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Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners

Use verbatim methods and equipment to capture, store, retrieve, and transcribe pretrial and trial proceedings or other information. Includes stenocaptioners who operate computerized stenographic captioning equipment to provide captions of live or prerecorded broadcasts for hearing-impaired viewers.

Other titles employers use

Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) · Court Monitor · Court Recording Monitor · Court Reporter · Court Stenographer · Deposition Reporter · Digital Court Reporter · Official Court Reporter

Inside the work

What you would actually do.

6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.

  • Record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks.
  • Proofread transcripts for correct spelling of words.
  • Ask speakers to clarify inaudible statements.
  • Provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.
  • Transcribe recorded proceedings in accordance with established formats.
  • Log and store exhibits from court proceedings.

Who it suits

Would this work hold your attention?

This career often appeals to people drawn to organizing work.

Organizing
Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate

Skills and strengths

What you would get good at.

Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.

Core skills

  • Active Listening
  • Writing
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Time Management

Subjects to know

  • English Language
  • Administrative
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Law and Government
  • Customer and Personal Service

Useful strengths

  • Oral Comprehension
  • Speech Recognition
  • Written Expression
  • Written Comprehension
  • Oral Expression

Working day

Picture yourself doing it.

These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.

How this job scores on four measures of working conditions, out of five
MeasureOut of 5What that means here
Close to other people3.5 Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder
On your feet1.7 Mostly seated
Talking face to face4.8 Continuous — the job is conversations
Working with your hands4.1 Handling tools, instruments or materials

Preparation

How people prepare for this work.

Employers usually ask for a postsecondary certificate. Other routes may also lead into the field.

  • A certificate or some college 80%
  • A two-year degree 12%
  • High school or less 5%
  • A doctorate or professional degree 3%

Tools of the work

Technology you may use.

  • Word processing software
  • Office suite software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Electronic mail software
  • Data base user interface and query software
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Voice recognition software
  • Time accounting software

Opportunity near you

See where this work is growing.

Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.

Selected stateTexas
People doing this work
2,710
Job openings each year
280
Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
12.0%
Compare every available state
State People doing it Job openings each year Expected change
Texas 2,710 280 12.0%
California 2,700 260 3.8%
Florida 2,090 210 7.2%
New York 1,430 20 18.2%
Pennsylvania 1,060 100 3.9%
Indiana 980 100 3.2%
Georgia 850 90 13.3%
Michigan 540 50 −3.6%
Ohio 540 50
Arizona 520 50 13.0%
Minnesota 480 50 2.1%
Puerto Rico 400 40 11.1%
Alabama 350 40
Louisiana 350 40 2.9%
Virginia 320 30
Connecticut 270 30 8.0%
Missouri 270 30
Iowa 250 30 4.2%
New Jersey 250 30 4.2%
South Carolina 250 30 8.7%
Maryland 230 20 4.5%
North Carolina 210 20 5.0%
Washington 190 20 11.8%
Kansas 180 20
Kentucky 160 20 14.3%
West Virginia 140 10 7.7%
Montana 90 10
Nebraska 90 10
Idaho 70 10
North Dakota 70 10
Nevada 60 10
Delaware 50 10 −16.7%
Mississippi 50 10
Wisconsin 50 10
Oregon 30 0 −25.0%
Virgin Islands 20 0

Career to college

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