If you have ever wondered why you couldn’t find you a job you enjoyed, with the option between a standard 40 hour weekly work schedule and a comfortable freelancing schedule that gives you the freedom to shape your hours as you see fit, court reporting may be the perfect vocation for you. It is simple to learn, but takes nearly a lifetime to really master, and offers benefits that are unmatched by many other seemingly menial careers.
| A court reporter’s prime occupation is the exact recording of the affairs of the legal environment, whether it takes place at a trial or a deposition. This is usually performed with the use of either voice writing software or a stenotype, both of which can be found at relatively inexpensive prices. Most used models of either go for under a hundred dollars, and can be found for even cheaper if one is willing to sacrifice quality for thriftiness. It is never so much a matter of owning a stenotype apparatus or voice writing software as it is the mastery of this equipment. Court reporters are required across the nation to be able to transcribe speech at a rate of 225 words per minute, and you must keep in mind that this is the bare minimum. Once you have actually acquired this level of skill, you should be aware that there are those court reporters out there who can transcribe at speeds of around 550 words per minute, which may seem impossible to you, especially when first feeling your way through.
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While court reporting may seem to some to be a repetitive and boring career, filled with many days of performing the same simple tasks for hours on end, it can actually prove to be a stimulating and exciting profession that keeps many who are employed staying with the job until nearing retirement age. It is a grand alternative to the demanding and rigorous nature of law practice, and usually leaves ample time left for the application of one’s time towards other activities that may or may not often take priority above the day job of court reporting. A great number of court reporters pursue artistic pleasures when not spending time in the courts, a fact which illustrates the versatility of the life of the court reporter very well.
Although it carries with it a certain level of anonymity compared to the role of the various lawyers and judges that court reporters work under, it is still important to maintain a professional air and have no qualms about dealing with and performing in front of complete strangers. It is likely that while you are in front of the court room concentrating largely on listening to the speech and scrutinizing the actions of the major parties in whatever case you happen to be dealing with, many of the spectators in the court room will be scrutinizing you for a considerable period of time. If you are able to maintain focus while the possibility of many eyes upon you is ever-present, this element of court reporting will not be an issue to you. However, if you are usually uncomfortable in front of a large group of strangers, you must either calm your fears or consider another occupation.
Similarly, a professional way of handling oneself is definitely preferred in the world of court reporting. Although most people you interact with will be seeing you from afar, you also must speak on a daily basis to everyone involved in the legal process, especially witnesses and the judge you happen to be working under. Personal relationships often must be formed with your associates so as to facilitate a calm working environment. As most court reporters are expected to hold a fairly working knowledge of legal jargon and process, you will often be called upon to swear in witnesses and to advise the judge and others of proper processes throughout the day.
Of course, it is never a requirement, per se, to understand the intricacies by which the American civil system operates, but if you do not possess this quality and another person who is also hoping to work as a court reporter in the same system is an expert regarding the functions of that jurisdiction, it is no secret as to who will eventually win hire for the position.
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