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How Do I Become a Court Reporter?A court reporter can be an exciting and profitable career choice. The job requires a very high level of speed and accuracy to efficiently transcribe the spoken word into written text. In many cases, the job needs to be done in real time. In other instances, a court reporter can transcribe his work at a later date. The services of a court reporter are needed in courtrooms, lawyer’s offices, business meetings, religious services, training seminars and television stations that offer close captioning for the hearing impaired. So, how do you become a court reporter and what training is required? It will depend on what level of court reporting you wish to do as to whether or not you will need lengthy training or limited training. One form of court reporting, a steno typist will demand 33 months of formal training in a community college or vocational training center. Whereas, if you decide to become a voice writer, you are looking at less than a year of training and electronic court reporters receive mostly on-the-job training. Court Reporter CertificationsSome states require licensing even for a voice writer. The National Verbatim Reporters Association offers three different types of certifications to voice writers that is equivalent to what is needed to obtain a license. Individuals seeking these certifications must pass a written test consisting of spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, legal and medical terminology. They must also prove that they are efficient with regard to speed, accuracy and silence in dictation and transcription. There are three main organizations that offer certifications and/or support for court reporters. The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), The United States Court Reporters Association (USCRA) and The American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT). Within these organizations, there are different levels of certification. Court Reporter Certification OrganizationsFor the NCRA certifications for court reporters, there are 28 states in the US that have approximately a total of 70 schools and colleges that offer training courses in stenotype computer-aided transcription and real-time reporting. These schools meet the minimum requirements in order to be certified by the National Court Reporters Association. The links at the bottom of this article will show you which schools in their respective states meet certification guidelines. The main focus of the USCRA is mostly on matters that affect court reporters who work in the United States District Court. They offer membership, support, job postings and annual meetings. The AAERT certifies electronic court reporters. It is not mandatory to be certified with them, however, some employers will ask for certification as soon as a court reporter is eligible. To receive a certification with AAERT, a court reporter must pass a written exam, have completed high school, have 2 years transcribing experience and must be a member of the notary public. The Cost of Court Reporter SchoolThe cost of attending school to become a court reporter will vary depending on the school and length of study. In a community college setting, this usually averages about four semesters or $8000 in tuition, whereas, training to become a voice writer is significantly cheaper. The cost of equipment to begin your career as a self-employed court reporter may be as high as $10,000 and consists of an electronic stenographic machine, a computer, printer, laptop computer and the CAT computer software, a fax machine, and an additional phone line for fax and business calls. If you wish to be employed by a company as a court reporter, most schools offer job placement or at least assistance with job placement. Court Reporter ResourcesCourt Reporter Occupational Outlook Handbook The American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers National Court Reporters Association United States Court Reporters Association
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