Court reporting is arguably one of the most important careers in the legal industry. Court reporters are responsible for producing accurate, secure, and complete transcripts of depositions, trials, and other legal proceedings. This makes them pretty much indispensable players in the legal process. 

However, court reporting is not for everyone like any other profession. To be a good court reporter, you not only require a unique set of skills but also need to have sufficient interest in the field. Most people are typically drawn to this profession mainly because of the many rewards and opportunities for growth and career development. However, if you’re considering venturing into this line of work, it’s essential to assess whether you have what it takes to succeed carefully. 

Court reporting might be a great career path for you if you enjoy working in an office setting or are fascinated by court proceedings. Likewise, you may find this profession a good fit if you yearn to work in a meaningful profession, have attention to detail, and are generally responsible. After all, in the role of a court reporter, you’ll need to create accurate transcripts of legal proceedings that have far-reaching consequences for many people. For this reason, you need to treat your work with the seriousness it deserves. 

The ability to type fast without any errors is also crucial in court reporting, albeit it is a skill many court reporters develop over time. Many experienced court reporters can write down up to 200 words of dictation per minute without any errors. But, you shouldn’t feel disheartened if your typing speed is not at this level. As long as you can type faster than the average human (over 60 words per minute), you’ll have a fairly good start in this profession. 

Proper education and certification are other vital requirements to consider when assessing your suitability for a court reporting career. Unlike many career fields that are becoming obsolete due to the increasing adoption of technology, court reporting is still largely dependent on manual labor and skill, which means its demand will only grow. 

It is estimated that there will be as many as 5,500 court reporting job openings in America alone in the coming few years. Moreover, this trend is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. This makes court reporting a great profession to pursue since you only need two years of training and certification to get started, ultimately saving you lots of time and student loans that you would otherwise need when pursuing a regular degree. 

Best of all, a career in court reporting guarantees you a high starting salary of at least $40,000. This means it won’t take long to recoup the money you invested in training and begin living comfortably. 

These days, court reporters are not only able to secure government jobs but also lend their services to other areas. With so many job opportunities in this field, you should probably consider a career in court reporting if you’re reliable, committed, have attention to detail, and are passionate about the legal industry.

Are you seeking a certified court reporter in New Jersey? If so, contact us today!

It is worth noting that court reporters – no matter the subspecialty – go through the same training programs. However, it is only those that are appointed by the court (normally, highly skilled stenographers) that can be called ‘official court reporters’.

Official court reporters are typically permanent employees, hired by either the state or federal government. Their primary role is to take verbatim records of court proceedings and produce official records of assigned cases. 

Notably, all court reporters must possess high levels of competence and trustworthiness. This is because their work is vital to the fair administration of justice. They are, therefore, required to follow strict guidelines (when recording proceedings or producing transcripts) to keep the court process fair and transparent. 

Official Court Reporter Duties

The duties of a judicial court reporter depend on whether they work in a federal, state or county court. Nonetheless, their general job descriptions include:

• Generating verbatim records of court proceedings using stenotype, shorthand or steno masks. 
• Reading back previous testimony at the request of the court. 
• Editing and proofreading transcripts before preparing a final draft. 
• Research and fact-check abbreviations, names and other facts to enable them prepare accurate transcripts. 
• Producing transcripts within the (often strict) deadlines given. 
• Giving assistance to judges, legal counsel and other court members in matters involving transcripts of minutes and court rulings. 
• Maintaining credible and accurate records in accordance with court policies. 

They also perform administrative duties such as : 

• Sending invoices for official transcripts produced 
• Delivering and mailing transcripts. 

Judicial Reporters in A U.S. District Court

The minimum requirements for getting an official court reporting job in a typical U.S .District Court include:

• At least 4 years experience as a court reporter, whether in an official capacity or as a freelancer. 
• Being a member of the National Court Reporter Association (NCRA), which basically comes after passing the Registered Professional Reporter exam.

Due to the fact that there are more qualified reporters compared to the jobs available, most courts often set high qualification requirements. Nonetheless, the federal court reporting standards require all court reporters to be able to:

• Produce verbatim records of all criminal proceedings in open courts
• Accurately record all the other open court proceedings assigned to them
• Record any other legal proceedings as directed by a judge or a court

Employment and Salaries for Official Court Reporters

While some court reporters are appointed on indefinite terms, some courts may at times prefer to hire freelance court reporters. Freelance reporters have to take an oath every time they record court proceedings.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of a court reporter in the United States, as of May 2012, was $53,010. However, the salary varies from state to state. For instance, in Illinois, courts pay their reporters between $37,000 and $42,000, while in Arizona, salaries range from $49,712 to $65,000.