To become a professional court reporter is much more demanding than most would have you believe. Although court reporters are not required to completely immerse themselves in their professions if they do not wish to, some level of considerable rigorous training is required, and this is not only in reference to the mastery of stenotype machines or voice recording software.
| The professional demeanor required in any job is a many layered affair, and it demands attention to the specific sort of work that is going to be completed, as well as the intricacies and elements of daily life on the job which are often taken for granted by most. Anyone who has worked as court reporter will tell you that, despite the general anonymity that can come with the occupation, an upstanding way of presenting oneself is perhaps the most important aspect.
| Dress is probably one of the most important aspects of the professional world, and this holds true within the court reporting realm as well. This should be very simple for most people. Any business suit or career dress will probably work, especially if by wearing it you happen to look like everyone else in the courtroom. Offensively strong colognes or other fragrances are not recommended. Similarly, be sure to shower, shave what needs to be shaven, and trim your nails every morning before heading off to work. Nobody will accept body odor and other such smells in the courtroom. Refrain from discussing the actions of the staff with anyone, unless it is completely necessary to smooth and proper functioning of the trial. By choosing to gossip in the court room, you will be creating a dissension that has no place anywhere, really, much less within the legal system. A general rule of thumb should be not to say anything to anyone that you would not be okay with everyone hearing.
Professional court reporters are also punctual, as you should be too. If you arrive late, you will delay all court proceedings until you have set up your equipment. Your equipment is also another very important reason to arrive early. A stenotype machine can malfunction at any time, but whatever problems it has which are able to be diagnosed and corrected before you begin the trial should fittingly be addressed as soon as possible. This also goes for discussion as to who may be legally right or wrong regarding the feuding parties of the trial. Only the judge and jury can make these kinds of decisions, and to imply to anyone that you may have this power, or that you know enough about the trial to convict or free anyone, is a great misstep. Hearing word of this can also skew the opinions of witnesses and lawyers, who will no doubt act differently in light of this new “advice”.
Emotion is never at home in the courts, and this applies just as much if not more so for court reporters, who are supposed to be trained members of the legal staff. If you are wild and reckless enough to display an emotional reaction towards anything that goes on in the admittedly heart wrenching court room, it is probably best for you to consider another career during which you can let the true “you” show. This sort of thing is never tolerated in the courts.
You work must always be on time. Upon being asked to complete any task at all, you must be sure that you can complete it on time. If you do not know how long the assignment may take to finish, you should make this known to whoever happens to be asking you for a copy of the transcript, or anything else. Also, never dispense any legal advice to anyone within the realms of the court. This can be seen as illegal, and even in the cases when it is legal, it is still foolish and can give someone a false sense of security when really there is no security to be found
An often forgotten piece of advice is to try to refrain from addressing witnesses by name, especially if it means the interruption of a testimony or some such matter. You should try to address the judge instead, by requesting that the judge ask, for example, the witness to repeat what has just been said. This is the professional way of doing things. Court reporting is not all fun and games, of course, but the benefits of professionalism are a big key to success in every occupation, and court reporting is no different. |
