Court Reporting School

No doubt you've been in court or watched a courtroom proceeding on TV and noticed the typist diligently pecking away as each word is uttered by the litigants. This person is a court reporter, and court reporters are an integral part of the American court system. They record everything that transpires in the courtroom and provide the evidence for decisions rendered by the judge and jury. Court reporting school trains you to become a professional court reporter. In court reporting school, you will learn how to record and transcribe courtroom transcriptions, testimonies, and judicial orders.

Court Reporting School Success Factors

Successful court reporters typically possess strong listening skills, have flawless grammar and punctuation skills, and possess a large vocabulary. Court reporters have a strong memory and are eager to maintain knowledge of current events.

Court Reporting School Skills

Court reporting school teaches a number of skills that are vital to becoming a successful court reporter, including training you to be able to listen and speak at the same time and teaching you the appropriate legal terms and legal procedures. You'll also have to work on your own to stay informed. Court reporters must be able to retain the names of people and places and the sequences of particular events and continually update your knowledge of new technologies and computerized stenography equipment.

Court Reporting School Curriculum

Court reporting school typically provides a curriculum that includes in-depth examinations of legal procedures, legal terminology, English language, listening and speaking practices, and courtroom etiquette and established custom. You will gain a broad base of information about many specific aspects of the justice system and an education in business, current events, and the technologies of the trade. Typical court reporting school courses include dictation speed building, computer motorized shorthand, foundations of language and writing, grammar and punctuation, legal terminology, business basics, human relations, courtroom transcript preparation, medical dictation, vocabulary and usage.

Court Reporting School Certificates

Many states require court reporters to pass a state certification test. Some states court reporters must also be notary publics. The state certification tests usually consist of an English test, a dictation or transcription test, and a legal and medical technology test. Certificates in court reporting include Registered Professional Reporter, Registered Merit Reporter, Registered Diplomate Reporter, Certified Realtime Reporters, Certified Broadcast Captioners, or Certified CART Providers. All of these designations are offered by the National Court Reporters Association.

Court Reporting School Jobs

Court reporters may work in a variety of contexts, such as an attorney's office, a convention, a courtroom, or even from home. Court reporter functions fall into several categories, including real-time captioning in courtrooms, coding and cross-referencing the court record, training the use of computers and software for entering and accessing information, providing support to judge and attorneys regarding clerical procedures, instructing in appropriate methods for office tasks and reviewing court transcripts, purchasing equipment and supplies, monitoring transcript traffic, and keeping an accurate financial log.