County
Careers in Court Reporting
| Three Tiers of Achievement
Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) program is the only
Once you've established yourself as an RPR, your next step is to
Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR) is the highest level of certification available to court reporters. This certification program was developed to allow high-level, seasoned reporters to distinguish themselves as members of the profession's elite.
Reprinted from the National Court Reporters Association. |
With the aid of stenograph machines or voice writing equipment, court reporters take verbatim reports of speeches, conversations, legal proceedings, meetings, and other events at speeds in excess of 200 wpm. The computerized equipment and specialized software in use today instantaneously translate the recorded data into English. Court reporters also provide closed-captioning and real-time translating services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
According to the National Court Reporters Association, about 30 percent of court reporters work in a courtroom. Others work as freelance reporters or stenographers, taking depositions for attorneys and documenting proceedings of meetings in business offices. Closed Caption Real-Time Reporters, who specialize in captioning live programming, often work for television networks, churches, sporting events, classrooms, cable stations, and closed captioning companies.
Skills Required
Students who wish to pursue a career in the field of Court Reporting should
be interested in the legal field and possess strong grammar and punctuation
skills, as well as proficiency with computers and video equipment. The
ability to listen carefully and record proceedings accurately is very
important. As officers of the court, they must adhere to a strict code
of ethics. Training to be a court reporter is much like studying to be
an attorney, accountant, or physician in that the student must be prepared
for the time, educational, and monetary commitments necessary to achieve
that goal.
Education/Requirements
Court reporters usually complete a two- to four-year training program
at a vocational or technical school or college. Types of courses required
may vary according to the school but will likely include Machine Shorthand,
English, Vocabulary, Introduction to Law and Legal Terminology, Computer-Aided
Transcription, and Keyboarding to name but a few.
In some states, court reporters must be certified to practice. Reporters earn certification by passing an exam. Some states require court reporters to be notary publics as well.
Benefits/Drawbacks
The prestigious work of court reporters is interesting and often exciting
due to the variety of court cases, subject matter, and work environments.
Possible drawbacks to the profession include erratic hours. Court reporters must be prepared for last- minute calls for depositions. Flexibility in scheduling is important.
Job Outlook
Court reporters held about 18,000 jobs in 2000, according to the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Bureau projects employment of court reporters
to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2010
as the need for transcriptions of legal proceedings and programs increases.
House Bill HR 2527, also known as the Training for Closed Captioners Act
of 2001, authorizes Congress to spend $75 million over the next five years
to train Real-Time Writers in order to meet Communication Access Real-Time
Reporting (CART) and captioning needs.
Average Salary
According to the National Court Reporters Association, court reporters
(including deposition reporters and broadcast captioners) earn an average
of more than $60,000 a year.
Choosing a School
Potential students should choose a Court Reporting program of study by
first doing their homework.
These are important things to consider:
- Is the school accredited?
- Is the school's Court Reporting Pro- gram approved by the National Court Reporters Association?
- Does the school offer financial aid for those who qualify?
- Is all necessary equipment included in tuition and fee charges?
Students interested in Court Reporting training should visit prospective schools and meet with an admissions representative to ask the questions listed above. They should tour the facility and ask for names and phone numbers of recent graduates who could give good insight into the school's program. Remember, Court Reporting is an individualized, skill-building training that can be achieved only through hard work, dedication, and practice.
Provided by Jon Vecchio, Vice-President Operations at Arlington Career Institute.
