Court Reporter

Court Reporter

Career Overview

Court reporters listen to various legal proceedings (trials, depositions) and create a word-for-word written transcription.

Education

Completing a program in court reporting may be necessary to obtain these positions. These programs are typically offered through colleges. Some on-the-job training will also be required.

Future Outlook

Employment of court reporters is projected to grow 9 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. However, because it is a small occupation, the fast growth will result in only about 1,400 new jobs over the 10-year period.

Work Environment

Most court reporters work for state or local government in courts or legislatures. However, some work from either their home or a central office providing broadcast captioning for television stations or for hard-of-hearing individuals.

Recommended High School Courses

  • Writing
  • Communication

  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Wrist-Finger Speed - The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Record information from legal proceedings.
  • Proofread documents, records, or other files to ensure accuracy.
  • Enter information into databases or software programs.
  • Provide information to the general public.
  • File documents or records.
  • Maintain the order of legal documents.
  • Process forensic or legal evidence in accordance with procedures.
  • Prepare legal documents.
  • Type documents.
  • Confer with court staff to clarify information.
  • Review documents or materials for compliance with policies or regulations.
  • Verify accuracy of records.

Schools

usa_school
Alfred State College
Arlington Career Institut...
Atlantic Technical Colleg...
Brown College Of Court Re...
Clark State Community Col...
College Of Court Reportin...
Community College Of Alle...
East Central University -...
Gadsden State Community C...
Gateway Community College...
Long Island Business Inst...
Maccormac College
San Antonio College
South Coast College
South Suburban College
canada_school
Northern Alberta Insti...

Potential Scholarships

5 Strong Scholarship
Agnes M. Lindsay Scholars...
Curt Pozan Trades Scholar...

Approx Salary Expectation

Currency:
Low End:
$31,570.00 /yr
Avg/Med:
$60,130.00 /yr
High End:
$106,210.00 /yr

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.