Career Exploration Series: How to Become a Court Reporter

What Court Reporters Do
Court reporters create word-for-word transcriptions at trials, depositions, and other legal proceedings. Some court reporters provide captioning for television and real-time translation for deaf or hard-of-hearing people at public events, at business meetings, or in classrooms.

Work Environment
Most court reporters work for state or local governments in courts or legislatures. However, some work remotely in broadcast captioning from either their home or a central office.

How to Become a Court Reporter
Many community colleges and technical institutes offer postsecondary certificate programs for court reporters. Many states require court reporters who work in legal settings to be licensed.

Education
Many court reporters receive formal training at community colleges or technical institutes. There are different programs that lead to either a certificate or an associate’s degree in court reporting. Either a certificate or an associate’s degree will qualify applicants for many entry-level positions.

Certification programs prepare students to pass the licensing exams successfully and typing speed tests required by most states and employers.

Most court reporting programs include courses in English grammar and phonetics, legal procedures, and legal terminology. Students also practice preparing transcripts to improve the speed and accuracy of their work.

Some schools also offer training in the use of different transcription machines, such as stenotype machines or steno masks.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Many states require court reporters who work in legal settings to be licensed or certified by a professional association. Licensing requirements vary by state and by method of court reporting.
The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) offers certification for court reporters, broadcast captioners, and Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART) providers. Certification as a Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) requires successful completion of a written test and a 3-part skills test in which applicants must type a minimum number of words per minute.

Currently, 22 states accept or use the RPR certification in place of a state certification or licensing exam. To maintain their certification with the NCRA, court reporters must complete continuing education classes and online training.

Digital and voice reporters also may obtain certification.

Specific state licensing and continuing education requirements can be found by visiting the state association’s website.

Training
After completing their formal program, court reporters must complete short-term on-the-job training. This typically includes additional skills training as well as training on the more technical terminology that may be used during complex medical or legal proceedings.

Important Qualities

Concentration. Court reporters must be able to concentrate for long periods. They must remain focused on the dialogue they are recording even in the presence of auditory distractions.

Detail oriented. Court reporters must be able to produce error-free work, because they create transcripts that serve as legal records.

Listening skills. Court reporters must give their full attention to speakers and capture every word that is said.

Writing skills. Court reporters need a good command of grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation.

Pay
The median annual wage for court reporters was $48,160 in May 2012.

Job Outlook
Employment of court reporters is projected to grow 10 percent from 2012 to 2022, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Those with experience and training in techniques for helping deaf or hard-of-hearing people, such as real-time captioning and Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART), will have the best job prospects.