Court Reporter
A court reporter, also known as a court stenographer or certified shorthand reporter, plays a vital role in the legal system by creating accurate verbatim transcripts of court proceedings, including testimonies, legal motions, and judges' rulings. They utilize specialized equipment such as stenotype machines and audio recording devices to document events in real-time and often provide closed-captioning services for those who are hearing-impaired. Court reporters work in various environments, including courtrooms and administrative offices, and may also operate as freelancers from home.
The profession requires a postsecondary nondegree award, and individuals typically undergo licensing or certification processes. Successful court reporters possess strong attention to detail, excellent listening skills, and the ability to manage time effectively in a demanding work environment. The job is expected to grow at a rate of 3%, aligning with the average for all occupations. With a median annual income of approximately $63,940, court reporting can offer a rewarding career for those interested in the legal field and skilled in written communication.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Court Reporter
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Business, Management & Administration
Interests: Legal system, current events, written communication
Earnings (Yearly Median): $63,940 per year $30.74 per hour
Employment & Outlook: 3% (As fast as average)
Entry-Level Education Postsecondary nondegree award; licensing or certification
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training Short-term on-the-job training
Overview
Sphere of Work. Court reporters, also referred to as court stenographers, certified shorthand reporters, court monitors, or deposition reporters, record court proceedings for local, state, and federal courts. Court reporters create accurate verbatim transcripts of legal proceedings, meetings, judges’ speeches, and conversations between lawyers and judges. Court reporters are responsible for creating the written legal record that documents and preserves court proceedings. During court proceedings, they also assist judges, lawyers, juries, and defendants by locating specific information or records in the court record or transcript and by providing closed-captioning and real-time translating services to those in need of speech- and hearing-related services.
Work Environment. Court reporters spend their workdays creating legal transcripts for both civil and criminal court proceedings within local, state, and federal court systems. Court reporters work in administrative offices and courtrooms. Freelance court reporters may work from home offices, captioning televised or webcast legal proceedings. Court reporters generally work forty-hour weeks or more. They may find the pace of the work and expectations of accuracy challenging.
Occupation Interest. Individuals drawn to the court reporter profession tend to be intelligent and detail-oriented. The most successful court reporters display traits such as focus, excellent hearing, hand-eye coordination, time management, initiative, and concern for individuals and society. Court reporters should enjoy working within the legal system. They should also stay abreast of the news and trends in the greater community.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. The court reporter’s area of job specialization and work environment determines their daily occupational duties and responsibilities. Court reporting specialties include stenographic recording, real-time captioning, electronic reporting, voice writing, and webcasting.
During legal proceedings, court reporters record testimony from all witnesses, legal objections and motions, instructions and questions asked between the judge and the jury, ruling, sentencing, appeals, and other events and conversations. They may use shorthand, computerized equipment, or a stenotype machine to capture these events. Court reporters ask all legal participants to restate or clarify speech or information that is inaudible, unclear, or spoken too quietly to be understood. They also provide real-time translation or captions for deaf or hearing-impaired people involved in legal proceedings and ensure that all captioning complies with federal regulations.
When a proceeding is over, the court reporter creates transcripts from all recordings. This involves creating the computer dictionary used to translate keystroke codes or voice files into written text, correcting grammar and spelling errors in the resulting text, and generating copies of the new transcript. These copies must be compared regularly with the original to ensure accuracy. The original transcript must be filed in a timely manner since it will be requested by participants in the proceedings and become public record. Rulings mentioned in the transcript are verified with the presiding judge as a further accuracy check. When people request copies of the legal transcript or want to read the original, the court reporter is responsible for complying with those requests in a timely manner as well.
In addition to these duties, court reporters must maintain all court reporting equipment, including stenotype machines, analog tape recorders, digital equipment, and voice silencing microphones. They also develop personalized methods for storing and accessing stenographic data, audio recordings, and voice files.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. The immediate physical environment of court reporters varies based on their specialization. Court reporters spend their workdays recording and transcribing legal proceedings in business offices, home offices, local courts, state courts, federal courts, government agencies, and prisons.
Human Environment. Court reporters work with a wide variety of people and should be comfortable interacting with court clerks, incarcerated people, court administrators, lawyers, judges, defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, and juries.
Technological Environment. In their daily activities, court reporters use a wide variety of technology and equipment, including stenotype machines, audio recording devices, voice recognition and translation software, computers, Internet communication technology, photocopiers, and printers.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students interested in pursuing a career as a court reporter should prepare themselves by developing good study habits. High school-level study of typing, foreign languages, political science, sociology, shorthand, and psychology will provide a strong foundation for postsecondary-level study in the field. Due to the diversity of court reporter specialties, high school students interested in this career path may benefit from seeking internships or part-time work that exposes them to the legal system.
Postsecondary. Postsecondary students interested in becoming court reporters should work towards an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in pre-law, criminology, or a related field. Vocational and technical schools also offer formal court reporter training programs. Coursework in education, psychology, and foreign languages may also prove useful in their future work. Postsecondary students can gain work experience and potential advantage in their future job searches by securing internships or part-time employment within the legal system. Most states require court reporters to have a license or receive certification from a professional organization.
According to the Association for Court Reporters and Captioners, as of 2023, there was a shortage of about five thousand court reporters. Freelance court reporters who worked extra hours and worked freelance earned a high salary.
Related Occupations
Bibliography
"Court Reporters." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/court-reporters.htm. Accessed 8 Aug. 2024.
Smith, Morgan. "This In-Demand Job Pays Over $100K and Doesn't Require a College Degree--What You Need to Know." CNBC, 12 June 2023, www.cnbc.com/2023/06/12/this-in-demand-job-pays-up-to-500k-and-doesnt-require-a-college-degree.html. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.