The Supreme Court announced that it will make same-day transcripts of its oral arguments available free on its Web site. This is the fastest and most complete public access to its proceedings the Court has ever offered.

The Court recently offered the identification in the transcripts of which justice is asking a particular question.

Previously, free transcripts were not posted on the court's site, http://www.supremecourtus.gov , until two weeks after oral argument. The only exceptions were certain recent high-profile cases, such as the 2000 presidential election cases, in which the court released same-day audiotapes of oral argument. There were just three such occasions in the 2005-2006 term.

Anyone who wanted a same-day transcript had to pay hundreds of dollars to the court's transcription service, Washington-based Alderson Reporting. That effectively limited access to a handful of law firms.

But recent progress in digital technology and a new arrangement with Alderson made it possible for the justices to adopt the new policy, which law professors, lawyers and reporters have been urging for years.

Formerly, Alderson provided services to the court free and recovered its costs by selling the transcripts. Now, the court will pay Alderson and give away the transcripts on its Web site, court spokeswoman Kathy L. Arberg said.

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