Court Reporters
Career Snapshot
Court reporters are required when it is critical to have a precise record of what people say. They are under pressure to swiftly document testimonies, speeches, conversations, judicial proceedings, and other occurrences.
Even our nation's lawmakers in Congress have their statements recorded by court reporters. The only legal record of occurrences in a courtroom is made by the court reporter. During the trial, he or she may be called upon to read back testimony, and the court reporter's work is cited during legal appeals.
In order to study a highly particular technical language in career school or two-year colleges, court reporters typically complete a two- or four-year training programme at a post-secondary technical school or community college. They use stenotype devices to capture sound combinations that are then translated into transcripts by typing several keys at once.
In recent years, court reporters have expanded their services to include immediate translations for the deaf and hard of hearing. These real-time readouts of commentary and dialogue, known as 'closed captioning,' assist those with hearing impairments to interpret live television events.
Court reporters must be exceptional listeners with strong English, grammar, and punctuation abilities. Excellent hearing is required. Words matter, whether on television, in court, during a deposition, or in Congress. Court reporters, in effect, provide us with quick, objective history.
Characteristics
Activities
Areas of Study
Degrees
Key Abilities
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Information Ordering
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Near Vision
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Oral Comprehension
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Oral Expression
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Selective Attention
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Speech Recognition
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Written Comprehension
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Written Expression
Colleges
Top Skills