Court Stenographer Schools and Certifications

 

               

 

A court stenographer can be trained pursuant to his or her academic degree goals.  The skills necessary for a court reporter or stenographer to perform efficiently include a comprehensive education in order to obtain full certification in this professional field.  In addition to successfully learning how to operate a stenography machine, students are also encouraged to take coursework in legal procedures and terminology, medical terminology, and interpersonal communication.  Because of the demands of the work environment, students are required to achieve dexterity for each of these skills, with the greatest opportunities for a court stenographer being influenced by the mastering of each.  Degree programs for the court stenographer can range from one to four years, though the most common is an associate’s degree program having a 24-month duration.  Though many colleges and universities offer degree programs in court stenography and legal transcription with the advancements in technology, many private business schools, community colleges, and online academic institutions now offer classes and training in the court stenography field.

The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) offers several levels of certification for court stenographers using machine shorthand.  Initial certification requires successfully passing the writing speeds of 180, 200, and 225 words per minute, along with a written knowledge test.  The National Verbatim Reporters Association (NVRA) certifies voice writers.  Though learning the technique of voice writing takes less time than learning the skills of machine shorthand, certification as a voice writer requires successfully transcribing tests at 200, 225, and 250 words per minute.

Opportunities For The Court Stenographer

Skills in English grammar, legal research and procedures, and legal terminology are very important to the court stenographer and are emphasized throughout the necessary training.  Opportunities in the legal and business world for the court reporter or stenographer can move beyond the courtroom.  Many stenographers and legal transcriptionists find employment in various capacities, such as private companies requiring official conference meeting records, broadcast companies requiring captioning services, and government agencies requiring accurate and detailed accountings of transactions and negotiations.

According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job prospects for court reporters and stenographers are expected to continue to remain high, even more so for court reporters who obtain certification.

The average income for U.S. court stenographers was $49,710 in May 2008.  Many states now have a great need for certified court stenographers and transcriptionists in order to keep up with the demand resulting from increasing numbers of legal proceedings, as well as other types of agencies and organizations requiring accurate record keeping of the activities that transpire during the course of business.