How to become A Court Reporter

• Caption Writer
• Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR)
• Chancery Clerk
• Court Monitor
• Court Recorder
• Court Recording Monitor
• Court Stenographer
• Court Transcriber
• Data Transcriber
• Webcaster
• Closed Captionist
• Voice Writer

What do Court Reporters do?

A Court Reporter would typically need to:

• Attend depositions, hearings, proceedings, other events that require written transcripts
• Produce a complete, accurate, and secure legal transcript of courtroom proceedings, witness testimonies, and depositions
• Capture spoken dialogue with specialized equipment, including stenography machines, video and audio recording devices, covered microphones
• Read or playback all or a portion of the proceedings upon request from the judge
• Ask speakers to clarify inaudible or unclear statements or testimony; review notes for speakers’ names and technical terminology
• Prepare transcripts for the record according to standardized formats; review and certify the accuracy of printed transcripts
• File transcripts with the county clerk on time; provide copies of transcripts and recordings to the courts, counsels, parties involved
• Review court calendars and make arrangements for other Court Reporters to provide services when needed; provide administrative and court management support
• Take court notes during hearings to note significant events and to locate and present prior testimony
• Coordinate meetings and maintain the calendar for the judge and the court; schedule trials and other court proceedings (in cooperation with the court clerk)
• Perform clerical duties: administer oaths, mark documents, maintain logs and other forms, transfer stenographic files and notes to authorized personnel for reference
• Perform administrative tasks: answer phones, purchase office supplies, maintain law library, prepare expense vouchers

Court Reporters typically work 40 hours per week, but it's not uncommon for them to work overtime to meet deadlines. Many Court Reporters must travel to various courthouses or offices in different locations. Some broadcast captioners and CART providers work remotely from their home or a central office.

Appropriate dress code for female Court Reporters includes pantsuits or dress slacks with a tailored jacket, dresses, a dressy blouse, and a skirt. Flat shoes are acceptable as long as they are elegant. MaleCourt Reporters are required to wear a coat, tie and dress slacks to court and a tie and dress slacks for depositions.

Court reporters who work in a court setting typically work full time, recording events and preparing transcripts. Freelance reporters have more flexibility in setting their work schedules.

Court reporters document government meetings, seminars, and official proceedings. Some work as freelance reporters for pretrial depositions and similar events. As employees of television studios and cable companies, they provide captions of live television shows, sporting events, emergency broadcasts for people with hearing problems.

Court reporters are generally employed by:

• Government Agencies
• Television Studios
• Cable Companies

Professional associations and organizations are a crucial resource for those interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks excellent on your Resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications.

• Speed and accuracy required to capture a verbatim record
• Time-sensitive nature of legal proceedings
• Few and short breaks during the workday
• Strong accents and fast speakers
• More than one speaker to attend to
• Odd working hours

Some schools offer training in the use of different transcription machines, such as stenotype machines or steno masks. Students practice preparing transcripts to improve the speed and accuracy of their work.

After completing their formal program, Court Reporters must complete a short-term on-the-job training. It typically includes additional skills training and training on the more technical terminology that may come in handy during complex medical or legal proceedings.

Most Court Reporters have two to four years of work experience and one month of job training. To increase your chances of getting a job, you can look for job training while studying to be one.

Aspiring Court Reporters receive formal training at community colleges or technical institutes. Programs lead to either a certificate or an associate’s degree in Court Reporting, which will qualify applicants for entry-level positions.

Court Reporters must have proficient knowledge of principles, practices, methods, & techniques of court shorthand reporting, clerical & legal recordkeeping practices & procedures, legal, medical & related technical terminology, advanced spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, & grammar skills, and the English language. Graduating from a Court Reporting program can take two to five years.

Most employers require Court Reporters who work in legal settings to be licensed or certified by a professional association. Licensing requirements vary by location and by method of Court Reporting.

Some of the certificates that add value to your resume are RPR (Registered Professional Reporter), CRR (Certified Realtime Reporter), CCP (Certified CART {Communication Access Real-Time}Provider, CMRS (Certified Manager of Reporting Services), CSR (Certified Shorthand Reporter), CLR (Certified LiveNote Reporter), CRC (Certified Realtime Captioner), CMRS (Certified Manager of Reporting Services ).

CRI (Certified Reporting Instructor), RMR (Registered Merit Reporter), RDR (Registered Diplomate Reporter) are certificates that are earned for excellence in the field.

A licensed/certified Court Reporter will have the knowledge and skills to serve in several capacities within the profession. Court Reporters may find a wealth of professional opportunities in closed and real-time captioning services, webcasting, Communications Access Realtime Reporting (CART) reporting, all of which require expert stenographic skills.

Voice writing, which involves speaking into a computer that translates the words into written transcripts, is another vital field in court reporting.

The career graph of a Court Reporter naturally leans towards positions such as Executive Assistant, Paralegal, Legal Secretary. Talented Court Reporters can become medical or legal transcriptionists.

Job prospects will be best for graduates of court reporting programs and candidates with experience and training in CART and real-time captioning.

It typically takes two or more years of training to become a competent real-time voice writer and just under a year to develop novice skills. Real-time stenographic Court Reporters usually train for three years.

Electronic transcribers typically complete on-the-job training. They are required to read multiple training manuals, discuss manual content with trainers, and observe experienced electronic transcribers in action. Electronic transcribers employed in courtrooms need to train with the vendors who manufacture and distribute audio-capture technology.

Reporters working for private companies usually receive on-the-job training. All professional associations require Court Reporters to obtain a certain amount of continuing education credits to renew their certification.

Traits of a Competent Court Reporter

Court reporters keep word-for-word records of court proceedings. Most Court Reporters record 200 words per minute.

One Function - Multiple Avenues

Closed (broadcast) captioning involves talk shows/news and sports broadcasts in national broadcast companies, local television stations, or television/movie studios. Realtime captioning may be used for television broadcasts, sports events, weather disasters/emergencies, and other live television events.

Communications Access Realtime Reporting (CART) involves providing specialized services to deaf or hard-of-hearing people in live situations, such as college classrooms, lectures, speeches, cultural presentations, religious services, civic events, and seminars. Webcasting involves providing realtime reporting services for Internet-based events, such as corporate sales meetings, press conferences, product introductions, and training workshops.

One Function - Multiple Tools - Multiple Titles

Court reporters use stenotype machines to record dialogue. Stenotype machines work like keyboards, but create words through key combinations rather than single characters, allowing Court Reporters to keep up with fast-moving dialogue. Court Reporters who use stenotype machines are known as stenographers.

Court reporters may also use steno masks to transcribe speech. They speak directly into a portable mask with a microphone known as a voice silencer, recording dialogue and reporting gestures and actions. Because the receiver is covered, others cannot hear what the reporter is saying. The recording is sometimes converted by computerized voice-recognition software into a transcript that the Court Reporter reviews for accuracy, spelling, and grammar.

For both stenotype machine recording and steno mask recording, Court Reporters must create, maintain, and continuously update an online dictionary that the computer software uses to transcribe the key presses or voice recordings into text.

Court reporters may also use digital recorders in their job. Digital recording creates an audio or video record rather than a written transcript. Court Reporters who use digital recorders operate and monitor the recording equipment. They also take notes to identify the speakers and provide context. In some cases, Court Reporters use the audio recording to create a written transcript.

Court reporters need to know how to operate a variety of equipment, including transcription machines, computer terminals, audio equipment, and printers.

The first known Court Reporter was Marcus Tullius Tiro, who developed shorthand in 63 BCE. He transcribed the lawyer Cicero’s speeches using over 4,000 symbols.

Suppose you are ready to put in the required time, money, and effort and have the prescribed patience and determination to evolve into a top-notch Court Reporter. You will reap the limitless rewards of a recession-proof, high demand career, a high-income potential, a staggering variety of job settings, longevity of work produced, a strong work team, flexible work schedule, mastery, purpose, autonomy, recurring income opportunity.

Never use an apostrophe to form a plural. There is no glory in practice. But without practice, there is no glory.