Court reporting is the practice of recording the goings-on at various legal proceedings. It often takes place in the courts, or in various chambers, as you work under the actions brought forth by the judge. Court reporters then supply these records to the parties involved in the court proceedings, as well as files them with the presiding clerk. Governmental meetings are also often recorded by court reporters. Depositions, which are recordings made of witnesses prior to the trial, are often held in rooms in places such as airports.
| It can be quite an exciting endeavor, if you are given the right training and know where to look. You must have an eye for detail and a very strong attention span. As with many jobs, English literacy is a very important requirement, as you will be dealing exclusively with transcriptions. Public speaking skills are also required, as those who become court reporters will spend most of their time in front of others.
| As for experience, it is often best to begin working as a freelancer before attempting hire by a large court system or court reporting agency. Many court systems ask for 3 to 4 years of court reporting experience in some form, and freelancing is a good way to get your feet wet, and learn the ropes of what it really takes to become a court reporter before diving directly in and becoming contracted by a governmental entity. Qualification by the National Court Reporters Association is also a common requirement if one wishes to become a court reporter. You must also be certified in Realtime Reporting, or willing to be trained for certification before acceptance into many court systems. Some states do not ask for any certification at all as a base requirement. For example, Arizona asks that potential court reporters complete and score with 75% accuracy the Arizona Written Knowledge Test, while other states do not have any such requirements at all. As you can probably guess, it is advisable to attempt to gain at least a general knowledge of some of the specifics of the law within whatever state or jurisdiction you are hoping to become employed by.
Of course, just as there are requirements if you would like to become a court reporter, you can also be prevented from becoming a court reporter for a number of different reasons. First of all, as with many other jobs, being convicted of a felony can mar your resume and at least put you farther down on the list of applicants, if not completely stop you from ever becoming hired. The reason for this is obvious, though, as court reporting involves transcribing the words of witnesses, judges, jurors, and lawyers. A person who has been convicted of a major crime may not very well respect the requirements and the concepts of civil law. If you have been convicted of a felony, there is hope for you, though. Denials for hire are usually handled on a case by case basis, and the nature of the crime, your criminal history, and how it might relate to court reporting certification are all taken into account.
Similarly, a steady work history is another fairly important requirement for hire or certification, as a rather spotty work history can often reflect an unwillingness to maintain discipline and attention. This can also hint at methods of illegal activity during times of unemployment, which is also frowned upon in most elements of the legal field.
Like many modern professions, a great deal of training can be found at your local university, or through internet-based learning tools such as online universities and court reporting e-books. Becoming a court reporter is not incredibly difficult, but it does take patience and time, as do all good things. While it can take up to a year to become a novice court reporter, it normally takes about two years to become an efficient realtime reporter, which involves transcribing spoken words quickly enough that they appear on a given computer screen in a matter of seconds. Court reporters perfect their skills as they work, but are required to be able to transcribe at least 225 words per minute, which is the industry standard for both private and federal court systems. |
