In an article on About.com, the profession of Court Reporting is listed as one of 10 Hot Legal Careers for Non-Lawyers.

We agree! Court reporting is a good profession.

A court reporter is a very important piece of the legal process and holds a well-respected position in the legal world. Court reporting can be a great career. As a court reporter, every day is different and interesting. You listen to testimony of many different people on a variety of topics. You are always learning something new as you make the official record that will be used in a legal proceeding.

If you are considering court reporting as a career, you should first understand the role of a court reporter in the legal profession.

What is a Court Reporter?

A court reporter sits in the court room or in a deposition and takes down every spoken word during the proceedings. Court reporters prepare official transcripts of the sworn testimony for use by attorneys, judges and litigants. These transcripts are used as the official record of the events that took place during the hearing, deposition or trial. Reporters are responsible for certifying that what has been entered is accurate and true to the best of their ability.

How Does a Court Reporter Make the Record?

Court reporters use a computer and stenotype machine to take down the spoken words they hear. The stenotype machine allows the reporter to use a form of shorthand by using sounds of words to record data. The computer uses software called computer-aided transcription to translate the information into English.

Are there different kinds of court reporters in the legal industry?

Traditionally court reporters fall under two different categories: Judicial and Freelance.

Freelance Court Reporter

Freelancers work for court reporting agencies which are hired by law firms, attorneys, corporations and other organizations. These agencies work with freelancers to cover depositions, examinations under oath, hearings and board meetings. Freelance court reporters can be considered independent contractors or employees, depending how the court reporting firm is structured.

Freelance court reporters are typically on-call. Most agencies call a reporter one day in advance of an assignment. One perk of being a freelancer is that you usually travel to different locations. Some reporters enjoy this aspect and prefer not to work in the same location every day. Another benefit of freelancing is that you get to return home after the job is done to work on transcription and you can work comfortably in your own home. Many states require freelance reporters to obtain certification by the state before they begin working as a court reporter.

Official Court Reporters

Official court reporters are employed by the courts and are sometimes assigned to a particular judge or courtroom. They can cover a variety of court cases, from lower court cases to high-profile cases, depending on which district or court they work in. Many jurisdictions require official reporters to pass certifications, such as the RPR (Registered Professional Reporter) and CRR (Certified Realtime Reporter), that test their written knowledge and skills before qualifying to work in the courts. But even upon passing the required certifications, being accepted for an officialship normally takes time. It is common for reporters to wait years before being considered since courts receive a high volume of applicants. Many reporters desire an officialship since it offers more stability when compared to freelancing. Official reporters have set salaries, set hours, and benefits such as health insurance and pensions. There are also opportunities to earn additional money on top of your set salary when attorneys order transcripts.

What Role Does a Court Reporter Play in the Legal World?

A court reporter is responsible for keeping the official record. As an officer of the court, a court reporter acts as a representative of the court even in a deposition setting outside of the courtroom. He or she is also the person charged with swearing witnesses by administering the oath.
Court reporters are shown much respect from the legal community, be it attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants or judges. Court reporters earn this respect by taking very seriously the responsibilities imparted to them. Many reporters enjoy this earned respect and find the legal field a pleasant environment in which to work.

If you are considering a career in court reporting, you also might like to read “Finding the Right Court Reporting Program For You.”

 

When taking a deposition, there are many rules of etiquette and good manners that are unwritten. Seasoned attorneys will know how to conduct a deposition using these best practices simply from experience. If you are relatively new to depositions, we have compiled a few points of etiquette that will help your court reporter provide an accurate transcript and do a great job for you. Your court reporter will be grateful to you if you follow some of these simple rules.

1. Seat the court reporter close to the witness.

Even if a room is small, it is sometimes difficult for the court reporter to hear a soft-spoken witness. Place your witness next to the court reporter. This will ensure the court reporter has the best opportunity to hear the witness’s answers. This is very important as your court reporter is taking down every word that is spoken, transcribing it, and creating a transcript for your use.

2. Verbally state when you are going on and off the record.

Always verbally state when you are going on and off the record. Often your court reporter can tell when you are intending to be on the record simply by your tone of voice. But there are circumstances when it is difficult to tell. By verbally stating you are going on or off the record, you can ensure that your court reporter is ready and is taking down your spoken words. Making a clear and accurate record is important to you and your client.

3. Speak at a moderate pace.

While your court reporter has the skill to write at a fast pace, it can be exhausting when it continues for long periods of time. A moderate pace will allow your court reporter to write at a comfortable rate of speed. If you are speaking too quickly, your court reporter will ask you to slow down so that every word that is being spoken is being recorded. Try your best to meet this request for a slower speed when asked.

4. Stay silent while the court reporter marks exhibits.

It is common that the questioning attorney will ask the court reporter to mark an exhibit, then resume asking questions of the witness while the exhibit is being marked. However, the court reporter cannot take down what you are saying and mark exhibits at the same time. Stay silent while the court reporter is marking exhibits, and resume questioning only after the exhibits have been marked and your court reporter can return his or her hands to the stenograph machine keyboard.

5. Always communicate verbally.

Some depositions are full of many objections. It is common that, when verbalizing the same objection repeatedly, an attorney may slip into using an informal wave of the hand to indicate another objection for the record. While everyone in the room may know that the wave of the hand is meant to convey an objection, the court reporter only records what is verbalized. So you run the risk that your wave of the hand and your objection may go unrecorded. Protect your objections by verbalizing each one for the court reporter.

6. Provide spellings of case-specific terminology.

Your case may be filled with terminology that is specific to a certain industry. Your court reporter, while experienced with the terminology of many industries, may not know every term or phrase you will be using in your deposition. The same is true for names of people mentioned in testimony, and street and city names. It is a good idea to provide a list of spellings of names, phrases or terms to the court reporter as they come up in testimony. The spelling can be provided on the record, or written down on a list for the court reporter to take and use when transcribing the testimony.

7. Don’t ask the court reporter for their opinion about your case.

A court reporter attentively listens to the testimony as it is recorded. You may be tempted to ask what he or she thought of the testimony as it was being relayed. After all, they are a neutral party, hearing testimony as the jury will hear it later if your case goes to court. However, when you ask your court reporter for their opinion of the testimony, you are putting them in a difficult position. As a neutral party, if they are to impart their opinion in your case, this may compromise their neutrality to both parties. Refrain from asking your court reporter for his or her opinion of the testimony or any aspect of your case.

8. Read slowly when reading out loud from a document.

Reporters are trained to be able to take down the spoken word at over 200 words per minute. However, most people will read at a more rapid rate of speed than they speak during conversation. If you are reading from a document, be sure to keep the speed of your reading at the same speed as you normally speak. Your court reporter will greatly appreciate your efforts.

9. Tell your court reporter if you will need a rush transcript.

Rush transcripts are nothing new to a court reporter. They are a common part of the job, and your court reporter will be able to deliver. By giving your court reporter notice that you will be ordering a rush transcript, this allows the court reporter time to make arrangements in order to put your transcript first on his or her list of priorities. Whether you call the day or week before, or whether you tell the court reporter at the beginning of the deposition, give notice as early as possible to allow your court reporter to make arrangements to work on your rush transcript.

10. Take regular breaks.

Sitting in one place for extended periods of time can be just as physically exhausting as constant movement. During long proceedings, you and your court reporter need a little time to stretch your legs and get a mental break before continuing with the proceeding. Everyone will benefit.

By following these simple etiquette rules, you will be using good manners and showing respect to your court reporter and to all parties in the room. Good manners can help create a comfortable work environment in a deposition and allow your court reporter to do their very best work for you.

It has come to our attention that the rates charged by court reporters for copies of transcripts has been fluctuating wildly between court reporting firms around the country. The following is a question that comes up from time to time. I thought I would answer the question here so that you too can tell if you are being overcharged for a copy of a transcript.

Q. I think I’ve been overcharged for a copy of a transcript. How much should a copy really cost?

To answer this question, let’s first get a better understanding of what goes into a page rate for transcripts.

How A Transcript is Ordered

When one party orders the transcript of the record, whether this be in court, a hearing or a deposition, the court reporter will prepare a written record of the testimony. The court reporter will charge a fee per page of transcription.

The first attorney who orders the transcript will be charged a fee for the “original” transcript. Other parties may order copies of the transcript for a lesser page rate after the original has been ordered by a party.

How Court Reporters Charge for Transcripts

Some may ask, why don’t you charge the same for all transcripts, whether they are the first transcript or copies of the first?

The answer is sometimes only one party will order the transcript. The court reporter needs to charge enough so, in the event that only the original transcript is ordered, the fee received fairly compensates the court reporter at a minimum level for the time spent transcribing.

It has long been the practice to charge less for copies of transcripts. Since the original has already been produced, producing a copy requires less time to prepare. Most court reporting firms base their pricing on the premise that an original will be ordered and one copy will be ordered.

What Should I Do If I Think I Have Been Overcharged?

In Michigan, if you feel you have not been charged fairly for a transcript, you can file a complaint with the State Court Administrative Office. The complaint must be in writing and should indicate the court reporting firm that isn’t adhering to MCL600.1491(b).