You may know that it’s time to hire a realtime reporter when certain things are happening. Generally if there isn’t one in the room you should, but we’re getting a little more specific about that today. When it comes to the technology reporting or real reporters, which is more effective?

Overall, the human element tends to be more effective. Real people have the benefit of being able to spot errors and point out mistakes or let someone know if they’re about to ‘have an error’, (about to be sick or something), which a machine usually doesn’t do.

If software or a machine isn’t working, you usually find that out when it breaks or when you review the transcription or recording and it isn’t there. That doesn’t happen all of the time, but the risk is always there. The benefit of this tech is that when it works well, the translation happens instantly and quickly. The software can convert sounds or shorthand into text that is readable.

Another benefit to the tech is that you can view the text wherever you want to– tablet or computer, screen, it doesn’t make a difference. The benefit of a live person is that they can clarify, however, if something is too soft to be recorded or they’re unlikely to put a word out of context because they misheard it, which a machine definitely could do.

A human stenographer is more likely to put down every word exactly as heard and as it was said. If they can’t hear or did not understand, they may ask for clarification. Depositions and court rooms depend on accuracy. While tech is improving, each court or deposition room has to consider the benefits of using real time court reporting tech or individual (human) reporters for themselves.

Tech may also provide the option of remote video and streaming depending on the software which may make it easier for depositions. It may also allow easy access to case information instead of the slow approach. They can even be synced up to official transcripts from courts, allowing fast and easy navigation and reviewing of evidence, and may even allow for simple emailing for review to teams.

Whether you go with tech or human reporters, either way, the job is getting done. It all depends on what you’re looking for. Software can allow for quicker and easier access and sending for review and potentially save costs if it’s efficient (and doesn’t break). There are benefits to each; check them out and see which is right for you.

Are you a court reporter or looking to potentially become a certified court reporter?

The judicial system has relied on the services of court reporters for years. A court reporter’s job is to take down what is happening in court and type out and take down all of the actions and statements and eventsof the court case.

For a while, some reporters worried that they may get supplemented or even replaced by tape-recording technology. Even though the judicial system did go wild for the idea of taped recordings for some time, that affair is quickly fading.

The judicial system requires for transcription a high level of accuracy that is uncompromising and can only be provided by a flesh and blood recorder– and all thanks to a number of factors.

The judicial system vastly benefits from a reporter’s skill set that yields transcripts that have a high level of accuracy that reporters can deliver. That’s something that machines or technology can’t always do.

Today we’re talking about taped recordings and why essentially they will never be in competition with human court reporters when it comes to being in demand.

Can a Taped Recording Really Rival What a Court Reporter Does?

Do you remember when taped recordings first came on the scene? When they first rolled out this technology, it generated a bit of excitement– mostly at the ability to potentially help record court events efficiently.

It was a nice dream, but dreams are not always competition for reality. Taped recordings in the end were found to be incomparable to a real reporter present in the court room. So why was that?

Court reporters were found to be more accurate, faster, and make less errors than taped recordings. They were also more cost effective and easier on the budget. They also were not prone to ‘break down’ or need repairs– no technical problems with a real person on the job!

Important cases also relied on reporters over tapes, and would demand human court reporters if they needed to get daily transcripts. To this day, court reporters provide translation of what is happening in real time– and can ask parties to speak up or clarify or even repeat a point in order to get it down (something a machine as of yet is not able to do, reducing accuracy as well as reliability).

Recordings actually take a long time to process, but with court reporting done in real time, you can have a transcript pretty quickly. It’s beneficial to both courts and attorneys as well as reporters– courts get less errors, reporters get jobs, and attorneys can search through an immediately-available transcript of the day’s events.

Recordings also posed a problem in that they were transcribed, but by typists who had not been present. So they could only transcribe what it was that they thought they heard, as they were not there and cannot draw from their memory. As a result, accuracy levels were impacted.

To this day, certified court reporters are preferred and an integral part of the judicial system, which could not and to this day has not been able to function reliably without them.

Court reporting is a very important job. People that work in this field know that court reporting is actually a demanding career path. Not only do reporters need proper training and certification, they also must cultivate traits that will help them succeed in the field.

If you want to do well as a court reporter, cultivating certain skills and having certain qualities will go a long way towards giving you a future in this career.

These include arriving places early, or being organized, having things set out the night before. Today we are talking about the top skills, traits, and more that successful court reporters have, choose to be, etc.

If you are considering being a court reporter, already are, or want to learn more, read on and find out all about it!

Being on time

When we say being on time, we really mean being early! You know that saying that ‘being early is being on time and being on time is late’. Well, that is especially true for the field of court reporting. The courts depend on a court reporter to start and you need to make sure that you are there on time (which means early). Showing up late or even exactly on time is not going to help you build a desirable reputation in the field, which could impact how in-demand you are as a reporter.

The ability to maintain confidentiality

Good court reporters are able to leave the information that they hear or process at work behind when they leave for the day. They have no urge to gossip or cross professional boundaries, or if they do, they are able to control it. Sensitive and confidential information must stay in the courts. Understanding this and respecting this is a must.

Staying committed to reporting instead of getting invested

Reporters have a duty to do their jobs. Even though they are hearing everything, it is not their job to have an opinion or react. That is counter-productive to the task at hand, which is reporting what is spoken. They must be fair and neutral, not siding with any party over the other, and transcribing what is said and done.

Always being professional

It’s very important to always dress, behave, and interact with others in a professional manner. It’s also just as important to be polite (part of being professional) and use good business etiquette. Being professional is treating all with respect, introducing people who have not met, being on time, being put together, prepared with equipment and ready to start the day. The best court reporters are professional, almost to a fault.

A quick and accurate proofreader

Proofreading your transcript accurately and quickly will allow you to see potential errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar. You can fix them then so the final result is flawless and totally legible.

Knowing when to speak up

Reporters often must speak up when they have missed something or have not heard a word or sentence clearly. While reporters are often silent, this does not mean that they are required to be passive. Reporters must be assertive when they need to be and focused on transcribing when they need to be too. Good court reporters know to stop a proceeding to make a request for spelling, clarification, or louder volume, to name a few examples.

Organizational efforts and good time management

If you try to be organized, you can get there. In any field, being organized can be helpful. Since many reporters are independent or freelance workers, being organized is essential. They have to have everything in the right place and ready to go, including themselves. Good time management skills will also be a requirement when it comes to the job too.

A commitment to excellence

The best court reporters know that they must try to do their best every day. The only job that matters is the one in front of them– all other jobs are in the past. This can include going for higher levels of certification in shorthand to working on their organization or preparation skills.

At the end of the day, every bit of effort that you put into getting better or being your best in the field will pay off. If you’re considering becoming a court reporter, these are the habits, traits, and skills you want to cultivate. If you can do that and have a hard-working attitude, you will be setting yourself up for success every day.