Court reporter

It typically takes anywhere from two to four years to learn the basic skills to become a stenographic court reporter.[2] Applicants first learn to use the steno keyboard, which takes the most time, and heavy academic training is also required. Candidates usually attend specialized certificate courses at private business schools or sometimes associate's or bachelor's degree programs at accredited colleges or universities.[3] Distance learning and online training courses are also available. After additional on-the-job training and experience, many court reporters then move on to realtime reporting.

Most states require that court reporters obtain a license via examination before being allowed to practice in that respective state. Examinations include writing speed tests at 180 wpm, 200 wpm and 225 wpm, and a written examination to demonstrate proficiency in English, grammar, medical terminology, legal terminology, courtroom decorum, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 30, court reporting procedure and ethics.

Licensed court reporters are required to attend yearly continuing education courses of at least 10 hours in order to maintain active licensure.[4]

The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) is a national stenographic court reporting association in the United States. Stenographers can also join the National Verbatim Reporters Association (NVRA), a professional organization dedicated to the practice of voice writing, which is another method used to take down court proceedings in certain states. For court recorders who operate audio equipment, there is the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT). Court reporters, voice writers, and transcribers must pass both a written and practical examination.

The NCRA offers the title Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) to those who pass a four-part examination, including a three-part skills exam and a written exam, and participate in continuing education programs. A court reporter may obtain additional prestigious certifications that demonstrate an even higher level of competency such as Registered Merit Reporter (RMR), Certified Real-time Reporter (CRR), Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC), or Certificate of Merit (CM), Certified Broadcast Captioner (CBC), and Certified CART Provider (CCP).[5] In 2004, Mark Kislingbury secured the title of fastest realtime court reporter through Guinness World Records by writing 360 words per minute on his stenographic machine.[6]

The AAERT offers electronic recorders and transcribers three certifications: certified electronic recorder (CER), certified electronic transcriber (CET), and certified electronic recorder and transcriber (CERT) for setup and use of basic recording equipment. Transcription, however, is not performed by the court recorder in most cases. The International Alliance of Professional Reporters and Transcribers (IAPRT.org) is a member-based not-for-profit consortium engaged in the ongoing development of digital court recording and transcription, and guiding public and private court recording paraprofessionals worldwide toward the goal of producing as much of a verbatim and verifiable record as possible given the number of limits of even modern-day recording equipment. The NVRA offers the title Certified Verbatim Reporter (CVR) to voice writers who pass a four-part examination, including both a skills and written exam, and participate in continuing education programs.

Required skills of a licensed stenographic court reporter are excellent command of the language being spoken, attention to detail, exceptional hearing, and the ability to focus for long periods at a time. The most highly skilled court reporters can provide real-time transcription and have significant earning potential, with salaries up to six figures possible in some areas.[7]

In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to report a positive job outlook for stenographic court reporters. Median annual salary in 2010 was listed at $47,700 per year.[8] The top 10 percent of court reporters earned more than $91,280.[8] In May 2012, Forbes listed "stenographic court reporter" as one of the best jobs that does not require a four-year degree.[9] As of 2015, the median annual salary for a court reporter was $50,000. The actual amount can vary depending on whether the court reporter works in an in-court capacity as an "official" reporter or as a reporter of pre-trial discovery (depositions). Additionally, pay can vary based on whether the original and/or a copy of the transcript is ordered by any of the parties to the action. The growth rate of the profession was projected to be 2% to 3%, which is lower than the average of 7%, but the demand has remained high due to a national rise in litigation overall.[10]

As of 2012, Maryland employed the most court reporters, while New York has the highest average salary.[11] Some states have experienced budget cuts in recent years that have reduced the number of state-funded court reporters. This has resulted in law firms hiring stenographic court reporters directly, as they are independent contractors, to ensure proceedings are verbatim.[12]

In England the salary range in 2014 for free court reporters vary, with realtime reporters earning $512.59 a day.[13]

A Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR) and a Certified Broadcast Captioner (CBC) offer the ability to show live transcription of the spoken record by captioning what is said to display it on a screen in real time, and as the latter is a stenographic court reporter, they can provide instant read back of testimony unlike a recording. Digital recordings often operated by court clerks or AAERT members are able to provide for instant playback or review of portions of the recording with the appropriate reporting software.

Many stenographic court reporters work as freelance reporters or independent contractors in depositions and other situations that require an official legal transcript, such as arbitration hearings or other formal proceedings. CART providers (Communication Access Realtime Translation) also often provide realtime services for public events, religious services, webcasts, and educational services. Stenographic court reporting most often allows for a quality transcript produced on an hourly, daily, expedited, or standard turnaround.

Stenographic court reporters working as broadcast captioners often contract with or by television producers and stations to provide realtime closed captioning of live programs.

There is one NCRA-approved captioning and court reporting program in all of Canada, which is found at the Northern Institute of Technology (NAIT) in Edmonton, Alberta.[3] It is a two-year course that teaches machine shorthand (stenography). To obtain a diploma, one must pass two-voice speed tests at 225 words per minute with 95% accuracy. Other classes include software training, English, and law.[14] NAIT also offers the NCRA A to Z® Program, a free six-week course that introduces the basics of steno.[15] Between 2017 and 2020, graduates of NAIT's captioning and court reporting program reported a median salary of $70,000 CAD.[16]

There are three active professional associations in Canada: Association professionnelle des sténographes officiels du Québec (APSOQ),[17] Alberta Shorthand Reporters Association (ASRA),[18] and British Columbia Shorthand Reporters Association (BCSRA).[19]

After graduating school and completing an internship, Alberta court reporters must earn continuing education credits to maintain their Certified Shorthand Reporter designation,[20] which is a protected title under the Professional and Occupational Associations Registration Act of Alberta.[21] Certified Shorthand Reporters must be members of the ASRA.

Certified Shorthand Reporters are highly skilled professionals who are required to have post-secondary education from an accredited court reporting school with an emphasis on grammar, law, medical terminology, and Canadian legal procedures; complete a supervised internship; and participate in professional development opportunities.[20]

An Official Reporter designation is granted by the Attorney General of BC. To receive such a designation, a person must be able to write 200+ word per minute using shorthand.[22]

An examination for discovery must be conducted before an official reporter who is empowered to administer the oath.[23]

An Authorized Reporter designation is granted by the Attorney General of BC. To receive such a designation, a person must either "have 1,000 hours of work experience performing the functions of an official reporter...within two of the immediately past five years" or "hold certification as a real time reporter with NCRA and have at least 500 hours of work experience performing the functions of an official reporter within two of the past five years."[24]