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Court reporting is an important job. The legal system needs someone to record the legal processes that go on with trials. This done with short handed typing that is used to record so that no words are missed when he or she is typing. The other kind is a voice recorder that types everything that is said from the lawyers, witnesses and others in the courtroom during the time of the trial.
There is nothing that is simple about being a reporter in court. Two years, at least, of school is required before anyone is ready to become a court transcriptionist. The degree that is required is no different than any other degree and has its own set of requirements. The undergraduate courses of math, science, English and others are required still.
These students desiring to be in court reporting are required to learn voice recognition software and be able to be successful at using it. The voice writing is highly technical so the student will need to spend one to three hours a night on homework. Using the short handed method will take longer for the students and they will need to go to college for at least 2-4 years to be able to learn enough to be successful.
Experience under an apprentice is needed before a court reporter is given a job, even with a degree. Practice of the skills they have learned is still necessary, even after training with an apprentice. They will need to improve their skills by attending classes.
Lightning speed typing is required for these court reporters. Over two hundred words a minute are required by these two companies for their members. One companies says that 225 words a minute is the minimum while the other says 250 words is acceptable. The company with the higher words per minute makes its members type exactly what is mentioned in the courtroom. They are given a large responsibility in the courtroom so they need to be able to prove they are up to that task by recording everything that is mentioned.
Most court reporters are considered freelancers. The courtroom is not the only place they do work. Transcription is always needed at church services or webcasts and many reporters do this work as well. Helping the deaf can be done when a person does typing for the TV so they are able to read what is going on in any certain show. Many of these people are attracted to journalism as well. There is no end to what a person could do with a transcription education.
An annual salary of thirty to sixty thousand is possible for a court reporter. More money can be made by a recent program that has been made for these trancriptionists. Witnesses can purchase the work of the reporter for more research should be needed. This will provide residual income for typists. They can continue to make money even after they are done with a case.
There is much value in court reporting. The courtroom trials can be accessed at a different time due to them being documented. The justice system is able to remain organized and flee from chaos because of the typists. There would be a great drop in efficiency if there were no more court transcriptionists. The justice system will continue to need these people for the smooth running it has enjoyed.
Finding the best litigation support services is crucial to succeeding in the legal community. From real-time reporting to streaming live videos, our superior court reporter services provide documentation, information, and consultation to all clients.