When we say, ?court reporter,? what?s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it someone sitting at a steno machine in a courtroom? Do you think it?s a dying profession? We?re here to share court reporter facts and myths so you can learn and share more about this exciting and growing profession.
Myth: The only place you will find court reporters is in a courtroom.
The digitization of the courtroom has meant a decline in the demand for reporters in courtrooms and higher demand outside in business, sporting events, politics, and civic meetings.
You can find our reporters working from home as real-time reporters and closed captioners.
You might find them working as travelling freelance reporters in rural Arizona counties where there is a court reporter shortage.
Others can be found transcribing recordings from town hall, HOA, or Board meetings or live seminars and webinars.
Wherever there is a need to translate the spoken word is where you might find a court reporter.
Myth: There are more than enough court reporters.
The truth is that there is a court reporter shortage happening right now. Outside Maricopa County there are court cases that require an in-person court reporter by law. That often means sending one of our Phoenix reporters to cover the case. While it is a cost-saving measure for courts in our state and across the country, it?s often challenging to find a reporter willing to take the case.
Not only is there an increased demand in the legal field, but in non-legal fields. Couple that with a decrease in court reporting school enrollment and it?s a potential for a major court reporter shortage in the not so distant future.
Myth: No one wants to be a court reporter.?
If we?re going to get through the shortage, we?ve got to be working together as an industry to spread the word about the benefits of court reporting. We find that the more we?re sharing our experience on blogs and social media, more people are interested in this career.
While being a court reporter takes a special set of skills – focus, attention to detail, punctual, organized, accurate and fast transcription – many people don?t know the benefits of being a court reporter. Because there is such a high demand and low supply of reporters, the earning potential right out of school is higher ($40,000 average) than for many four-year degrees. With a bit of experience, reporters can earn in the six-figures all while making their own schedule.
For those seeking an exciting career working with a variety of clients, we think court reporting is a great choice! Do you have more court reporter facts and myths that need busting? Contact us today; we?d love to talk to you!
My sister is thinking about becoming a court reporter and I am glad that I found this article because I did not know that there is a shortage of reporters and she would have an easy time finding a job. Also, I had no idea that there is not only an increased need for court reporters in legal fields but also in non-legal fields. I think this would be great for my sister because she will be able to do different types of court reporting in different fields that are exciting to her.