When people think of court, they may think of judges, lawyers, clerks, and bailiffs. But one important figure in courtrooms is the court reporter. The court reporter is a crucial part of the courtroom, and hearings and trials wouldn’t go as they should without them. But what exactly do they do and how does someone become one?
What exactly does a court reporter do?
A court reporter plays an important role in the courtroom. They are responsible for documenting what is said and done in court using a stenotype machine. Verbatim documentation is essential in legal proceedings, so court reporters have to be skilled and trained appropriately — court reporters must record with the utmost accuracy.
In a courtroom, court reporters take records of depositions and hearings which may be looked back at for clarification later on. For example, a personal injury lawyer may ask a judge to look back at the records for the court hearing to clarify something that was said in a testimony. Or if a case is reopened down the line, police and lawyers may look at court records for evidence.
Outside of a courtroom, court reporters may find job opportunities in areas such as webcasting, government hearings, realtime captioning, or other forms of communication reporting. Court reporters may find employment at essentially any job that requires someone to provide some sort of captioning, reporting, or writing.
How much does a court reporter make?
According to Salary.com, the average salary for a court reporter in the United States is currently $57,109, although the most common range is from $41,205 to $74,748. How much a court reporter makes can vary depending on factors like education, experience, certifications, and skill level.
Steps to become a court reporter
Like many jobs, many court reporter positions do require a college education. After high school, aspiring court reporters should get their associate’s degree. Court reporter programs last around two to three years. In these programs, students learn important legal and medical terminology, legal system intricacies, and courtroom procedures. Students will also become skilled at typing extremely fast in order to keep up with documenting proceedings in real time.
After completing a court reporter program, it’s time to get a license. Some states require people to pass a specific exam while in other states, court reporters need to become a notary public. It’s important to obtain the state-required license before starting to look for a job.
Once a license is obtained, court reporters can start applying for jobs. While many court reporters will look for jobs in government, court reporting agencies are also a great option. Working at a court reporting agency in Miami will give court reporters the opportunity to explore a variety of career paths, including interpreting, translating, realtime reporting, document management, and more.
Benefits of being a court reporter
Being a court reporter offers many benefits. First off, there is high job security. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that court reporter job growth with increase 14 percent by 2020. With a high number of jobs available and a great average salary, those who enter the court reporter field are sure to have steady work for the foreseeable future.
Additionally, court reporters have an interesting job. They can work in a wide variety of environments, listen to interesting court cases, learn new information, and meet a ton of different people. Court reporters may find themselves in a number of workplaces in a short amount of time depending on where they’re needed.
And because court reporters are needed in all courts and legal settings, court reporters can work anywhere in the world, as long as they have the right language skills. This job truly allows people to explore, learn, and do their job on their own terms.
Court reporters are essential for legal proceedings. While they have a high responsibility and they need to work well under pressure, they can also enjoy their job thoroughly.