Do you dream of getting paid for something that matters while being free at the same time? In that case, remote court reporting jobs could be for you. They allow you to manage your location and time while upholding the law. It’s a prestigious and fulfilling job where no two days are the same.
How do Remote Court Reporting Jobs Work
Remote conferencing technology has been around for some time within the industry but it was covid that accelerated its use. Today, remote court reporting jobs are expected to stay the norm.
The process for remote court depositions is straightforward. Once the date and time are agreed on for a deposition, a court reporter gathers all the necessary digital tools and information to be ready. This includes testing any equipment or software and sharing dial-in conference codes with all parties. At the time of a deposition, they then launch the conference call and start transcribing.
During the deposition, the court reporter will upload and introduce any relevant exhibits as documents or photos. Depending on the needs of the deposition, they might also have real-time transcripts to refer to during the call. These can have certain sections highlighted when requested by the lawyers on the call.
After the deposition, remote court reporting jobs still require the final transcript to be certified and submitted by the court reporter. This includes any final edits.
Overall, the benefits of remote court reporting jobs for the industry are the time and cost saved. It also means there are multiple backups, depending on the deposition, across video, audio, and written formats.
So, today’s court reporters need to feel comfortable with technology including the following key items:
- Voice-to-text technology
- Audio recorders
- Computer
Voice-to-text technology
Most court reporters take their own shorthand notes alongside doing a recording of some kind. Depending on the deposition, it’s sometimes important to provide a real-time transcript. This can be done with various voice-to-text devices, including the court reporter’s signature steno machine, and with Computer-Aided-Transcription (CAT) software.
Audio recorders
Court reporters’ tool kit also usually involves some form of recorder and microphone. This can include video as another format to refer to after the deposition.
Computer
Clearly, it’s important for court reporters to have a good computer with at least 16GB or 32GB of RAM to cope with the recording devices and software. You also want an efficient processor such as the multi-core Intel processor range.
The Benefits of a Court Reporting Career
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that a court reporter earns an average salary of just over $60,000 although this can go up to over $100,000. The earning potential clearly depends on years of experience but it’s also down to how you manage your career.
For example, some court reporters successfully carve out a niche for themselves meaning they can ask for higher salaries. So, some become specialists in the medical field. Others might market themselves as multilingual for those cross-cultural depositions. Then again, some remote court reporting jobs might require specialist digital technology skills.
Every court reporter is essentially free to manage their career as they wish depending on their aspirations and skills. Not only is there a wide range of opportunities for remote court reporting jobs. There’s also a range of skills to learn especially if you’re interested in the intricacies of the law.
Depositions and litigations cover a wide range of topics including pharmaceuticals, property, maritime law, and many more. Court reporters need to read around the topics to get familiar with technical terms and industry jargon to help them transcribe more effectively. Again, this is an opportunity to develop a personal niche as well as to keep learning every day.
- Variety
- High demand
- Purpose
Variety
As mentioned, remote court reporting jobs cover many topics. Some depositions are also high-profile and even quoted in the media. It’s exciting having a job that puts you in the middle of it all.
High demand
With many court reporters currently at retirement age, there’s a shortfall and the industry needs more court reporters. It’s always reassuring to enter an industry that needs you and that isn’t going anywhere. Courts will always need to record what goes on.
Purpose
A job that’s just a paycheck isn’t very motivating. Instead, with remote court reporting jobs, you get to work alongside lawyers. Your transcripts support depositions that ensure we all live and relate to each other fairly and honestly. It’s enriching to know that you’re playing a part in the system that keeps us all in harmony.
Is Working from Home for You?
Most people relish the idea of working from home. Many were pleasantly surprised at how well they managed it during covid. Others struggled. Whether it was the family distractions or the constant call from the fridge, some people were happy to go back to some form of an office environment.
It’s all about balance. You need to find the space and time in your home that suits remote court reporting jobs. You also need to consider what sort of hours are appropriate for you depending on your other home and family commitments. Then, you choose remote court reporting jobs that fit. There might still be some trial and error at the beginning as you work out the right rhythm with your colleagues and clients.
Working from home is both liberating and motivating for the right person. Consider that you’re in your own space designed and arranged exactly how you want it. That’s how you get the support and energy to help you focus on work. Our environments have a huge impact on our well-being which in turn impacts our work.
Nevertheless, you’ll need these skills to be successful in remote court reporting jobs:
- Discipline
- Communication
- Autonomy
Discipline
Working from home means setting up your schedule to maximize your time. You need to know how to manage distractions and temptations so that you can focus. Of course, you have depositions scheduled in your diary. Nevertheless, you need to manage your time outside those calls to effectively turn around transcripts.
Communication
In remote court reporting jobs, most communication will be done online. Messaging people is a much more subtle form of communication because you miss all the visual cues such as body language. So, you need to be sensitive and neutral in how you communicate.
Autonomy
Remote court reporters need to know how to prioritize and how to make decisions on their own. You’ll still have your colleagues and supervisor to guide but you can’t keep checking in with them all the time.
What Skills Do You Need for Remote Court Reporting Jobs?
The most successful court reporters have an exceptional command of the English language. During their training, they also become proficient in legal, medical, and digital technical terminology. Moreover, they learn clerical and legal record-keeping best practices.
Overall, you can expect to certify as a court reporter somewhere between 2 to 4 years. Although, you can start working beforehand as a stenographer that simply transcribes. Throughout those years, you’ll learn the hard skills mentioned and you’ll get the opportunity to test your soft skills.
Remote court reporting jobs are highly fulfilling and can also be demanding. After all, you get paid a good salary for taking on a certain level of responsibility. So, expert court reporters develop ways to manage their stress levels and ensure they take enough time out for their self-care.
In terms of soft skills, remote court reporting jobs require coordinating sensitively with lawyers, witnesses, and various other key people for depositions. This usually needs good emotional intelligence especially when people are reluctant to adapt to schedules or other requirements.
Nevertheless, emotional intelligence can be practiced with help from colleagues. New court reporters get the opportunity to join a mentorship program where they are guided and given feedback. It’s an exciting time to learn and ask as many questions as possible. That’s when court reporters also practice, practice, practice. The following skills then naturally evolve.
- Attention to detail
- Time management
- Emotional regulation
Attention to detail
When court reporters proofread transcripts, they need to spot every tiny mistake. The mind is very clever at showing us what we want to see to enable us to make shortcuts. Top court reporters know this and are able to bypass this to see what needs to be edited.
You can practice this skill when you’re training by sitting in the courts or watching news programs on TV. Simply transcribe and edit what you hear and repeat as much as possible.
Time management
A court reporter’s key responsibility is to turn around transcripts quickly and accurately. That means exceptional time management. There are various apps to help you or you can develop your own system with your calendar. Either way, make your time count.
Emotional regulation
As mentioned, remote court reporting jobs can get intense. Imagine transcribing a deposition when several people start talking whilst you’re also being asked to share part of the previous transcript. You’ll need to know how to breathe, stay calm and patiently ask everyone to speak one at a time.
Start Today and Plan Your Next Move
Remote court reporting jobs offer flexibility and autonomy. They also give you a highly fulfilling career with constant learning and excellent salary potential. Moreover, court reporters are in high demand and the industry is here to stay for the long term.
To become a court reporter, you’ll need a mix of hard and soft skills that you learn in court reporting programs. So, start searching in your area for local or remote programs. Then, sign up and kick off your exciting new career. You won’t regret it as you gradually become a respected and sought-after member of the court.
