Court Reporter Careers Reporting High Incomes and New Technology

Court reporters have held respected careers in courtrooms for decades. Technology and communication is rapidly expanding to create new transcription experiences and opportunities inside the courtroom and beyond. If you can listen, read and write – a career as a court reporter could be the lucrative career for you.

Court reporter training is no longer limited to pounding the keys of the classic stenomachine at the lightening speed of 200 words per minute. Today, a court reporter is just as likely to be responsible for taping a court proceeding, or creating a verbatim audio record of the proceeding. And these techniques aren’t limited to the court room either.

Court reporters have traditionally been used for court hearings, arbitration hearings, and depositions that require a verbatim transcription of the oral proceeding. Court reporters are also used in business meetings where conversations need to be officially recorded and transcribed, speeches, sales meetings, press conferences, product introductions, and even for translation and closed-captioning for the hard of hearing for classes, broadcasting and web services. In all these instances, an official verbatim transcription of conversations is required or desired.

To create these records a stenotype machine, analog or digital recording devices, or voice writing may be used. A stenomachine is different than a typewriter because it allows for stenotypist to type words, and even sounds and phrases, rather than letters. A stenomachine is usually used with Computer Aided Transcription (CAT). This connects the stenomachine to a computer which translates the input to be printed out almost instantaneously. CATs can also translate a transcription into a different language. Bilingual court reporters are always in high demand. Courses in stenography teach stenotyping skills, and on the job practice perfects the skill. The more years of experience a stenographer has, the faster and more accurate they are likely to be.

An analog or digital recording device is a “tape recorder.” The court reporter is responsible for not only taping the conversations, but for keeping a record of whom is speaking during the proceedings, and ensuring the recording for audibility. Recording a proceeding through a digital recorder is different than Voice Writing. In voice writing, the court reporter will repeat every word of the proceeding from everyone into a microphone. A special mask keeps the court reporter from being heard and interfering with the official proceeding. The court reporter than transcribes the voice recording through a computer aided program, or simply by manually typing the conversation. In addition to transcribing the event, the court reporter is also responsible for editing and ensuring accuracy. They are also responsible for record keeping and producing copies of the transcripts to the requested parties.

A court reporter must have intense listening skills, and excellent grammar and editing skills, as well as organizational skills and a very professional demeanor. Three years of court reporter education will teach you a comprehensive selection of skills and enhance your employability. Courses will include not only technical courses, but also grammar and legalese. Some courses even include anatomy and social behavior. However, three years is not necessary, a court reporter can specialize and get an education in only a year or two. Many states require licensing in addition to education, and may also require a court reporter to be a notary public (which is a fast easy process).

Court reporter careers have expanded to the business world and the entertainment industry thanks to technology. But no matter where the transcription is being made, or how it’s being made, attentiveness and accuracy is a must. If you can concentrate, listen, read and write, a court reporter career could have you start reporting some high salary returns.

What Not To Expect From A Court Reporter

There are a number of qualities which make for the perfect court reporter. Professionalism and accuracy are among the most important of these qualities – and should be expected above all else when you hire a reporter to work on trial, deposition or other business matter. The following represent those things which you should NOT expect from your court reporter. Bear these qualities in mind the next time to hop online on pick up the phone to contact a court reporting service in your area.

What NOT to expect from a qualified court reporter

Don’t expect them to be late

A good court reporter understands that at a deposition or trial-related proceeding, time is money! That’s why the best court reporters are always onsite at the pre-agreed time without fail.

Don’t expect them to be slow

Great court reporters are built for speed. No matter how fast the conversation is, you can count on them to keep up and provide a full transcript of everything that is said. Professional court reporters practice their craft at the highest speeds so that their ear and hand are trained to maintain a fast pace.

Don’t expect them to make mistakes

The beauty of great court reporting is that it combines elements of speed and accuracy. Your court reporter is simply not going to make many mistakes in their pursuit of creating the perfect transcript. Depositions, hearings, business meetings or other important functions will all be captured without a flaw – befitting the document’s place as an official record of the court.

Don’t expect them to just work at a trial

One of the least-known facts about the court reporting industry is that reporters do not spend the majority of their time within the walls of a court house. Instead, their valuable skills are used to help provide official records of depositions, arbitration hearings and other key legal proceedings outside of the halls of justice. You are much more likely to find a court reporter in a law office than in front of a judge.

Don’t expect to a great court reporter to be hard to find

In the past, when an attorney or a law firm found a court reporter that they liked working with, they stuck to them like glue because they were so hard to replace. Now, although the position is still in constant demand, court reporting services have made it easier than ever to find a qualified court reporter. The great thing about these services is that the candidates are generally pre-screened, meaning that attorneys do not need to worry about the level of expertise of the individual they are bringing on for the job.

Don’t expect to NOT find a court reporter on short notice

The above mentioned court reporting duties are all available on even short notice. Court reporting services staff a number of reporters in all their targeted areas, which increases the likelihood that they will be available when needed most. (Note: some court reporting services attach a small premium on last minute requests.)

For court reporters, plus a WHOLE lot more, visit www.CourtReporterNet.com. CourtReporterNet.com is the one-stop source for all your Court Reporting, videography and Transcription needs. Powered by innovative technologies, and a professional customer support staff, CourtReporterNet.com is sure to meet your complete satisfaction. The court reporters of CourtReporterNet.comare currently available in New York, California, Florida, Chicago and other areas throughout the United States.

About New York Court Reporter

City is home to one of the biggest, busiest legal communities in the world. Millions of attorneys practice their trade on the island of Manhattan, with thousands more graduating from law school each year and joining their ranks. But behind these busy men and women are the unsung heroes that make the legal professional run: New York court reporters.

What services do New York court reporters provide?

Court reporters working in New York City perform a variety of different functions for their clients, including:

Transcription of live court hearings The backbone of any courtroom legal proceeding is the written record of the event. Court reporters capture every detail of what is said by all parties and produce a flawless typed record of the resulting dialogue.

Transcription of depositions Obtaining a witnesses statement during deposition is a key element of the legal process. The deposition transcript can be used if the individual cannot appear in court, or if their story needs to be corroborated while they are under oath during trial. Court reporters attend depositions and create perfect written transcripts of the event.

Videographer services Court reporters do more than simply take good notes. Many of these trained professionals can be called upon to videotape court proceedings and depositions in order to provide a visual record of the event. Court reporters can also edit the resulting video and insert section breaks and graphics where needed.

What types of events do New York court reporters cover?

There are any number of events that can benefit from having a court reporter present, including: trials, pre-trial motions and hearings, depositions, estate planning meetings (such as will readings and probate-related matters), public speaking engagements, educational events and webcasts.

New York court reporters utilize top technology

More and more, court reporting is moving into the digital age, especially in bigger metropolitan areas such as New York City. Now, court reporters can produce a transcript and email it around the world with the touch of a mouse. Also, depositions and court records can be fully searched in seconds for key words and phrases - making what was once a laborious task for paralegals a breeze.

And that is just the beginning. Court reporters can also provide real-time transcripts beamed across cyberspace using online meeting software and other webcast technology.

These tools have taken the tried-and-true skills of professional court reporters and moved them into the digital age in order to improve communication between parties and make the information available to more people much faster. Court Reporter availability Many court reporters work on their own, as independent contractors. Their availability varies according to their own schedules. New York court reporting services, however, employ a large number of qualified court reporters so that there will be a greater chance someone is available to meet the client's request, even if it is on short notice. Where can New York court reporters be found? As mentioned above, the majority of court reporting work in New York State goes on within the five boroughs of Manhattan. There are, however, thousands of court reporters available elsewhere in the state - from Long Island all the way north to Buffalo. Court reporting services will be able to locate quality reporters in almost any area of New York.