Court reporters have a front row seat to all the drama that occurs in the courtroom. With attorneys, witnesses and judges taking center stage, this role is often overlooked. Yet, as guardian of the official record, court reporters are vital to the judicial system.
“The trial can’t start until the court reporter is in place,” said Marita Carey, director of admissions at the Brown College of Court Reporting in Atlanta. “If you have a passion for the legal system and the necessary dedication to learning the skills, there is solid and strong career placement in this field.”
The U.S. Department of Labor expects 14 percent job growth for court reporting through 2020. The same skills are also needed for TV broadcast captioning and online transcription for Webcasting.
The Brown College of Court Reporting,which has been training court reporters for 40 years, is the only program in Georgia approved by the National Court Reporter’s Association.
“Many of our instructors are experienced court reporters. Some of them have been with us for 10 to 15 years and they bring a lot of real-world experience to the classroom,” Carey said.
People who succeed in this field must have good listening skills and hand-eye coordination. They also are detail-oriented and have the grammar skills to edit transcripts.
“Most of all, they must be able to learn the language or shorthand required and have an aptitude for technology, since the software has changed over the years,” she said. “It’s a high-pressure job that requires focus.”
Typing skills are a benefit. Graduates must pass a keyboarding test at a speed of at least 60 words per minute.
Brown offers a certificate or an associate degree program in court reporting-stenography and a certificate program in court reporting-voice writing. The stenography program is the traditional method, but voice-writing (in which a reporter repeats what is said into voice-translation software) is accepted in 28 states and is used about half the time in Georgia.
Brown offers classes during the day, in the evening and online. It takes about three years to complete the stenography program, and two years for voice-writing.
“Practice is key. Our students must have adequate time to practice in their schedules. It’s like learning an instrument.They more you practice, the better you get,” Carey said.
Besides learning court reporting shorthand and how to use the equipment, students take courses in legal and medical terminology, court procedures, criminal and civil law, and grammar. Their hands-on skills are enhanced through mock trials and externships.
Graduates find jobs in the judicial system, in court reporting agencies, law firms or broadcasting companies.
“They start at about $35,000 but the average salary is $60,000, and some court reporters make six figures,” Carey said.
Tuition at Brown is $3,990 per quarter for full-time students and $2,056 per quarter for part-timers. The school will host an open house for prospective students on Nov. 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For information, call 404-876-1227 or go to www.bccr.edu.
