So, You Wanna Be a Court Reporter?
Court reporters are in high demand. They transcribe court hearings and trials, depositions, speeches, meetings, and other events for which there must be a written record. With all of these activities on the increase, job demand is good, and the work itself is interesting. Do you wanna be a court reporter? Here’s what you need to know:
Methods of Court Reporting
Court reporters use three primary methods of court reporting: electronic reporting, voice writing, and stenographic reporting.
Electronic Reporting: In electronic reporting, court reporters use audio equipment to record the proceedings. The court reporter takes notes to identify the various speakers, and checks the audio periodically to ensure the quality is acceptable. Transcripts are later made from the recordings.
Voice Writing: Voice writing involves a court reporter speaking into a special mask that prevents others from hearing the reporter. In voice writing, the court reporter talks onto a recording, saying everything that the speakers are saying, and even reporting on gestures and emotional responses. Transcripts are later made from the recording.
Stenographic Reporting: Stenographic reporting requires a stenotype machine. A stenotype machine is a special kind of typewriter that enables court reporters to press multiple buttons at once, representing words, phrases, and sounds. Typically, stenotype machines electronically record and translate the symbols to create a transcript. This is called computer-aided transcription, or CAT.
Other Duties and Job Descriptions
A court reporter’s job isn’t over when the meeting or legal proceeding is over. Voice writers and electronic reporters must then go home and create a transcript of recorded audio. Even stenographers whose stenotype machines create electronic transcripts must review and edit a transcript before sending it off. Court reporters may also be called upon to search prior transcripts for information, create custom dictionaries for their equipment to transcribe specific words, and manage transcripts, including filing them with the appropriate authorities.
Court reporters don’t just work in courts and law firms, though. Court reporters serve in a variety of industries. As a court reporter, you might be called upon to record a corporate meeting. You might work as a webcaster or Internet information reporter, to transcribe information for the web. You might even work for live television, providing captioning services for the deaf via Communication Access Real-Time Translation, or CART. The opportunities are myriad and growing every day.
Work Environment
The work environment of a court reporter varies, depending on the specific employment. If you work in court or in an attorney’s law firm, you’ll need to dress professionally and you’ll have a more formal work environment. However, many court reporters work from home, and have the flexibility to set their own hours and even work in pajamas. If you’re a freelance court reporter, your work environment may encompass all of the above as you take on various projects.
Education and Training
Education and training to become a court reporter is relatively easy. The type of court reporting you do determines the specific education and training you need. Also, the requirements for licensing vary from state to state, so you should consult your state for specifics.
Training to become a stenographer takes 33 months. You can train to become a stenographer at several vocational schools, technical schools, and colleges. You can complete a certificate program that requires you to capture a minimum of 225 words per minute.
Electronic reporters and voice writers learn their skills on the job. It takes approximately a year to become a voice writer, but more than two years to become skilled. Electronic reporters typically receive training directly from the company that provides the transcription equipment.
