The NCRA (National Court Reporters Association) says there is a current shortage of remote court reporters. They expect this to worsen in the next 3 to 5 years when veteran court reporters retire. Unfortunately, fewer people study and train to enter the court reporting profession. As a result, the industry cannot meet the demands. Plus, the increasing complexity of litigation makes high-quality court reporters even more crucial. Fortunately, professionals can rely on a simple solution for this problem called remote court reporting.
What is Remote Court Reporting?
To address the court reporter shortfall, remote court reporting emerged. We now belong to the list of firms that offer this amazing service. Our team leverages technology to address the fast-paced and complicated demands of litigation. Our certified stenographer or court reporters capture a verbatim record of proceedings using technology. The witnesses and attorneys can give their statements in a different location, while our remote court reporter virtually connects with them through the internet and screens.
The beauty of remote court reporting is that we can address the shortage while providing so many benefits to stenographers, lawyers, witnesses, and all parties involved in a case. With our remote services, attorneys can conduct more depositions within a shorter time frame. It also reduces travel time while allowing better flexibility with tight litigation schedules. We proffer the same level of excellent services akin to that of a face-to-face court reporter.
Now, the scarcity of court reporters is no longer a problem with this service. Attorneys can potentially save a lot of resources because we assure smooth execution for all parties before, during, and after the deposition. Our team of expert remote court reporters will :
- Swear in witnesses
- Mark exhibits
- Perform readbacks
- Create a certified transcript.
All of these are the same exemplary services that we do in real life. Besides, remote court reporting also benefits our court reporting staff because they reduce travel time and other incidental costs. As a result, they can handle more jobs in the typical workday. In this scenario, remote court reporters can increase their earning potential.
Consequently, we have increased the court reporter coverage to address that nation’s shortage. Leveraging video-conferencing technology ensures that we can provide what our clients need, no matter where they are, without sacrificing work quality or efficiency.
Why is Remote Court Reporting a Good Career Option?
If you enter the in-demand field of remote court reporting, you begin your journey with a rewarding career that can secure your future. Remote court reporters oversee the use of digital recording equipment in our conference room or from home while taking notes of the proceedings happening in a different area. In addition, they create logs and transcripts of what transpired without being physically present.
In Florida, you can work as an in-house court reporter, or you may work freelance. Choosing the latter doesn’t tie you down and gives you more flexibility. You can work for attorneys taking depositions. But you can also dabble in different fields such as:
- Transcribing for broadcast companies
- Providing subtitles for movies
- Offering live transcription for sports competitions, concerts, seminars, etc.
- Helping the hard of hearing with their daily tasks
- Working for the insurance industry
The Sunshine State does not require you to have a state license. However, most employers prefer that you are affiliated with the Florida Court Reporters Association. This serves as your de-facto license, proving that you received proper education and training in this field. That being said, if you want to command higher pay, you must be certified by either of the two national certification agencies: the NCRA (National Court Reporters Association) or the NVRA (National Verbatim Reporters Association).
Best of all, you will be entering a profession that pays well. Beginner court reporters can earn around fifty-five grand annually. Those who have more experience can become freelance remote court reporting specialists and even earn as much as six figures. This is a recession-proof job because courts do not rise and fall with the stock market. Besides, people always need help with proofreading, documentation, etc.
Even with the rise of voice recording technology, you have nothing to fear. Industry experts say that Artificial Intelligence can never truly replace the wisdom of human beings. After all, transcription machines cannot:
- Understand pronunciation
- Capture gestures and non-verbal communication
- Decipher words when multiple speakers talk
- Ask for clarifications regarding statements
- Strikeout statements from records
How Do I Study to Become a Remote Court Reporter?
In order to become a remote court reporter, you need hard skills like steno theory, fast typing skills, jargon knowledge, understanding legal proceedings, etc. You must also possess soft skills like fine attention to detail, good listening skills, and working well with people. These are all required to perform essential job responsibilities.
If you’re interested in becoming a remote court reporter, you need education and training. You must go to court reporting school, either on campus or online, to get an associate degree or certificate. Though most high-paying court reporters have a college degree, it is possible to be one with only a certificate.
However, you must stay committed to improving your skills by attending continuous education via symposia, seminars, conferences, or further formal studies. Doing so will also allow you to achieve higher certification levels from the NCRA and NVRA. Others start with roles like a court reporter, then progress to remote court reporting, then eventually become a legal assistant or a senior paralegal.
As a stenographer who takes down spoken words and gestures, then produces an accurate transcript, you are dubbed a guardian of the records. You must stay impartial, responsible, and trustworthy. Thus, proper training and certifications are necessary for excellent job performance. Those who want to enter this career must complete the following steps:
Step 1: Choose Your Path
You will find several paths within the field of court reporting. Choose your area of interest before enrolling in a program. Although most programs offer the same structure for students, some programs divide their tracks to better prepare students for specific reporting areas. Take note of the following:
- Court reports: traditional stand where you keep records of court proceedings, administrative hearings, and depositions
- Closed captioning: provide live transcription for broadcasts and other streaming companies
- CART: this means communication access real-time reporting for the deaf or hard of hearing
Other schools separate their programs via:
- Stenography: using a stenotype machine and computer for court reports, CART, and broadcast captions
- Voice typing: entails speaking to a steno mask device that, feeding the reporter’s voice to a software that specializes in voice recognition and translation
Any of these will help you on your path to becoming a remote court reporting professional.
Step 2: Prepare for the program
It typically takes two years or more to finish an associate program. While in school, you must have your own manual steno typing machine. Prepare between a hundred to $250 for this device. The majority of schools start you off with paper writers because learning to read notes printed on paper is part of the training.
You must also have a computer writer model for your CAT classes. You can buy a new one for two grand or purchase a used unit for $400. Because of the price, many students opt to rent. Software for this writer will cost an additional one hundred to $500.
Additionally, you must be a high school graduate with good moral standing. Depending on the school, you may also be required to take an entrance exam to get accepted into a program. Finally, you must exemplify a good command of the English language to make the cut.
Step 3: Work Hard to Complete Schooling
Court reporting programs are available in various institutions. They are in community colleges, tech schools, and dedicated court reporting schools, either on-campus or online. Your hard work may result in a diploma, certificate, or associate’s degree. But, again, this depends on where you take your classes. The key is choosing a program that is recognized by court reporting organizations.
Thankfully, court reporting school is fairly flexible, with many schools providing online, day, or even evening classes to meet busy schedules. Some schools also offer a combination of methods, allowing online academic courses while providing on-site typing practice classes to improve speed.
You can rest assured that the education received from any institution will not vary. Why? Because court reporting schools prepare you for state licensing and/or professional certification. Thus, they contain the same curriculum structure. All students must achieve a minimum standard of skills for mechanical shorthand that meets the NCRA and NVRA standards. Take note of the following:
- Literary at 180 words per minute
- Jury load at 200 words per minute
- Testimonial or Q&As at 225 words per minute
Most of all, you must master shorthand and steno theory. The goal is to receive 97% accuracy with machine shorthand. Besides, most programs also require students to maintain a minimum GPA in academic courses and speed development classes. Therefore, apart from learning to use the steno machine and CART, students pursuing this field must also be proficient in the following:
- Proper English grammar
- Punctuation
- Spelling
- Medical terms
- Legal jargon and studies
- Investigation
- Transcription procedures
- Laws and courtroom procedures
- Technology
Step 4: Consider a Court Reporting Internship
Though taking an internship is not required, doing an apprenticeship will help hone skills. If you are truly interested in becoming an exemplary remote court reporting professional, getting real-life practical training with a mentor is the most ideal setup. After all, going from classroom to career can be overwhelming, so guidance helps.
Taking an internship helps you hone skills in the field of your interest. Getting guidance from a senior remote court reporter will help teach you the ropes. You will learn insider information and trade secrets that will aid you in carrying out your job well. As a recent graduate, you can accelerate your transition into your profession when you have real-world counseling and training. The right person can help you bridge the gap between graduation and your first court reporting position.
Step 5: Take Up Examinations
Some states require you to pass licenses, but some do not. For example, here in Florida, our government does not require licenses. However, employers with no licensing requirements often look for a Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) Certificate or Certified Verbatim Reporter (CVR) certificate. These are entry-level designations for the NCRA and NVRA.
Besides, certifications will enhance your employment prospects. Obtaining certification shows that you have achieved a certain skill level in your trade. Some states also accept these designations in lieu of state examinations.
Start a Rewarding Career in Remote Court Reporting
After reading our piece, you now have a rough overview of how to become a certified remote court reporter. Once you’ve gotten the accreditation, you can begin working as an in-house service professional in the hall of justice. You can also become a freelancer and work as a remote court reporter. Not being tied down by one specific place accords you more opportunities.
A remote setup works for most people because it saves you on resources. You don’t have to drive to work and endure the rush hour traffic. With the aid of technology, they can take on more jobs, earning more money. And as you acquire more skills and experience, you can also command higher pay.
In this career, further studies are crucial to your success. Just because you’re done with court reporting school doesn’t mean you will already stop learning. For continued progress, you need to constantly read and update yourself on tech and industry developments.
Being in this profession accords you a lot of opportunities. Besides, whether you’re a fresh high school graduate or looking to shift to a new career, you can readily transition into this career path. It doesn’t take many years of schooling to get your court reporting certification. And the cost to get this education is not as expensive as most baccalaureates. So you should give it a try if you want an in-demand career that pays well and offers a lot of room for growth.
