Things You Never Learn in Court Reporting School!

Court reporting provides an invaluable legal tool for law firms in every branch of the law, and court reporting can be a very rewarding career path. There are, however, several important things you never learn in court reporting school that are well worth considering. Our team is always looking for amazing new additions, so if you are interested, please contact us. If you have court reporting needs or are interested in expanding your court reporting career, Kusar Court Reporters (800-282-3376) in California is here to help you explore your best options.

Court Reporters Produce Critical Transcripts in Real Time

The legal arena requires exacting transcripts of nearly every legal proceeding, and court reporters ably address this primary task. Your education as a court reporter helps to ensure that you are well prepared to take on this critical role while remaining in accordance with the United States Courts’ federal judiciary policies, with the Court Reporters Board of California, and the National Court Reporters Association’s legal requirements and restrictions. There are some practical applications, however, that your technical education may not have prepared you for.

Court Reporting Jobs Can Run Long

While a court reporting job for a court may come with regular hours, working as an independent contractor can leave you looking at long reporting sessions. The fact is that it is generally a better use of resources to complete depositions and other legal proceedings in as few sessions as possible, which can lead to long days. The attorney or attorneys you are working for, however, should have a good feel for how long the matter in question is likely to take, which can help you plan accordingly. If, however, you have young children or other critical scheduling concerns, it is important to take this into consideration before accepting a court reporting assignment.

Some Speakers Are Exceptionally Difficult to Understand

Your primary job as a court reporter is transcribing what other people say as accurately as possibly, and your skill and commitment to your career help to ensure that you are able to produce quality transcripts every time. One thing that court reporting school may not have prepared you for, however, is that some testimony is far more difficult to report than others. Any of the following can make your work as a court reporter exceptionally challenging:

• Speakers with very heavy or unfamiliar accents
• Speakers with speech impediments
• Speakers who talk very quickly
• Speakers who mumble
• Speakers whose voices come out in a whisper
• Speakers who break out in tears or laughter
• Speakers who are too frightened or nervous to project
• Speakers who are not invested in providing clear testimony

Fortunately, it is well within your capacity as a court reporter to ask for clarification whenever you need it, and doing so is the surest way to produce transcripts that accurately reflect the proceeding in question. At Kusar Court Reporters, we know how important your court reporting career is to you and how important your level of skill is to those who you work for, and we are well prepared to help you find a good fit.

Punctuality Is Key

When it comes to things you never learn in court reporting school, the importance of punctuality is absolutely critical. When you are in court reporting school, the focus is on acquiring and honing the challenging skills that you are busily perfecting, and it is very common for much less time to be devoted to the practicalities of the work. Legal procedures – regardless of what they are – require considerable scheduling, and when even one of the involved parties is late, it can not only drag out the process but can also lead to considerable additional expenses. Because you play a pivotal role in every assignment you take on, your own punctuality is paramount. Planning on arriving 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time is generally the best policy.

Time Management

Court reporters are tasked with juggling a number of tasks and cases. In most cases, the schedules are tight, and deadlines cannot be missed. Deadlines like that cannot be met without impeccable time-management skills. Examples of valuable time-management skills include planning, goal setting, auditing, and improving workflows, and learning to prioritize.

Dressing Professionally Does Not Always Look the Same

As a court reporter, it is important to look the part and to dress professionally. The idea is to look appropriate – without calling attention to yourself – while also being comfortable and ready to take on whatever comes your way. This generally involves having a work wardrobe that consists of comfortable, well-fitting business attire, which can include separates, suits, or a combination of both.    

Professional Court Reporters Fill an Important Role in the Legal Profession

While your education provided you with the tools you need to become a successful court reporter, there are things you never learn in court reporting school that may come as a surprise. At Kusar Court Reporters (800-282-3376), we recognize that you have the impressive skills to build a rewarding court reporting career, and we are well prepared to help you find the right placement for you. For more information about how we can help, please do not hesitate to reach out and contact or call us at 800-282-3376 today.