A court reporter, also known as a “stenographer,” is a highly trained professional who provides an integral and necessary service to our legal system.

As dedicated custodians of the record, court reporters rely on a highly refined set of skills to accomplish the task of capturing the spoken word in realtime with the use of a Stenotype machine, a special shorthand keyboard.  An advanced court reporter can offer realtime services in which they provide instantaneous conversion of the spoken word from their steno machine which is then displayed on a TV, computer, or smart device, in real time. This also allows their clients immediate access to the transcript.

In general, a court reporter must:

• Achieve a shorthand speed of minimally 225 wpm
• Be proficient in English, grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Have an excellent understanding of legal and business ethics
• Have an exceptional understanding of legal principles and medical terminology
• Possess a high level of professionalism