Court Reporter Careers Information
Court Reporters play a vital role in the legal system by transcribing everything that is said and done in legal proceedings.
Court reporters employ various transcription techniques. Stenographic machines allow reporters to type at a very fast rate by pressing more than one keyboard key at the same time. Other technologies are used as well, especially computer-assisted voice recognition technology, which has become increasingly common in legal settings.
Court Reporter Careers & Degrees
Outside of the courtroom, court reporters edit and format their transcripts, and participate in other records-related tasks. Training in court reporting is also useful in the world of closed-captioning services for people with impaired hearing.
Court Reporter Careers Path
As the Federal Government requires their court reporters to be able to transcribe at 225 words per minute, a rigorous training program is essential for this career. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily take all that long to learn the necessary skills.
Many colleges and universities offer programs in court reporting, usually at the Associate’s level . Graduates must then pass a test to be certified by either a state or nationally by the National Verbatim Reporters Association.
Court Reporter Careers: Compatible Personality Traits
Focused, quick-thinking, attentive, perceptive, thorough, patient, composed, efficient, detail-oriented.
Court Reporter Interview
To find out if you have the skills to start a court reporter career, Read More from a Court Reporter Professional…
Court Reporter Careers: Salary Expectations
The median annual salary for court reporters is $49,710 a year. Because court reporters usually work in the public sector, benefits and security are especially strong, and the nature of legal proceedings often allows for overtime work as well.
Court Reporter Careers: Job Outlook
The ongoing need for more efficient transcription services in the always-busy legal sector should ensure very strong job growth in court reporting. Furthermore, the expansion of television and other media forms has resulted in an increased need for captioning services for the hearing-impaired. The Department of Labor expects employment in court reporting to grow by 18% by 2018.
Slightly Off the Footpath
- Journalist
- Broadcast Captioning
- Title Examiner
- Administrative Assistant
- Paralegal
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Psychologists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos152.htm (visited August 16, 2011).
