The Road to Becoming a Court Reporter
Flexible work schedule, job security, competitive salary, lower tuition costs, less time in school… These are a few of the multitude of benefits of the court reporting profession. A court reporter, also referred to as a stenographer, creates accurate transcripts during depositions, trials, and other legal proceedings. If you are considering becoming a court reporter, here is some insight on what it will take to get there.
To be admitted into any court reporting program, you must have a high school diploma or G.E.D. During high school, you can begin preparing for the program by taking typing or business classes. These types of courses help you increase your typing speed and improve your accuracy while typing, which are both key components of a successful court reporter. Once you have completed high school, you will enter into an Associate’s Degree program for Stenography. There are programs with different durations available to choose from, such as accelerated two-year programs or three and four-year programs. The program teaches you a variety of things, including:
- How to Operate a Stenography Machine
- Proper Transcription Techniques
- Legal and Medical Terminology
- The Legal System
- Courtroom Procedures
Once you have successfully completed the court-reporting program, it is time to obtain a license. The licensing standard varies from state to state. In some states, there is an exam you must pass to receive your license. While in other states, it is not needed, and you may be required to be a notary public. It is important that you research the requirements of the state in which you wish to work, so that you can meet its specific standard. After you have completed the necessary requirements, its time to seek employment!
Fortunately, court reporters have a wide scope of job opportunities. Many reporters work for government officials in government courtrooms or for court reporting agencies. Also, many individuals choose to work as freelance reporters for increased job flexibility. Regardless of whom you choose to work for, the components to be a successful court reporter remain the same: accuracy, speed, honesty, and professionalism.
At PohlmanUSA, our team of professional court reporters consists of registered reporters, certified merit reporters, and certified realtime reporters. Regardless of their background, they all demonstrate superior accuracy and legal competence. Learn more about what our court reporters do for us and our clients at: http://pohlmanusa.com/our-services/court-reporting/.
