JOB DUTIES 

Court Reporters may:

Record proceedings (either stenographically or electronically)

Read and/or prepare portions of the transcript during a trial at the judge's request

Ask speakers to clarify inaudible statements

Operate a computer to aid in transcription

Secure all records

File a verbatim (word for word) transcript, when ordered, of records of court proceedings with the clerk of the court

Furnish a transcript of the records taken to any party on request

Other types of shorthand reporters are free-lance (self-employed) reporters, hearings reporters, legislative reporters, closed captioning reporters (captioners), and rapid data entry reporters.

The tools, equipment, and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

202.362-010 COURT REPORTERS, also known as shorthand reporters, make word-for-word records of any proceedings taken in the courtroom such as examinations, testimonies, judicial opinions, the judgment or sentence of the court, by machine shorthand or electronic recording equipment. Most courtrooms are assigned one judge and one court reporter, although there are courts that have a court reporter "pool". Court reporters are assigned to a specific courtroom on a given day.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Court Reporters perform their duties according to court rules and under the supervision of the presiding judge. Two or more Reporters may be assigned to work on a case in relays when copies of the court proceedings are needed by lawyers during a trial or at the end of the court day. One Reporter records and then immediately transcribes his or her notes, while the other takes over the recording.

Reporters usually record proceedings in well lighted and air conditioned court or hearing rooms and transcribe in their offices. They might be assigned to one place repeatedly or need to travel from place to place within a specified district. Freelance Reporters work in many locations, such as corporate board rooms, lawyers' offices, doctors' offices, schools, at trade conventions, or at scenes of accidents. These Reporters maintain offices, often in their homes, for the conduct of their business.

The American Disabilities Act (ADA) and certain FCC rulings in the 1990's have phased in captioning for new television programs. Court reporters now do captioning for live broadcasts. Real time captioning is the simultaneous creation and transmission of captions during an unscripted or partially-scripted television programs. Real time reporting for hearing impaired television viewers has become a new career within court reporting. Because of the Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1993, all TV sets over 13' must have caption decoder circuitry. Moreover, government funds also provide pay for a reporter to take lecture notes for a deaf person attending classes. CAPTIONERS contract with local TV stations, corporations, and others to caption live news programs, conferences/meetings via satellite locations or to caption videos for the deaf community. Pay scales vary greatly, depending on the type of contractor.

FREELANCE REPORTERS are court reporters that usually work for firms and offer services to attorneys' offices for deposition work, sworn statements on insurance claims, etc. Their pay varies greatly on the amount of work done. This is usually considered a subcontractor position, so the reporter is responsible for his or her own taxes, etc. Benefits are usually not provided to the free lace reporter. Travel is common for freelance reporters, who may or may not be reimbursed for mileage. They frequently work long hours (10-12) hours per day for several days. The reporters pay the freelance court reporting firm that referred them to the job about 20 to 40 percent of the fees they earn. Most steno-reporters are freelance reporters.

SCOPISTS are proofreaders who are excellent typists who have superior grammar, punctuation and editing skills. They may work for the Court Reporters. They often come from the ranks of retired court reporters.

Court reporters may also perform rapid data entry. They contract with hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices to prepare medical reports, surgical reports, etc. Reporters work from dictation tapes and enter data into a steno machine which transfers the data onto a computer format. This is much faster than ordinary typing. Knowledge of medical terms is important in this work. Pay for this work is done on a "per line" basis and varies by facility. Some facilities offer full benefits, depending on how much is produced, and some allow reporters to work from home.

In general, Court Reporters work a 40-hour week at minimum. They might work overtime with no extra compensation. Freelance Reporters work varying hours, depending on the availability of all parties. On some days Reporters may work more than 10 hours.

Freelance Reporters usually must purchase part or all of their own equipment which might cost up to $3,000 or more. Very highly experienced freelance reporters may pay over $10,000 for specialized equipment. Freelance reporters maybe referred to work by a court reporting firm.

Court Reporters are often members of professional associations, such as the Michigan Association of Professional Court Reporters (MAPCR) and the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA). In addition, Court Reporters may join such labor organizations as the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) or the TEAMSTERS. Members must pay dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities of a routine, concrete, and organized nature

• Activities concerned with the communication of data

You Should Be Able To:

• Use reason and logic

• Understand sentence structure and the meanings of words

• See detail in written material

• Recognize errors in numbers, spelling, and punctuation

• Write in shorthand and type

• Know/work with special vocabulary such as used in legal/medical

fields

• Work under pressure and meet deadlines

• Concentrate and be attentive to detail

• Work within precise standards of accuracy

• Have agreeable working relationships with others

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If you can type 200 words per minute and you want to increase that by 5%, how many words will you then be able to type?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Requests for a leave of absence must be made in writing by using a leave of absence agreement form. This form documents the day the leave begins and ends, as well as the payment arrangements for insurance premiums if the Reporter is covered.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a report summarizing the major points of your transcription.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide the most efficient way to transcribe without getting behind in your work.

All Court Reporters who file transcripts in Michigan courts must be certified by the Court Reporting/Recording Board of Review of the Michigan Supreme Court. Applicants for certification must pass a 2-part, written and practical exam with a score of at least 80%; be at least 18 years old; be a Michigan resident; have completed a court reporting course; and have attained specified minimum dictation speeds.

The exam takes about 5 hours and is given in April and October of each year. The examination and certification fee is $65. Only workers designated by the Board of Review as certified electronic recorder (CER), certified shorthand reporter (CSR), or certified steno-mask reporter (CSMR) may file transcripts in Michigan courts. The National Court Reporters Association certifies individuals who complete its program as Registered Professional Reporters (RPR'S). NCRA also provides information on its approved court reporter training programs in Michigan and in other states.

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: A Certificate (program of up to one year of study beyond High School) or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond high school) or a Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1300 ENGLISH , 1700 GOVERNMENT , 2200 MATH , 3300 TECHNOLOGY

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

038 COURT & CONFERENCE REPORTING

Programs in Court and Conference Reporting provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed to note in shorthand every word spoken at trials and other proceedings and to transform these notations into written records. Individuals may choose to be conference or general reporters rather than Court Reporters.

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

Please check the Military web site at http://www.myfuture.com

LEGAL SPECIALISTS AND COURT REPORTERS

The military has its own judicial system for enforcement of the military code of law. Legal specialists and court reporters assist military lawyers and judges in the performance of legal and judicial work. They perform legal research, prepare legal documents, and record legal proceedings.

What They Do

Legal specialists and court reporters in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Research court decisions and military regulations

• Process legal claims and appeals

• Interview clients and take statements

• Prepare trial requests and make arrangements for courtrooms

• Maintain law libraries and trial case files

• Type text from stenotyped records, shorthand notes, or taped records of court proceedings

• Prepare records of hearings, investigations, court-martials, and courts of inquiry

Training Provided

Job training consists of 6 to 10 weeks of instruction. Course content typically includes:

• Legal terminology and research techniques

• How to prepare legal documents

• High speed transcription

• Military judicial processes

Helpful Attributes

Helpful school subjects include business mathematics, typing, speech, and shorthand. Helpful attributes include:

• Interest in the law and legal proceedings

• Ability to keep organized and accurate records

• Ability to listen carefully

Special Requirements

Some specialties require the ability to type at a rate of 25-50 words per minute.

Physical Demands

Good hearing and clear speech are needed to record and read aloud court proceedings. A clear speaking ability is necessary to interview clients.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian legal specialists and court reporters work for private law firms, banks, insurance companies, government agencies, and local, state, and federal courts. They perform duties similar to military legal specialists and court reporters. Civilian legal specialists and court reporters may also be called legal assistants, clerks, paralegal assistants, and court clerks or recorders.

Work Environment

Legal specialists and court reporters work in military law offices and courtrooms.

Opportunities

The services have about 2,500 legal specialists and court reporters. On average, they need about 210 new specialists and court reporters each year. After training, they work under an attorney or legal office. With experience, legal specialists and court reporters perform more demanding activities. In time, they may become supervisors of other legal specialists and court reporters.

E-Learning Courses and Programs

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Postsecondary programs in court and conference reporting may offer co-op or internship opportunities. Individuals may observe Court Reporters by attending civil or criminal court cases. Experience may be obtained in military service also.

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Court Clerk employer

internships

volunteer work with a Court Clerk employer

community service work with an agency

There is little uniformity in the methods by which court reporting positions are filled in federal, state, or local courts and agencies. Such positions are usually classified under civil service. "Official" Court Reporters are usually appointed by judges. School placement offices and the National Shorthand Reporters Association may be helpful in locating a job. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

The NCRA Job Bank (http://www.verbatimreporters.com/ejmart.htm)

Michigan Assoc. of Professional Court Reporters (http://www.mapcr.org)

Careers in Court Reporting and Broadcast Captioning (http://www.bestfuture.com)

Michigan Talent Bank

Michigan Jobs & Career Portal 

Classifieds Employment

Yahoo! Careers

MONSTER.COM

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Salaries of Court Reporters vary by the type of court and geographic location. Salaries in district and probate courts are lower than the salaries in circuit courts. For court reporters who freelance or for those who perform captioning the pay scales vary greatly, depending ont he type of contractor.

Nationally, annual earnings of certified Court Reporters working for federal courts averaged $50,000 in mid 1999. This does not include fees that court reporters charged for transcript copies.

In federal courts in Michigan, experienced Court Reporters' salaries started at about $53,130 per year in 1999. After ten years of experience working for federal courts or certification of merit through the National Court Reporters Association, they may earn up to $58,443 per year. The salaries of these federal government workers may be higher in some urban areas.

Many counties use Court Recorder clerks in district or probate courts who take electronic tape recordings (audio) of court sessions. Typically, these Recorders are paid from $19,000 in smaller counties to $30,000 per year. Court reporters' pay is generally higher, ranging from $32,000 to $55,000 depending on the county and court system. In 1999, annual salaries of Court Reporters/Recorders employed in various areas by Michigan circuit and district courts ranged as follows:

Hearings Reporters and supervisors employed by the State of Michigan earned between $33,613 and $42,282 per year in 1999. Court Reporters earn extra income by furnishing transcripts for a fee and by undertaking outside reporting assignments. Some also receive a cost-of-living allowance.

Court Reporters usually receive paid vacations and holidays; life, hospitalization, and disability insurance; and pensions. These benefits are paid for, at least in part, by employers. Free-lance Reporters working on referrals from court reporting firms sometimes so not typically receive similar benefits, because frequently they are self-employed subcontractors.

Periodic pay raises, promotion to higher grades, or appointment from a lower to higher court may be considered advancement. The title "chief court reporter" is sometimes given as an honor without financial reward. Some Reporters consider operating their own independent reporting firms as advancement.

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EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, there were over 50,000 Court Reporters employed by courts, legislatures, and agencies in the executive branch of government in 1996. Approximately 21,000 of this number were members of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA). Three fourths of NCRA's membership are freelance reporters, while the remainder are employees of state or federal courts. It is estimated that, at present, women represent 86% of the total number of practicing reporters. The need for freelance reporters follows economic and business cycles. Demand for skilled Court Reporters may decline as video recordings are increasingly recognized as legal records of proceedings. Opportunities will be best for workers who have earned certification as a registered professional reporter from the National Court Reporters Association.

There were approximately 1,200 certified Court Reporters employed in Michigan in 1999. Most Court Reporters work as either official or temporary employees of city, county, state, and federal courts. In Michigan, Court Reporters/Recorders are required to be certified. Steno reporters are called certified steno reporters (CSR's) and those who operate tape recorders are called certified electronic recorders (CER's). The number of steno reporters versus tape-recording reporters is about equal. Some Court Reporters record proceedings of state assemblies, the United States Congress, and the United Nations, as well as hearings before state and federal agencies. It is estimated that there are an additional 500 to 1,000 free-lance reporters who are self-employed and work for commercial reporting firms which may call upon them to record arbitration hearings, trade association meetings, boards of directors and stockholders meetings, and depositions.

The number of "official" Court Reporters is directly related to the number of judges - one Reporter for each judge. Little or no change is expected in the number of judges in Michigan through the year 2005, a similar trend can be expected for Court Reporters. The expansion of legal services will contribute to some growth. Some fast growing communities will need additional judges and Reporters to handle the increasing number of cases. Competition for court reporting positions is keen and the turnover rate is low. In recent years, courts have favored and provided for the practice of questioning witnesses under oath before a trial. The recording of these examinations (depositions) makes up a large part of the work of free-lance Reporters. The growing number of conventions and trade association meetings, particularly in the metropolitan Detroit area, will also require free-lance Reporters to record their various activities. They assist hearing-disabled students by recording lectures on a screen which is then read by the student. Court Reporters may become specialists in recording medical litigation or litigation related to auto crashes. Generally, the more skilled the reporter, the more work will be available to him/her.

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development