What Do Court Reporters Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Court Reporters use verbatim methods and equipment to capture, store, retrieve, and transcribe pretrial and trial proceedings or other information. Includes stenocaptioners who operate computerized stenographic captioning equipment to provide captions of live or prerecorded broadcasts for hearing-impaired viewers. They also record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks.

Other tasks include:

• Take notes in shorthand or use a stenotype or shorthand machine that prints letters on a paper tape.
• Record symbols on computer storage media and use computer aided transcription to translate and display them as text.
• Provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.
• Transcribe recorded proceedings in accordance with established formats.
• File a legible transcript of records of a court case with the court clerk’s office.
• Ask speakers to clarify inaudible statements.

We asked Court Reporters how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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72% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 47% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

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Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Court Reporters file and store shorthand notes of court session. They transcribe recorded proceedings in accordance with established formats.

A typical day for a Court Reporter will also include:

• Record symbols on computer storage media and use computer aided transcription to translate and display them as text.
• Take notes in shorthand or use a stenotype or shorthand machine that prints letters on a paper tape.
• Record depositions and other proceedings for attorneys.
• Record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks.
• Provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.

We asked some Court Reporters a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	33% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	22% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	63% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	44% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	13% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	42% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Court Reporters also provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public. They may also file a legible transcript of records of a court case with the court clerk’s office.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Court Reporters Respond to requests during court sessions to read portions of the proceedings already recorded. They might also Ask speakers to clarify inaudible statements.

In addition, they Verify accuracy of transcripts by checking copies against original records of proceedings and accuracy of rulings by checking with judges.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Record depositions and other proceedings for attorneys.

To some Court Reporters, it is also their responsibility to Record symbols on computer storage media and use computer aided transcription to translate and display them as text.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Court Reporter, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/legal/court-reporters.htm

http://www.ncra.org/

http://www.aaert.org/

http://www.nvra.org/