Where What When

Court Reporting

With the article below, we continue the series started by Nama Schabb describing occupations that are quickly learned, in demand, and provide a decent living.

The Parnassa Dilemma

Would you like to have a job where the spectacle of life, with its myriad issues and personalities, passes before you on a daily basis? Where you are witness to outpourings of emotion? Where individuals of many countries, colors, and classes converse in your presence? Where professionals in numerous areas explain their expertise in laymen’s terms? Where variety is foremost, the pay is good, and every day is an adventure?

If you answered yes to these questions, you may be interested in court reporting. As a court reporter, you are an accurate witness, recording exactly what was said and creating word-for-word transcripts of conversations, meetings, speeches, legal proceedings, and other events. Whenever a secure, legal record is needed, a court reporter provides one.

What It’s Like

Although many court reporters work in the courtroom, where civil and criminal cases are heard, both Rebbetzin Bracha Goldberger and Mrs. Pam Lehmann work mainly at depositions held in attorneys’ or physicians’ offices. Rarely, they may take depositions from people with disabilities who cannot leave their homes.

“I really enjoy the work!” says Mrs. Lehmann. “I’m always going to a different place!” Mrs. Lehmann has a BA and MA in psychology, and worked as the administrative director for P’TACH in Baltimore. She was expecting her fourth child when she heard about a court reporting course at what was then Villa Julie College (now Stevenson University). She was attracted by the independence and flexibility of court reporting, and heard that the profession offered plenty of part-time opportunities and that the money was good, so she took the course.

Rebbetzin Goldberger has worked in the court reporting field for over 14 years. She worked independently for 10 to 12 of those years, and now splits her time among several agencies. Although she joined the profession to supplement the family income, she really enjoys it. “There’s so much you can learn about people and about life,” she says.

Mrs. Lehmann is a contractor for LAD, a large court reporting company in the area. The agency refers clients to her and pays her fees. On Thursday, she emails LAD her availability for the following week. “I don’t think there’s any more flexible job than this,” says Mrs. Lehmann, and getting home in time for Shabbos is not a problem, because she generally chooses not to work on Fridays. “They don’t blink an eye if I want to work one day one week, two days the next, then take three weeks off, and work four days when I come back.”

According to Mrs. Lehmann, court reporters usually have a 10-business-day deadline to turn in a transcript. It’s not unusual, though, to receive requests for expedited transcripts that must be ready the next day. Both she and Rebbetzin Goldberger use a tape recorder as a back up, for accuracy, when they work. When they are particularly busy, both have hired scopists, who listen to the tapes and type and edit the initial transcription for a fee, usually a dollar a page, according to salary websites. Most scopists are professionals, but Mrs. Lehmann has used students who excel in English; one even went on to pursue a law career. The court reporter reviews the scopist’s work and performs a final edit before turning it in. While the scopist transcribes, the court reporter can take on other court reporting jobs.

Do You Have the Aptitude?

“You must be even-tempered to do this work,” says Rebbetzin Goldberger. Emotions run high in attorneys’ offices, and people on all sides of the issue may be upset. Attorneys may be focused on completing a case to the exclusion of lunch and breaks. People from different classes or cultures may use words that are hard to understand, or they may have foreign accents. The court reporter must assert his/her needs firmly and calmly.

“You must be a perfectionist,” adds Pam Lehmann. Reporters are responsible for the accurate identification of proper names and places. In the evening or on “off hours,” they edit their reports against the tape recorded version. The manuscript has to be perfect. English language and punctuation accuracy is crucial – no typos allowed.

In addition to their main responsibility, transforming the spoken work into a written transcript, court reporters are responsible for administering the oath of truth and marking exhibits with identifying stickers. They also develop secure procedures for storage and retrieval of all their notes files or recordings – in paper or on a computer.

More Opportunities for Court Reporters

Although most court reporters record official legal proceedings, others, called webcasters, record sales meetings, press conferences, new product introductions, and technical training seminars, transmitting them instantly to all parties by computer. Still others record government proceedings: from the U.S. Congress to state and local governing bodies.

Some court reporters, known as broadcast captioners, specialize in captioning live television programming for people with hearing loss. CART, which stands for “communication access real-time translation,” is a personalized service for the deaf and hard of hearing. CART reporters may caption high school and college classes. They may cover meetings or doctor appointments. In an emergency, such as a tornado or a hurricane, people’s safety may depend on the accuracy of information provided in the form of captioning.

How It’s Done

Mrs. Lehmann and Rebbetzin Goldberger use a stenographic machine, the most commonly used method, to do their work. Often called a stenotype, this machine is a specialized keyboard that looks more like a compact piano than a computer keyboard. Reporters press multiple keys simultaneously (known as “chording”) to spell out whole syllables, words, and phrases with a single hand motion. These symbols are electronically recorded, translated, and displayed as text in a process called “computer-aided transcription,” or CAT. Court reporters must be prepared to read back their transcripts on a moment’s notice. They may interrupt the proceedings only to ask someone to repeat what they said; and if they must interrupt, they must do it appropriately, being sensitive to the flow of conversation and the feelings of other people.

The most recent computerized steno machines can cost $10,000 to $15,000, and a used machine can cost $1,500 to $5,000. Some older machines being offered on eBay (type “reporter stenograph” in the search box) start as low as $2.75!

Another method of court reporting is called “voice writing.” A court reporter speaks directly into a voice silencer, a mask with a handle extending from its middle, covering the whole face, up to the eyes, and containing a microphone. The reporter repeats everything that is said by the judges, witnesses, attorneys and other parties, including gestures and emotional reactions, and prepares transcripts afterwards. Avinoam Miller, a court reporting student, said that those who use these silencers must put in a lot of unpaid time away from the work site to transcribe and edit.

Earnings

A U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) survey found that “more than half [of court reporters] worked for state and local governments, a reflection of the large number of court reporters working in courts [and] legislatures.... Most of the remaining wage and salary workers were employed by court reporting agencies. Around eight percent of court reporters were self-employed.”

Art and Sherry Miller own a small court reporting agency that specializes in legal work. “Most court reporters in the private sector are independent contractors,” says Mrs. Miller. “That means no benefits. However, since court reporters are paid approximately seven dollars per page, and many can produce 50 pages per hour, that adds up to $350 per hour!” According to Mrs. Lehmann, court reporters can earn between $33,000 and over $60,000 on a part-time basis.

There’s a Shortage!

Job opportunities for court reporters are expected to be excellent, and the field is expected to grow “much faster than average,” according to the BLS. The favorable job market reflects the fact that fewer people are entering this profession. Both Pam Lehmann and Sherry Miller confirmed that job interviews don’t exist in the court reporting field. When Mrs. Lehmann applied for a job, she was asked, “Can you work tomorrow?” and that was it! And as an employer of court reporters, Mrs. Miller confirms that the first report of a new reporter is reviewed very carefully. “If the reporter meets the standard, he or she will get more work. And a reporter who is loyal to the company will get the best work.”

Among the factors influencing the demand for court reporters is the increasing number of civil and criminal cases. In addition, Federal legislation mandates that all new TV programming be captioned for the deaf and hard-of-hearing and that all new Spanish-language programming be captioned by 2010. Also, the Americans with Disabilities Act gives deaf and hard-of-hearing students in higher educational institutions the right to request real-time translation of their classes.

The Training

Avinoam Miller is an advanced student at Harford Community College (HCC), the most accessible place to learn court reporting in the area. One of court reporting’s attractions for Mr. Miller was the objective standard of performance. “Either you can do it or you can’t,” he says. The fact that you can make a six-figure income after a few years was another draw for him. Other members of our community are also participating in HCC’s program.

Harford Community College offers a two-course program. Classes are held Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from September through December, and cost $375 each. Court Reporting Theory I provides an “intensive study of machine shorthand theory. Students learn techniques in how to listen for sounds of words and how to read back shorthand notes.”

Court Reporting – Speed Develop, the second course, is “designed to develop the speed and accuracy of computer-aided transcription. Students practice with live and recorded dictation in a computer setting. Testing is provided at incremental speeds.” New classes are forming for the fall.

The college’s website (www.harford.edu ) announces that “students must take a placement assessment…and score at a designated proficiency level before registering for this program.” The assessment involves speed, accuracy, and English grammar. The site further states that students must purchase or lease their own steno machines, although some are available on loan.

Before signing up for the courses, take note! Saul Passe, an arborist for Baltimore County who hopes to change careers to court reporting, reports that his theory class, which started at 15 students last year, is now down to seven. Mr. Passe says he is determined to succeed, but “the course has a dropout rate of over 80 percent!” One of the major hurdles to success is building up one’s speed. Indeed, a court reporter trainee must build up a speed of over 225 words per minute, according to Sherry Miller and Pam Lehmann. (People can talk up to 300 words per minute when they get excited.) The absolute minimum level for employment in the federal government is 225 words per minute. HCC teachers recommend that students practice at least two hours a day to attain the required levels of speed.

“The amount of practice involved takes maturity and discipline,” says Avinoam Miller, who is working on building up his own speed. “I’m forever thankful that I was warned that learning court reporting can be a gradual process of building speed.” Rebbetzin Goldberger compared the speed building to learning a musical instrument “very, very well.” The average time it takes to become a real-time stenotypist is 33 months with full-time practice, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Other Qualifications

Another Department of Labor website (www.online.onetcenter.org ) reports that specific knowledge, skills, and abilities are crucial to success in the field. There is expertise in use of the stenotype machine, of course, including the precision to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls to exact positions and the finger dexterity to make precisely coordinated movements. Other important qualities are the ability to use the English language correctly and knowledge of computers, clerical procedures, and law and government processes. Candidates also need to be skilled in customer/personal service, active listening, reading comprehension, and time management. They also must have the self-discipline to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted. Finally, a high level of motivation bodes well for success in court reporting.

Is It for You?

So, is court reporting for you, or someone you know? The field is open; the money is good. If you have the discipline, the determination, the knowledge, and the skills, you will be rewarded with job security, high compensation, independence, and good working conditions. You will enjoy the variety and flexibility of the work, and you will be witness to all the breadth and depth that life has to offer.

If you are interested in court reporting, contact Harford Community College, at 410-836-4317. If you are unsure about your career choice, contact Malka Weintraub, LCPC at 410-358-0777. Malka is a career counselor in private practice, and a career counselor for the University of Baltimore. She has helped people find satisfaction in their careers for over 20 years.

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Article List - September 2008