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Become A Court Reporter And Be Part Of The Legal System
February 8th, 2010 by admin
If you want to become a court reporter, you have certainly chosen a career that has a high earning potential. There are always a large number of vacancies for this position, but not enough people to fill them. This means that once you are qualified, you are virtually guaranteed employment.
This job requires you to take word-for-word transcripts of everything spoken during a court proceeding. This is vital because many witnesses change their stories while on the stand. The transcripts therefore provide conclusive evidence of exactly what was said, and by whom.
You will need to be trained to use a stenographic machine to capture the data. During cross examination and the giving of evidence, you will learn how to record every single question and answer. This training will take about 3 years to complete, but it will be worth it, because it is the qualified stenographer who is most in demand.
Your remuneration will be paid by the court. There is no fixed rate of payment as this will depend on the nature of the case, the duration of the case, and the experience of the court reporter. If you are employed as an official court reporter, in addition to a salary you will get remunerated for each page of transcript.
Job opportunities are not restricted to court cases. Many court reporters further their studies by training in CART, website or broadcasting services. If you are certified in these fields you could offer your services as a freelancer when you are not required for a court case.
Because of the increase in litigation cases and the need for broadcast captioning for live TV, this profession is growing at a faster rate than any other profession. As with all professions, if you can keep abreast with the latest trends you can expect a lucrative income and constant work. Whilst the job is demanding, it will be challenging and rewarding.