Why Court Reporters are Important to America’s Legal System
\nThe court reporter is the quietest person in a courtroom. Perched silently in front of an odd-looking machine, the reporter hears everything and records it word for word. This is how history knows what has happened — because the court reporter wrote it down.\n\nThis person is not a lawyer or a law enforcement officer. There is no badge, uniform or robe that goes. Even so, the court reporter is one of the most important people in any courtroom, second only to the judge.\n\nSimply put, a court reporter observes and records official proceedings. This record could be of a trial in court, a deposition in an attorney’s office or a conference in a judge’s chambers. The recording work requires precision; someone’s life could depend upon it.\n
The Court Reporting Machine
\nThe machine a court reporter uses is called a writing machine, or stenotype machine. It has only 22 keys, far fewer than a standard computer keyboard. Yet, this machine lets the operator reach speeds the fastest typist can only dream of.\n\nThe secret is in how those 22 keys work. Where a computer keyboard has one key for each letter, stenotype keys each represent a sound. The operator records the proceedings phonetically. This record is then transcribed into proper spelling.\n\nIn order to keep up with normal speech, the court reporter uses a trick called “chording.” The writing machine is designed so that several keys can be pressed at once. By doing this, the operator can write an entire word in one keystroke. Most court reporters build on this technique by creating abbreviations for common phrases to increase their transcription speed.\n
The Court Reporter’s Jobs
\nIn a legal proceeding, the court reporter is responsible for recording what is said and producing a transcript for the court, the attorneys and any other participants. Many reporters work for courts and other government agencies. Occasionally, others get to be in show business.\n\nThe same skills that let a court reporter keep up with the action in a courtroom can also be used to keep up with the action on a movie screen. Court reporters provide captioning so the hearing-impaired can enjoy films and television programs. They also work to caption classes, meetings or other functions in real time.\n\nCourt reporters perform a key role in the justice system by ensuring that a public record is available. They also perform a service to society by bringing information and entertainment to those who might otherwise be left out.\n
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\nWhen considering investing in a court reporting machine, be sure to select a model (professional court reporting machine or student court reporting machine), which meets your particular needs. Also, go with a reputable manufacturer who stands behind their product and has been producing court reporting machines for many years.