Court reporters are responsible for creating transcripts of legal proceedings. They use stenotype machines or voice writing equipment to transcribe spoken words in a courtroom. They must attend a specialized training program to develop the necessary skills for this career.
Professional Development
Court reporters are a crucial part of the legal process. They work with attorneys at depositions, transcribe what’s said during legal proceedings, and even write the stenotype machine transcripts used in a courtroom or legislative session.
They are masters of vocabulary—especially in specialized fields, like medicine or law—and fabulous listeners. They’re responsible for swearing in witnesses and taking the lead during meetings to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Providing services including audio-visual transcription, text-video synchronization, live event streaming, and more, court reporters and captioners are more important than ever. One of the advantages of joining the Massachusetts Court Reporters Association is the chance to travel internationally and advance one’s career.
Networking
Court reporters and captioners have a unique position in the American legal system. These highly skilled professionals are vital to maintaining accurate information for the judicial process.
Whether at high-profile criminal trials, in the House of Representatives or Senate, covering major sporting events, breaking news for TV, or aiding students who are deaf and hard of hearing in classrooms, court reporters are everywhere!
The National Court Reporters Association has designated Feb. 14-20 as National Court Reporting & Captioning Week to celebrate these professionals and help raise awareness of their important work.
Education
A career in court reporting offers many opportunities to grow your professional skills and knowledge. Court reporters use sophisticated technology to capture the spoken word during legal proceedings, meetings, and other events and transcribe them to written text for recording and legal proof.
Court reporters also caption major sporting events, work on breaking news for television and help the deaf community by delivering real-time translation in classrooms and other public settings. There are many ways to prepare for this challenging yet rewarding career, including attending a college program that offers stenographic typing and computer-assisted transcription training.
Anyone who passes the Certified Shorthand Reporter examination can become a professional association member. Upon becoming a professional member, the applicant is encouraged to represent the ideals of this association by promoting and maintaining quality service, high professional standards, continuing education, and the advancement of verbatim shorthand reporting through research and state-of-the-art technology.
Recognition
Court reporters, captioners, or stenographers are vital to the legal system. They have a ringside seat to high-profile criminal trials, record congressional and Senate sessions, caption broadcasts for people with hearing loss, and aid deaf and hard-of-hearing students in classrooms.
A career as a court reporter provides good wages and plenty of variety. Many salaried court reporters supplement their income by doing freelance work.
The association represents its members and promotes the profession by providing education, encouraging high ethical standards, and advocating before legislative and regulatory bodies that impact the judicial reporting industry. Its executive board comprises the President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, and four directors. The association is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation.
Health and Safety
As a skilled and highly specialized profession, court reporters typically earn a decent salary. They can expect to make between $61,660 and $117,903 per year, depending on their level of expertise, employer, geographical location, and academic qualifications.
A career in court reporting is both challenging and rewarding. It requires high accuracy in both typing and listening, as well as excellent multitasking abilities. They often work to tight deadlines and are expected to meet demanding daily standards.
As a result, court reporters can suffer from stress, so they must take regular breaks to perform soothing and relaxing activities. It will help them maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid burnout.
