis capabilities, but its effectiveness can depend on file formats, audio quality, and workflow requirements. Some files may require additional conversion before processing, and transcription accuracy can decrease with background noise, overlapping speakers, or multilingual audio. Translation workflows may also require additional adjustments to preserve timing, formatting, and search functionality. In addition, Veritone can become costly as pricing is based on the amount of data uploaded, which may be a consideration for teams managing large volumes of evidence.
Veritone uses custom, contract-based pricing; a past reference point was approximately $4,750 per 1,000 media hours of single-language transcription under a 12-month contract, but this should be re-quoted directly with the vendor.
Whisper by Open Ai: https://openai.com/index/whisper/
Whisper is a free, open-source speech recognition tool that can transcribe and translate audio in over 100 languages/dialects. Whisper offers a range of transcription and translation features designed to handle diverse audio and language needs. It can automatically detect the spoken language and convert speech into text in the original language, while also supporting direct translation of non-English audio into written English. The tool performs well across a variety of conditions, including background noise, overlapping sounds, and fast speech, and supports common file formats such as MP3, MP4, M4A, WAV, and WEBM. Available in multiple model sizes—from lightweight versions focused on speed to larger models optimized for accuracy—Whisper can be deployed locally as an open-source tool or accessed through a managed cloud API.
Whisper is a powerful speech recognition tool, but it has some limitations. Testing revealed that it may require technical expertise and significant computing power to set up and customize, with processing speeds varying based on system capabilities. The API also has a 25 MB file size limit, lacks built-in speaker identification, and is optimized for batch processing rather than real-time transcription. Accuracy can decline with low-resource languages, regional dialects, or specialized terminology, and the model may occasionally produce incorrect text or hallucinating words. In addition, its translation feature is limited to converting non-English speech into English rather than supporting translation between all languages/dialects. For users seeking a simpler local setup, FasterWhisper XXL offers a standalone option without requiring Python programming.
Conclusion
Audio and video transcription software can be a valuable tool for media evidence review, but legal teams should use it with care. Before transcribing, consider whether a transcript is necessary and evaluate how providers handle data ownership, storage, security, and confidentiality. Teams should also understand whether transcripts are generated by AI, human reviewers, or a hybrid approach, recognizing that AI-generated transcripts require verification and that transcript accuracy depends heavily on audio quality. Finally, attorneys should ensure their use of these tools aligns with the ABA’s guidance and applicable state ethics opinions on AI. By thoughtfully evaluating these considerations, legal teams can leverage transcription technology while protecting client information and fulfilling their professional responsibilities.