Studying To Become A Court Reporter

Court reporters enter the profession through education and training. By studying and undergoing on-the-job training, these court professionals gain skill sets that are important for the job. Major skill sets include electronic recording, voice writing, and stenographic recording.

Many who enter this rewarding field opt for the most popular method of reporting, one which makes use of stenographic machines. Stenographic training programs are offered by colleges, private business schools, and online schools that specialize in the field. The duration for such trainings is from 24 to 28 months, with some variations depending on the institution and the on-the-job training required for course completion.

Those who choose to enter the profession as a voice writer can do so by enrolling in any of the dozens of voice writing trainings offered by private business schools and online voice writer training programs. Voice writer training lasts for six to nine months, although voice writers take longer than that to actually master their skills.

Most electronic court reporters get their training from the actual job. These court professionals are usually hired by court reporter service providers or by law firms that wanted their own reporters for depositions, outside court settlements, legal consultations, etc. Since they make use of electronic devices, they only need to learn the basics of recording and operating the devices, after which they can perform the job by themselves.

Regardless of specialization, these court professionals are expected to be competent with computers. In recent years, computers have become a major technological addition to court reporting. There are now computer-aided translations (CATs) and communication access real-time translations (CARTs). Voice writing is also dependent on the technology of voice recognition. All court reporters, therefore, must be capable with computers and up-to-speed with the latest innovations in technology.

Court clerks also have good communication and listening skills. Accuracy is very important in the job and that's exactly what court reporters hone as they study to become professionals in the field. Since majority of employment opportunities come from state and local courthouses, knowledge of the legal procedures is a must. In some states, these highly skilled individuals are even required to be notary publics.

After completing the required education and training, these individuals usually undergo licensure before they can get employment. Most states require reporters to be licensed by the respective state's professional licensing bodies. Those who successfully pass are given the designation of Certified Court Reporter (CCR). National certification is also important and can substitute for state licensure. Certification and licensure have been designed to professionalize the field. The examinations for certification and licensure are given to test for speed, accuracy, and knowledge of legal terminologies pertinent to recording court proceedings.