Did You Know That Trained Court Reporters...
- Record oral proceedings in business, medical, legal, and educational environments?
- Document proceedings of meetings and conventions?
- Capture proceedings in government agencies?
Why Become a Court Reporter?
- Court Reporters (including deposition reporters and captioners) earn an average of nearly $62,000 a year (1999 NCRA survey).
- You do not need a college degree to become a Court Reporter!
- Only about 27 percent of Court Reporters in the United States actually work in court. Most of them are Freelance Reporters hired by attorneys to report depositions of potential trial witnesses.
- The field of court reporting is a prestigious profession whether you work in a courtroom or from home.
- If you want to name your own hours and run a business from your home, Court Reporting offers tremendous opportunities. The working hours of Freelance Court Reporters are flexible, as are their incomes.
Background
Court Reporters in the 21st Century are in ever greater demand. People who work in the field can testify to this shortage. The January 3, 2003, Christian Science Monitor reported: " Demand for Court Reporters grows even as their ranks dwindle, forcing courts to postpone trials."
Founded to address this need for well-trained, skilled Court Reporters, The National Institute of Realtime Reporting provides students with the theoretical knowledge and the proficiency they will need to take advantage of career opportunities available to skilled Court Reporters.
Some Career Opportunities Available to Certified Court Reporters*
These
potential salaries are available once you become established in the industry.
| Freelance Court Reporter |
Official Court Reporter |
RealTime Reporter |
$50,000-$150,000
Work independently and for as
many
or as few hours as you wish. Your earnings are commensurate with
your production
|
$55,000-$125,000 plus benefits
Full-time, regular hours, usually assigned to a judge. Receive
additional compensation for each transcript you produce. |
$75,000-$100,000
Provide RealTime testimony (instant display of the spoken word) which appears on computer terminal screens so that the hearing-impaired can read the spoken word as it occurs. (Must have 96.8% accuracy.) |
| Scopist |
|
|
$20-$40 per hour
Transcribe and edit as you work for a Court Reporter, assisting in transcript production. |
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* Court Reporting Online
What Qualifications Do I Need to Enroll?
- A high school diploma or GED is a must. Of course, if you have an associate's or a bachelor's or a master's degree, that would be an added plus!
- A strong desire to learn and a commitment to the course of study
- Excellent listening skills
- Good grammar and punctuation skills
- Typing skills (35-40 wpm essential)
What Does the School Offer Its Students?
- Expertise in the field of Reporting
- Training on up-to-the-minute technological equipment
- Knowledgeable faculty
- State-of-the-art curriculum
- Great support staff
- Opportunity to become employed in an active, stimulating, multi-faceted profession
CERTIFICATE OF COURT REPORTING: LEGAL AND CONFERENCE REPORTING
Course Descriptions
The curriculum is designed to provide students with the theoretical knowledge and proficiency to enable them to take advantage of the many varied career opportunities created by Legal, Conference, and Court Transcription using RealTime technology. Program content is not taught in individualized courses. All curriculum content is integrated within the 28 week program. Course numbers and descriptions are for licensing and student grading purposes. Courses include:
CR 100: Court Reporting Hardware and Software
This course provides an overview of the reporting field and focuses on the study of the personal computer and voice recognition software used by Court Reporters. Students learn to operate, manage, and troubleshoot hardware and software. Students also become familiar with systems drive installation and management, memory configurations, peripheral connections, viruses, analysis of problems, and input/output techniques. A major part of the course focuses on skill and accuracy development of RealTime voice recognition software. Activities and drills focus on developing student proficiency and accuracy.
CR 102: Grammar and Terminology for Court Reporters
This course examines English grammar, emphasizes usage, conciseness, clarity, punctuation, and word study. Students develop basic medical and legal vocabulary; they will use and understand medical and legal terms. Students study diagnostic and operative terms as well as abbreviations and symbols used in the medical and legal fields. Classroom activities and drills focus on developing student proficiency and accuracy.
CR 104: Legal and Conference Reporting
This course focuses on the use of RealTime technology using live dictation and drills to build accuracy, endurance, and confidence. Daily class drills emphasize transcription development of medical and legal proceedings and administrative hearings. Students develop professional transcripts with correct grammar and legal and medical terminology. The course introduces students to the development of materials and documents for multi-voiced environments. Students learn how to listen effectively in order to prepare information obtained from clients. Students are required to demonstrate competency in vocabulary and grammar skills, medical and legal terminology, and proofreading; they learn how to use library resources to produce professional transcripts.
CR 106: Mock Depositions, Hearings, and Meeting Practicums
In this course, students are expected to transcribe professional documents at a high level of proficiency and accuracy. Drills and multi-voiced simulated work environments, including depositions and court proceedings, help provide students with mastery level in all aspects of court reporting transcription and document development. Competency and knowledge are enhanced as students apply what they have learned in previous courses and discover advanced strategies for capturing proceedings and preparing court documents.
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