Which of the following statements is true about bench conferences in the official record according to the material?

• A. They are always excluded from the official record.
• B. They are never recorded.
• C. They are part of the official record unless the judge advises otherwise.
• D. They are recorded only if the judge approves.

Answer: (C)

Bench conferences are discussions at the judge’s bench that can influence rulings and how the case proceeds. The official record normally includes these conferences to show exactly what the court considered and why it ruled as it did. The judge has discretion to specify that a bench conference is off the record, in which case that portion would not be part of the transcript; otherwise, it becomes part of the official record. So the statement that they are part of the official record unless the judge advises otherwise is the best fit. The other options aren’t correct because bench conferences are not automatically excluded, never recorded, or recorded only with special judge approval—recording happens by default unless the judge directs otherwise.