What do court reporters do?
Court reporters, also known as guardians of the record because of their impartiality and role
within the judicial process, capture the words spoken by everyone during a court or deposition
proceeding. Court reporters then prepare verbatim transcripts of proceedings. The official record
or transcript helps safeguard the legal process. When litigants want to exercise their right to
appeal, they will use the transcript to provide an accurate record of what transpired during their
case. During the discovery phase, attorneys also use deposition transcripts to prepare for trial. By
combining their skills with the latest technology, some court reporters provide realtime access to
what is being said during a trial or deposition for the benefit of all involved parties. A court
reporter providing realtime, which is the only proven method for immediate voice-to-text
translation, allows attorneys and judges to have immediate access to the transcript while also
providing a way for deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans to participate in the judicial process.
A career in court reporting
Salary
Court reporters earn an average#of more than $60,000 a year, though many earn much more.
Income varies according to the area in which a person lives, certifications earned, the kinds of
reporting jobs, and experience of individual reporters.
Schools and programs
The knowledge and skills to become a court reporter or captioner are taught at more than 150
reporter training programs, including proprietary schools, community colleges, and four-year
universities. Many of these programs offer distance learning options. Visit our website to learn
more about the various schools#and programs#offered and the resources available to prospective
students on DiscoverSteno.org.#
Certification
Upon graduation, court reporters can further their marketability and earn recognition for
achieving high levels of expertise in particular reporter markets by pursing certification. Learn
more about NCRA's#professional certifications.
Realtime
Realtime reporters are highly trained professionals who share a unique ability to convert the
spoken word into English text instantly into a feed that can be read, streamed, broadcast,
searched, and archived. This specialization includes broadcast captioning and realtime translation
services for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, as well as providing near-instant translation
in legal and other settings.#
Court reporter career paths
More than 70 percent of the nation’s 50,000-plus court reporters work outside of the court.
Because court reporting involves a highly specialized skill set, reporters have a variety of career
options:
Freelancer
Freelance reporters are hired by attorneys, corporations, unions, associations, and other
individuals and groups who need accurate, complete, and secure records of pretrial depositions,
arbitrations, board of director meetings, stockholder meetings, and convention business sessions.
Hearing
Hearing court reporters use verbatim methods and equipment to capture, store, retrieve, and
transcribe pretrial and trial proceedings or other information. Also includes captioners who
operate computerized stenographic captioning equipment to provide captions of live or
prerecorded broadcasts for viewers who are hard of hearing.
Legislative
Legislative court reporters transcribe proceedings in the United States Congress and in state
legislatures around the country.
Officials
Official court reporters work for the judicial system to convert the spoken word into text during
courtroom proceedings. The reporter also prepares official verbatim transcripts to be used by
attorneys, judges, and litigants. Official court reporters are front and center at controversial or
famous cases –#criminal trials, millionaire divorces, government corruption trials, and lawsuits –
ensuring that an accurate, complete, and secure record of the proceedings is produced. Official
court reporters may also provide realtime during a courtroom setting to allow participants to read
on a display screen or computer monitor what is being said instantaneously. Learn more
Scopist
A scopist is a professional transcript editor for court reporters. However, unlike an editor or a
proofreader, a scopist has the ability to compare a court reporter’s shorthand to the finished
transcript. By “scoping” the transcript, mistranslate errors can be identified, thereby helping the
court reporter preserve an accurate record.
References
Cohen, O., & Segal‐Engelchin, D. (2000). Suzi and Mr. S.: Gender role stereotyping in social
workers' court reports in custody and access cases.
Dunne, G. T. (1976). Early Court Reporters. YB, 61.
Jacobsen, J. P. (2007). Occupational segregation and the tipping phenomenon: The contrary case
of court reporting in the USA. Gender, Work & Organization, 14(2), 130-161.
Jones, T., Kalbfeld, J. R., Hancock, R., & Clark, R. (2019). Testifying while black: An
experimental study of court reporter accuracy in transcription of African American English.
Language, 95(2), e216-e252.
Joyce, C. (1985). The Rise of the Supreme Court Reporter: An Institutional Perspective on
Marshall Court Ascendancy. Michigan Law Review, 83(5), 1291-1391.
Lipinski, D., & Neddenriep, G. (2004). Using “new” media to get “old” media coverage: How
members of Congress utilize their web sites to court journalists. Harvard International Journal
of Press/Politics, 9(1), 7-21.
Lund, J., DeClercq, N., & Childers, M. (2008). Finding Their Voice: The Struggle of the Illinois
Court Reporters to Win Union Recognition. Labor Studies Journal, 33(4), 431-452.
Wagner, F. D. (2001). The Role of the Supreme Court Reporter in History. J. Sup. Ct. Hist., 26,
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