Court Reporting Really is a Great Career Path: Myths and Facts

Court reporting is an extraordinarily underrated profession, largely because the general public is uninformed and carry a lot of misconceptions about what court reporters are. Here are just a few mistaken beliefs of the court reporting world.

Myth #1: Court reporters only work in courtrooms

Court reporters work everywhere from hotels in Beijing to television studios. Being stuck day-in and day-out in a court room is one of the most common misconceptions about court reporting. Some court reporters do work in courtrooms on a daily basis. However, the majority of court reporters work in different settings every day. They record hearings, depositions, trials, arbitrations, and other legal proceedings outside of courtrooms. 

Court reporters also provide realtime captioning for live television programs and communication access for the deaf and hard-of-hearing in classrooms and other public settings. 

The venues that a court reporter works include: 

• courtrooms
• law firms
• classrooms 
• auditoriums and stadiums 
• homes
• behind the scenes at live events 
• studio houses
• international hotels and conference centers

Wherever there is a need to convert speech to text, there is a court reporter!

Myth #2: Technology will replace court reporting

You probably already know the nuances of talking to your devices, whether your smartphone or at-home digital assistant. And a witness testimony is a lot more complex than playing your favorite music or turning on the lights in today's IoT. 

Humans do not speak in a perfectly enunciated, monotonal flow. Some witnesses have irregular speech or impediments. Others may have dialectics that are difficult to accurately read on a machine. And, distance and technical issues can ruin or lose essential testimony. 

There are too many variables to rely on a machine to accurately translate speech. For example, a court reporter can understand accents and disregard irrelevant noises during a trial. The visual context can also help distinguish voices and words. This is critically important because accuracy is essential in this field.

Myth #3: Court reporters are just fast typists

Court reporting requires several instinctive and learned skill sets. In many states, court reporters must pass a certification exam and participate in continuing education. The entry-level certification of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) is the  Registered Professional Reporter, which requires 95% accuracy at 225 words per minute. 

Court reporters must:

• have a strong grasp of the English language, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
• be organized, impartial, responsible, and reliable
• handle confidential information
• be able to follow complex proceedings, jargon, and language
• arrange materials and logistics for depositions

Clearly, this profession is more than typing fast!

Myth #4: Court reporting is repetitive and boring

Court reporters interact with a wide diversity of people every day including lawyers, paralegals, and expert witnesses.  It is a constant learning experience. As an independent contractor, court reporters work wherever and whenever they choose. Some travel the world. Others bring a specialization to their role, selecting areas of interest to record. In addition, depositions or other roles change topics frequently. 

If you’re interested in a career in court reporting, visit NCRA’s Take Note information page. If you’re already a court reporter and thinking of joining our team, click here.