Sfl Media, Author at CourtScribes, Inc. | Court Reporting & Litigation Support - Page 3 of 7 Archive - CourtScribes, Inc. | Court Reporting & Litigation Support

What Distinguishes a Court Reporter From a Court Stenographer

Posted on: May 9th, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

People often use the terms court reporter and stenographer interchangeably, but there are a few key differences that distinguish them from each other. If you’re going to hire a court reporter or a stenographer, you should know the difference between the two so you can make the best decision. Here’s an overview highlighting the biggest and most important differences between court reporters and stenographers.

Explaining the Difference Between Court Reporters and Stenographers

Court reporters are distinguished from stenographers by their level of education. Someone can become a stenographer in roughly six months. On the other hand, court reporters typically undergo a number of years of training and education.

It’s also customary for most court reporters to obtain certification in their field. The additional education that court reporters have under their belts allows them to perform more specialized tasks.

Stenographers are generally limited to the singular task of providing transcriptions for the court. A court reporter can take on additional responsibilities ranging from administrative details to notary services.

Court reporters are expected to have a more in-depth understanding of legal terminology and procedures. This also makes court reporters more valuable as they can accomplish more with the training they have.

Training for 6 months to be a stenographer is a good way to start out if you want to test the waters and see if putting in a few years of schooling would be worth it. As a profession, being a court reporter takes a certain level of skill and dedication to the craft.

You Can Find the Most Talented Court Reporters at CourtScribes

CourtScribes is proud to have a team of the most talented court reporters in the field. Our court reporters are in demand because they deliver unparalleled value in terms of speed, competency, accuracy, and professionalism.

Find talented court reporters at CourtScribes, call today and ask about availability!

What it’s Like to Be a Court Reporter

Posted on: May 2nd, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

Court reporters are in demand as the shortage continues to put a strain on legal professionals looking for reliable court reporting services. If you have ever wondered what it’s like to be a court reporter, you’ll want to check this out! Here’s what you should know about what being a court reporter is like.

Understanding What it’s Like to Be a Court Reporter

Being a court reporter takes a lot of work. It takes skill, dedication, and patience to be a good court reporter. Without these qualities, most people don’t last long in the court reporting industry. One of the biggest challenges of being a court reporter is the stress. Imagine the stress of having to type out what people are saying in court and on the stand.

Capturing everything they say word-for-word with total accuracy is incredibly challenging. It takes a certain kind of individual to have the professionalism, speed, and mental capacity to record everyone’s responses accurately in real-time.

A good court reporter has to have exceptional listening skills. They encounter a vast variety of different accents and dialects. Furthermore, they have to record the statements that are given as accurately as possible which can be difficult considering the many different ways that people talk. Some people speak quietly and are hard to hear, others talk very fast and are hard to keep up with. Court reporters encounter all kinds of people and they have to record them all to the best of their abilities.

Source Talented and Professional Court Reporters From CourtScribes

Now that you know more about what it’s like to be a court reporter, you probably have a new appreciation for the craft. CourtScribes maintains a team of professional court reporters that are at the top of their game. When you need court reporters that can produce timely and accurate transcripts for depositions and other court proceedings, you can count on CourtScribes to deliver.

Need court reporters you can trust? Call CourtScribes today!

Why You Should Stick with CourtScribes

Posted on: April 25th, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

As they say, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. When you find a reliable court reporting service that fulfills all of your needs at a reasonable price, why switch? Here’s why you should stick with CourtScribes after giving us a try.

Benefits of Working with the Same Court Reporting Service

One of the most compelling benefits of working with the same court reporting service is consistency. After working with a court reporting agency and having a good experience, it’s not worth taking a chance on another agency.

When you work with CourtScribes, you can depend on us for consistent quality, pricing, and dependability. On the other hand, if you try another court reporting agency just because they’re offering a promotion like a new customer discount, you could be very disappointed.

The ongoing court reporter shortage means that the new court reporters coming into the field will be highly inexperienced. While inexperienced, the demand for their services will also be high as a result of the shortage. While other legal professionals might be willing to take a chance on new and inexperienced court reporters, you would do well to stick with an established agency like CourtScribes.

We have a strong team of experienced court reporters who know what they’re doing. Our court reporters are masters of their craft which means you can depend on them to be accurate, on time, and remarkably efficient.

Make CourtScribes Your Number One Source for Quality Court Reporting

CourtScribes is the court reporting service people choose when they’re serious about the integrity of their court cases. You can’t win a court case without a reliable court reporter to provide timely and accurate transcripts and recordings of the depositions. At CourtScribes, we take accuracy and timeliness seriously.

Need court reporters that really know their stuff? Then you’ll want to get in touch with CourtScribes and ask about our availability ASAP!

Murder Case Delayed for Months Due to Missing Transcripts

Posted on: April 18th, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

One of the most valuable functions of any court reporter is to provide the court with accurate and timely records. When a court reporter records a deposition, that record, whether it’s in print or on video, plays an incredibly important role in any court case.

The murder case against Jarron Pridgeon was delayed after a court reporter failed to provide the court with transcripts. The resulting complications serve to illustrate what can happen when a court stenographer proves to be unreliable.

What Happened

Jarron Pridgeon was on trial for murdering five children and his brother when the case came to a screeching halt after court reporter, Mark Woods, failed to provide transcripts. The absence of the transcripts paralyzed the case and almost caused the victims to have to repeat their statements as the transcripts from the preliminary hearing were seemingly missing.

After failing to get a response from Mr. Woods, Muskogee County District Judge Timothy King issued a citation for contempt of court against Mr. Woods. Eventually, the court reporter’s daughter came forward with the transcripts and said that her father hadn’t been able to respond because he was in hospice care.

Upon receiving the transcripts, the citation for contempt of court was rescinded. Although the trial eventually went on, this incident serves to remind legal professionals of the dangers of working with an unreliable court reporter.

Why You Should Work with CourtScribes

Working with a sketchy or unreliable court stenographer isn’t worth the risk of potentially losing transcripts and derailing an entire case. When you work with a professional service like CourtScribes, you’ll never have to worry about missing transcripts.

When you work with a professional court reporting service like CourtScribes, you’ll have the confidence of knowing that your transcripts will always be available when you need them, call today!

Depositions and the Importance of Inflection

Posted on: April 11th, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

At the core of every court case, you will find a series of depositions. Many court cases are driven by the information revealed in depositions. Considering how much influence depositions can have on the outcome of a case, the responses that are given during a deposition should be recorded as accurately as possible.

When a court stenographer records a defendant’s responses during a deposition by typing them out, inflection is extremely difficult to represent in print. One way to avoid any confusion concerning inflection is to opt for a videography of the deposition instead.

Here’s what legal professionals should know about the importance of inflection and why it’s best to hire a videographer to record a deposition.

Why is Inflection so Important in a Court Case?

While every court case is different, one thing that remains the same is the fact that inflection plays a key role in shaping the opinions of jurors and judges alike. When you’re reading someone’s recorded responses in print, it’s difficult to tell when they’re being genuine or sarcastic.

Likewise, it is extraordinarily difficult for court stenographers to represent the inflection in someone’s tone of voice in a written transcript. For example, when a transcript says that a defendant said they were sorry for something, it’s virtually impossible to tell if the inflection in their voice had sounded genuine or not.

When a video of the deposition has been recorded, the inflection in the defendant’s voice can help jurors come to a decision by making it easier to determine how sincere a defendant is when answering questions.

Record Depositions Accurately and Efficiently at a Low Cost, with CourtScribes

To get the best in terms of accuracy, sound quality, and service, you’ll want to get in touch with the team at CourtScribes whenever you need to record a deposition. Our team has the knowledge, the equipment, and the experience you need.

Need professional videography services to record an upcoming deposition? Call CourtScribes today and ask about our videography services!

What it Takes to Be a Court Reporter

Posted on: April 4th, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

Virtually every single legal case is influenced by court reporters. More specifically, the outcome of nearly every legal case in recent history has been affected by the work of a court stenographer. Judges and attorneys alike depend on the accuracy of a court reporter’s work.

Court reporters are currently in demand, however, the sudden uptick in demand has come at a time when there’s a shortage of court stenographers. Here’s what you should know about what it takes to be a court reporter and what kind of training they go through to do their jobs.

The Process of Becoming a Court Reporter

Becoming a court reporter is a labor of love. If you don’t absolutely love the work, you’ll have a hard time meeting the requirements. The average court reporter is expected to be able to type 250 words per minute. As you can imagine, there aren’t many people that can type that fast.

Aspiring court reporters have to attain a certain level of education to qualify for a job in the field. Most court reporters have to study and complete classes at a community college or a technical school to qualify for a job.

Although certification is not typically listed as a requirement, some court reporters will go the extra mile by obtaining certification. Most court reporters hold either an associate degree or postsecondary certificate.

Certain states also have licensing requirements. The rigor of the training has exasperated the current court reporter shortage. Fortunately, CourtScribes has a full team of expertly trained court reporters ready to serve you.

Make CourtScribes Your Source for Experienced Court Reporters

All of the team members at CourtScribes have undergone exceptionally rigorous training. That training has made them some of the best court reporters in the field. We’re proud to provide our clients with the talent and expertise of such a remarkable team and look forward to serving you.

Need court reporting services you can depend on? Call CourtScribes!

Judge faces Legal Troubles Due to Inadequate Court Recordings

Posted on: March 28th, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

Every good court reporter takes their job very seriously. Why? It’s about more than getting a paycheck, it’s about the countless people that depend on court reporters for their accuracy and efficiency every single day. Here’s what happened when a Detroit judge decided to use inaccurate court recordings.

What Happened

An official complaint was filed against Judge Kahlilia Davis after it was found that she had been holding court proceedings without recording them properly. While some of the proceedings were recorded incorrectly, others were posted online.

Judge Kahlilia Davis held court proceedings without recording the hearings correctly, an act that represents a serious misuse of power. It also represents a brazen disregard for ethical conduct in the courtroom.

What Were the Consequences?

When a U.S. judge is implicated for deliberately interfering with the recording of court proceedings, there are consequences. In this case, a complaint against Judge Kahlilia Davis was filed by the Judicial Tenure Commission.

There have been calls for disciplinary action, however, whether any disciplinary action will be taken or not depends on an upcoming decision from the Michigan Supreme Court.

While there may be consequences for Judge Kahlilia Davis, others have already felt the sting from the consequences of her actions. Numerous rulings were made without properly recorded hearings. This story serves as a reminder of the importance of pure and accurate court reporting. The fates of countless individuals depend on accurate court reporting.

Hire Court Reporters That Deliver 100% Accuracy Every Time

Every case should be properly documented and recorded. The best way to ensure that everything is properly recorded is to partner with a professional team of court reporters. CourtScribes is trusted by countless judges, attorneys, legal professionals, and everyday people. We deliver incredible accuracy at an incredibly low cost.

Need professional court reporters? Then you need CourtScribes, call today!

Curious Facts About Court Reporters

Posted on: March 21st, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

Many people don’t really think about what it takes to be a court reporter until they either go into the industry themselves or need to rely on one during a deposition. Court reporters might work in the background, but the work they do helps legal professionals who are at the forefront of virtually every court case. Here are some curious facts about court reporters.

They Have Specialized Equipment

One of the first things you should know about court reporters is how fast they can type. Most professional court reporters are expected to type at speeds of 180-220 words per minute. Now that’s fast!

You should also know that court reporters don’t type on traditional QWERTY keyboards. Instead, they use a specialized keyboard with 22 keys. The keyboard is divided into two halves, one for fingers on the right and one for the fingers on the left. This design helps court reporters type faster and more comfortably.

They Save People the Trouble of Generating Settled Statements

Without a court reporter to record everything that has been said throughout a trial or deposition, legal teams would have to resort to generating settled statements. A settled statement is a term for a document representing oral court proceedings.

While it’s ultimately approved by a trial court judge, both parties can contest the document multiple times which can cause court cases to drag on unnecessarily. This is one of many reasons why it’s so important to have a court reporter on hand.

Want Records You Can Count On? Call CourtScribes

If you’re looking for a service that can produce perfect records that you can count on in court. Our team is expertly trained, friendly, and willing to help. When you work with us, you will have the confidence of knowing that the records you’re working with are accurate and precise.

Looking for a dependable court reporter service? Get in touch with CourtSrcibes today!

What Happens When a Court Reporter Makes a Mistake

Posted on: March 14th, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

A good court reporter prides themself on their accuracy and eye for detail. Everyone makes mistakes, but in the court reporting industry, there simply isn’t any room for error. One simple mistake can throw an entire court case off course. Here’s what can happen when a court reporter makes a mistake and why you should partner with CourtScribes.

How Bad Can it Be?

If you’re wondering how bad it can be when a court reporter makes a simple mistake, the answer is, pretty bad. One incident involving a court reporter who lost the record of the entire case due to a computer virus threw a murder trial completely off course. As a result, they had to hold a new trial because the court reporter had lost their records from the original trial.

One court reporter compromised at least 30 cases after misrepresenting things that had been said throughout the trial as pure gibberish. The court reporter continuously typed gibberish in favor of the actual dialogue. Although they were subsequently fired, the damage they caused to each individual case was monumental.

Accuracy is one of the things that people depend on court reporters for in the first place. One of the most important responsibilities of any court reporter is to ensure an accurate record of everything that has been said throughout the duration of the case.

Want 100% Accuracy? Give CourtScribes a Call!

Now that you know how bad it can be when a court reporter makes a mistake, you know the importance of working with a court reporter who can ensure accuracy to the point of perfection. CourtScribes features an expertly trained team of world-class professionals who understand the importance of total accuracy.

Need a court reporter for an upcoming case? Call CourtScribes today and put the best to the test!

What the Court Stenographer Shortage Means for You

Posted on: March 7th, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

There has been a serious court reporter shortage since the early months of the pandemic of COVID-19. That shortage has yet to be corrected as many litigators are still struggling to find qualified court reporters, stenographers, and videographers to fill the demand. Here’s what the ongoing court reporter shortage means for you.

What the Court Reporter Shortage Means for Litigators

One of the most tangible effects of the current shortage of court reporters that litigators have noticed is how much longer it takes to arrange a deposition. In the past, you could get a hold of a court reporter the day before a deposition, but it’s not that easy these days.

At this point, most litigators have started issuing requests to court reporters in advance which means depositions need to be scheduled much earlier. Another problem is the fact that it’s becoming increasingly difficult for litigators to find court reporters that are reliable. With many of the best people in the profession already booked solid and fewer people coming out of stenography schools successfully, litigators are feeling the strain.

What’s Causing the Shortage?

Several things are causing the shortage of court reporters that litigators are currently experiencing. For one thing, there simply aren’t enough of them, and to make matters worse, it takes four years of education to become a court reporter.

Worse yet, the success rate for people going into stenography school is extremely low which slows down the trickle of new court reporters entering the workforce

Team Up with CourtScribes Before the Shortage Gets Any Worse

Today, litigators across the nation are feeling a sense of urgency as they scramble to find dependable court reporters. Fortunately, CourtScribes has an entire team of highly experienced court reporters at the ready. We can provide stenography and videography services at an affordable price while ensuring exceptional accuracy.

Need court reporters that you can depend on? Get in touch with CourtScribes today!

Why CourtScribes Is the Ultimate Court Reporting Solution for Judges

Posted on: February 28th, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

As a Judge, you have probably worked with plenty of different court reporters before. CourtScribes has established itself as one of the most professional court reporting solutions for Judges and attorneys alike. Here’s an overview of some of the many benefits you’ll get from working with us as a Judge.

The Practical Advantages of Working with Us

When attending a conference call, you can just dial in and we’ll take care of the rest. Once you’re on the call we will manage all of the participants to facilitate seamless transitions throughout the call.

You don’t have to be particularly tech-savvy to attend a conference call with our system. We will keep a perfectly accurate record of everything that transpires during the call for the convenience of the Court.

By choosing CourtScribes, you’ll have the kind of peace of mind that comes from knowing that everything is recorded both accurately and professionally. Clerks and judicial assistants will enjoy lighter workloads, leaving them free to invest their energies into the completion of more important tasks as they will have fewer call management responsibilities.

We Can Help You Slow the Spread of COVID While Preserving the Environment

The pandemic has started to wind down, but it’s far from over. Judges that are concerned about spreading COVID through large physical gatherings inside the courthouse can count on CourtScribes as a virtual alternative.

Virtual meetings and conference calls are also good for the environment as fewer people will have to drive to the courthouse for each and every meeting.

Reduce Litigation Costs and Maximize Productivity With CourtScribes!

Finally, you should also know that we offer revenue-sharing options for the Courts we work with. If you want exceptional service, accuracy, and efficiency while driving litigation costs down, you’ll want to give the team at CourtScribes a call and see what we can do for you.

It’s time to experience the benefits of working with CourtScribes for yourself, call today!

Freelance Court Reporters Vs. Professional Services

Posted on: February 21st, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

As an attorney, you might be tempted to save a few bucks by opting to hire a freelance court reporter instead of going with a more established, professional stenography service. While taking on a freelance court reporter might sound like a good idea on the surface, you will find that most freelancers are no match for professional stenography services like CourtScribes, here’s why.

The Disadvantages of Working with a Freelance Court Reporter

One of the most common disadvantages associated with freelance court reporters is the fact that they tend to lose a lot of transcripts. Lost transcripts can send an attorney over the edge as the case they’re working on descends into turmoil and chaos without the transcripts.

Freelance court reporters are also known for failing to produce important transcripts on time. This happens quite frequently simply because of the nature of freelancing in general. While a professional court reporting service has a brand name to uphold, freelancers might be working on a transcript for a deposition one day and working on building a music career, the next.

The Advantages of Working with a Professional Court Reporting Service

Now that you know about some of the most serious disadvantages of working with a freelance court reporter, it’s time to talk about the advantages of going through a professional service.

Professional court reporting services like CourtScribes can deliver exceptional stenography and videography services without fail. Compared to most freelancers, professional court reporting services are more dependable and cost-effective.

Want it Done Right? Call CourtScribes!

Don’t settle for lost transcripts and crazy high freelancer prices. As an attorney at law, you’re a professional which means your court reporting team should be too. Here at CourtScribes, we offer unbeatable professionalism and dependability.

When you need court reporting services that you can rely on, you need to get in touch with us. Call today and see why so many attorneys and legal professionals choose CourtScribes!

What Attorneys Should Know About Videography Services

Posted on: February 14th, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

Videography is becoming a much more common practice in the courtroom today. As an attorney, it’s important to familiarize yourself with videography services so you know what to expect and how you can benefit from them.

The Role of a Videography in a Court Case

While court systems have traditionally relied upon stenographers for many years, many attorneys have been requesting videographies for depositions. Videography gives attorneys an accurate, convenient, and complete visual and textual record of events during a deposition.

Well-documented videography can give you an accurate, valuable, and actionable account of exactly what was said during the deposition. Better yet, you can have a greater impact on the jury by showing them visual recordings.

Videography helps put faces to the names behind the statements that the jurors review which can make your argument much more impactful. Jurors listen to tons of audio recordings, providing them with a video takes it to a whole new level.

Why Videography Is Also Useful to Attorneys in Estate Planning

Although videography is essential in the courtroom, it can also be useful to attorneys in estate planning. With videography, you can record the act of signing legal documents such as a will or a transfer of ownership.

When it comes to signing legal documents, it’s important to have an accurate and indisputable visual recording of the event. By keeping a video that shows papers being signed, no one can dispute the fact that the documents were willingly signed by the right person.

Schedule Your Videography with CourtScribes Today!

Here at CourtScribes, we’re known for our attention to detail and dedication to accuracy. CourtScribes is prized by courts and attorneys alike for our dependability. We believe that each and every case is important which is why we strive to provide seamless and convenient videography services in addition to traditional stenography work.

Master the courtroom and win cases with 24/7 access to transcripts, exhibits, and videos. Get in touch with CourtScribes today and see what we can do for you!

Court Scribes Explains What Those Court Reporters Are Typing On

Posted on: January 3rd, 2022 by Sfl Media No Comments

What’s that thing court reporters are always typing on? This is a question that CourtScribes gets asked all the time.

Well, that thing is called a stenotype machine. It’s also used for captioning television broadcasts as well. The stenotype works a bit like a portable word processor. It has a 22-button keyboard in place of the standard “qwerty” setup. The way modern stenotypes are set up, they have two rows of consonants across the middle, underneath a long “number bar.” Set in front are four vowel keys: “A,” “O,” “E,” and “U.”

How Does a Stenotype Work?

Court stenographers can type entire words all at once by striking multiple keys at the same time. This is a special skill that they have acquired. The left hand spells out the beginning of a syllable, while the right hand spells out the end. All keys are pressed at the same time, and the machine produces a word jumble that’s incomprehensible to anyone who’s not trained in (stenotype) machine shorthand.

Stenographers spell out syllables phonetically. But there aren’t enough keys on each side of the keyboard to cover every sound. Certain combinations of adjacent keys correspond to the missing consonants.

At court-reporting school, you learn one of at least half a dozen machine shorthand “theories,” which teach different approaches and general rules. Any experienced stenographer will work out his or her own abbreviations, especially for words and phrases particular to a given job.

In the old days, everything a stenographer typed would print to a roll of narrow paper tape. Later on, the stenographer would translate the notes back to English, and sometimes another stenographer would check the translation. Now the translation is done by computer. Fancier stenotype machines translate as they go. The paper tape still records the original notes, but an LCD display on the machine itself shows the words in regular English.

Almost all stenographers have their own customized machines. A brand-new, top-of-the-line stenotype costs up to about $4,500. Cheaper training models are a bit over $1,000.

In the last few years, more court reporters have begun to use less expensive technologies. A “verbatim” reporter holds a tiny microphone up close to his mouth and repeats everything he hears behind a mask and device that silences the sound of his voice. Voice-recognition software can translate the recording into printed text either after the fact or as the recording is made.

If you need court reporting services that handle digital recording then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

Although the majority of cities that offer CourtScribes’ services are in Florida, the company home base, other cities all across these United States that CourtScribes offers services in, are the following: Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Port St. Lucie, Fort Lauderdale, Cape Coral, Coral Springs, Clearwater, Palm Bay, Fort Myers, Weston, Sarasota, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Hialeah, Stuart, Hollywood, Naples, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Jupiter, Key West, Coral Gables, Maryland, Manhattan, Buffalo, Washington DC, Baltimore, Bowie, Virginia, Frederick, Albany, New York, Brooklyn, Westchester, Gaithersburg, and Rockville.

Court Scribes Asks: Do You Need to Hire a Digital Court Reporter?

Posted on: December 27th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

As CourtScribes has noted there is a continued growing shortage of stenographers. This reality combined with the fact that the average age of a court reporter is 53 years old, leaves cause for concern about the profession’s future. Additional contributing factors to the shortage include a significant decrease in graduates from professional stenographic training and the closure of many training schools.

To overcome these hurdles, the court reporting industry has been tapping into digital court recording systems, such as audio and video recordings of proceedings and advanced transcription technologies, which provide accurate court reporting.

What is a Digital Court Reporter?

Like a stenographer, a digital court reporter is a notary. Their responsibilities include swearing in witnesses and marking exhibits.

Instead of the traditional stenography machine, these professionals record the proceedings using digital technology. This usually means audio, but also includes video. Professionals take notes during the recordings either manually or by annotating in a software platform, and then submit these for transcription into a cohesive document afterward.

How Does Digital Court Reporting Future-Proof Your Business?

The biggest difference between digital and standard stenographic court reporting is that digital court recording systems allow businesses to grow and future-proof their operations.

Both clients and the legal system as a whole are transitioning into digital. There’s little dispute that digital court reporting is more efficient. Companies can get faster transcripts at better prices and avoid unwanted delays due to the stenographer shortage.

Cost savings is also a significant factor. Based on data from the AAERT, court reporting companies that transition into digital are expected to save nearly $250K USD over the next decade simply by transitioning from stenography to digital court reporting systems. Advanced technologies, therefore, provide the opportunity to lower costs, while also serving more clients faster.

How Digital Court Reporting Improves Turnaround and Quality

It has been learned that legal clients prefer to work with digital court reporters due to the faster turnaround that advanced transcription software provides. Due to artificial intelligence, instantaneous transcription also continues to be more accurate, as the software learns from its mistakes. Even if the transcription provider offers additional review by humans, the process is faster.

A top concern and also deciding factor is the quality and accuracy of court reports. Since the software is trained to understand both legal terms and a client’s own specific situation, the most advanced products provide 99% accuracy. Similarly, if selected software features an automatic sound recognition (ASR) engine, it can distinguish between different speakers to avoid confusion.

CourtScribes Shows the Importance of a Court Reporter

Posted on: December 20th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Technology has seen an increase in jobs being taken over by their mechanical counterparts. This is just a sign of technological times. Some people believe that the court reporter may soon be one of the jobs that loses its value when this much technology is available. However, certain jobs, such as this one, requires a human quality to properly function.

The court reporter is the person in charge of making a verbatim legal record using a stenograph. Using this stenograph, they transcribe the court proceedings in shorthand. Instead of being replaced, the addition of audio technology allows a court reporter to now complete their job with even greater efficiency. So maybe the two can co-exist together.

Efficiency and Reliability

When you’re looking at the reason for transferring to technology it usually comes down to whichever option is more efficient and reliable. So, we’ll have to go into a little detail about the necessity of the court reporter.

Audio technology has given people a way to record conversations in detailed manners. However, some things are unable to be recorded if there is a crossover in a speech by multiple people. This means that there needs to be a human also recording everything being said in order to capture the full truth. Yes, technology has now given people a way to record, but this should mean that the occupation is now enhanced and requires training with audio recording technology on the side. This would be the most efficient and reliable way.

Can’t Take that Chance

Court reporters’ main focus is to record every single word that is uttered within the courtroom. All while differentiating between those who are speaking, and ignoring the background noises. One of the hardest situations is when two attorneys or legal participants speaking over each other. Audio technology has advanced to a much higher stage than its tape recorder predecessors. However, if there is any chance that this device may lose speech during a situation where two people are speaking over each other, then that entire passage of speech has been lost to the case. This especially matters if there is an appeal to the case. In other words, until it is perfect, we can’t take that chance.

If you need court reporting services (with a little more experience than Lumsden) that handle digital recoding then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

The Art of Stenography

Posted on: December 13th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

The CourtScribes company are masters in stenography? The “art” of stenography is about recording what is being said as quickly and as accurately as possible.

Stenography is mostly used in a courtroom or legal setting, ensuring that everything is being transcribed for the record. This is important because important decisions are being made on what is said during trials, depositions, and arbitrations.

“Steno” uses a complicated machine (a stenotype) to record all this information, and people who are specially trained to use these machines are called stenographers.

But keep in mind that stenographers are not just restricted to the inside of a courtroom. Stenography is also used for live captioning you see on TV. Like the type, you’ll find on the 6 o’clock news or press conferences.

It’s also used for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in places of learning to help follow what’s being said in a lecture, classroom, or video conference.

Why Would I Need a Stenographer

Many companies are now looking to stenographers (like those at CourtScribes) for live captioning services.

Live captioning is a way to level the playing field for everyone, while at the same time ensure your company is meeting its obligation when it comes to the law.

Why are Court Reporters Important to CourtScribes

Posted on: December 6th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

As time has gone forward, technology jobs increase as more mechanical-type jobs go by the wayside. In court reporting circles, that you have read about here at CourtScribes, many believe that this too will happen to the profession. As a matter of fact, it is happening right now as we speak. As the technology expands in the field, fewer and fewer actual court reporters are needed.

However, certain jobs require a human quality to properly function. Court reporting is definitely one of those jobs.

Who or what is a court reporter?

Well, the court reporter is the person in charge of transcribing a verbatim legal record using a typing tool called a stenograph. Using the stenograph, the reporter transcribes the court proceedings in a sort of shorthand. But, instead of being replaced, the technological addition of audio tech allows the court reporter to complete the job with even greater efficiency.

Reliability is Key

If one is trying to understand why technology is taking over this industry, it basically comes down to the option that is more efficient and more reliable. While the ability for a human being (court reporter) to take in proper notes and hear all that is going on crystal clear, many times that is just not the case.

Due to the simple advancement of tech, we can now record conversations and have audio renditions. However, some things are unable to be recorded if there is a crossover in speech by multiple people. This means that there needs to be a human also recording everything being said in order to capture the full truth.

So that while technology has now given people a way to record, this should mean that court reporting is now enhanced and requires training with audio recording technology on the side. This would actually be the most efficient and reliable way to conduct transcribing.

Don’t Leave it to Chance

A court reporter’s main focus should be to record every single word that is spoken in the courtroom. They must do this, all while differentiating between those who are speaking, and ignoring the background noises. This is tough because one of the hardest situations to deal with is when two attorneys or legal participants speaking over each other.

The audio technology at CourtScribes has advanced to a much higher stage than its tape recorder predecessors. But if there is any chance that the device may lose speech during a situation where two people are speaking over each other, then that entire passage of speech has been lost. This especially matters if there is an appeal to the case. Imagine that someone has grounds all because the words were not properly transcribed?

If you need court reporting services like those described in this blog, then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

What Will CourtScribes Do For You?

Posted on: November 29th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

CourtScribes is a team of highly professional court reporters based out of South Florida but has offices all over the country. CourtScribes is the leader of the industry using top-of-the-line technology for a fraction of the price. Having an experienced court reporter is essential to every case. This includes cases in federal, state, and local jurisdictions.

Did you know that digital recording is now the exclusive method used for the record for all Supreme Court cases? Well, CourtScribes has this covered as well with professional legal videography, ease of access databases, and transcripts that are made with effective and precise support services.

CourtScribes provides a service that paralegals and attorneys alike all rely on. Whether it’s a trial, deposition, arbitration, mediation, or a hearing, visit CourtScribes.com or call 1-833-SCRIBES today to inquire about services.

Our Top-of-the-Line Services Include:

Audio Recording

CourtScribes audio recording equipment is designed to record every voice clearly and precisely. Each sound channel is dedicated to another person. Without having interfering channels, each voice will be captured in its own time allowing for playback at any time. Regardless of outside noise, accents or low speaking voices, there should be zero issues with our court reporters’ abilities to capture every moment.

Audio Transcripts

Each sample of audio will be replayed, documented and time-stamped for future review if needed. There won’t be any issues if a previous statement needs to be retraced or disputed. These transcripts are available through our 24/7 online database.

If you need court reporting services that handle digital recoding then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

Videography

CourtScribes provides live and on-demand video streaming for your proceedings. These videos are also kept in our database for needed use. We use video-to-text synchronization for easy research into a past video. Using our time-recorded transcripts, you’ll be able to lookup statements from a perfect text record that matches up with both video and audio in perfection. Our top of the line technology will ensure that your case will be recorded with precision and accuracy.

The Five Reasons Why You Must Seriously Consider Court Reporting

Posted on: November 22nd, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Court reporting is a tough job. Court reporting may not be for everyone. You will have to go to a school and acquire a whole new skill set. That being said, here are five reasons why one should consider a career in court reporting.

1 – It is a High-Demand & Recession-Proof Career
From the moment you graduate from court reporting school and get licensed as a certified shorthand reporter, you will never experience a day without working that you didn’t want to work. A recession-proof job is one that remains in high demand even through bad economic times. Though no career is entirely recession-proof, court reporting is more constant than most others when times are hard.

Several elements create a high demand for court reporters. The first is that there is an increased demand in the legal field. Crime tends to rise dramatically when people feel desperate and experience serious financial problems, so the number of court cases increases. Civil disputes also reach a boiling point, resulting in more civil litigation when times are tough.

Secondly, there is an increase in demand in other industries that require real-time court reporters to provide transcriptions or captioning of conferences, seminars, video, and television. The growing number of fields that require stenographers includes television, sports, politics, business, medicine, and many more.

2 – The Potential for Higher Income

A court reporter’s salary depends on their location. The income is also affected by certifications and services provided. A reporter who provides real-time translation services usually makes more than one who doesn’t. The national average is around $46,000 a year. But keep in mind that many reporters work part-time, so it drives down the national average. The sky is the limit if you’re willing to work hard and be a top-notch reporter. Some reporters make $225k to $300k per year consistently.

3 – Flexibility in Working Hours
If you are looking for a flexible job, court reporting may be the field for you. Some court reporters work just two or three days a week. Working part-time as a court reporter is common and easily attainable if you are looking for a nice balance between your professional and personal life. Freelance reporters are able to schedule a short one-hour depo or an all-day video deposition if necessary. If you need to take the day off, then you can simply tell the agency you’re not available for work that day.

4 – Residual Income Opportunities
One of the main reasons some choose the court reporting profession is for the residual income opportunity. Once we report a matter, we can continue to get paid for the work for months and years after it’s done. It’s common to earning royalties from intellectual property like books and patents. The record court reporters make is considered a “work product”. If anyone wants a copy of it, money can be earned again and again.

Official court reporters earn a salary plus transcript income. Some freelance reporters will earn a per diem for the time that they are at a location or just to show up. After an original transcript is produced court reporters can earn money for the transcript again at the time of appeal, which happens in the years following the matter reported.

5 – Longevity of Career
Stenography stems from man’s desire and necessity to preserve happenings of yesterday and today for the future. Stenography is one of the oldest professions and will be around well into the future. Even with technological advancements, it will always need a human touch. Technology has come a long way in the last 20 years, but it still has a long way to go before it will be a threat to the profession of court reporting. The experimentation with replacing human court reporters with audio recording has failed time and again. It’s similar to replacing all language interpreters with translation software.

Court reporters are tasked with the protection of the record. Court reporters use extremely sophisticated technology to create a record using machine shorthand, and it is a process that takes an average of three years to master.

Stenography is a career that offers longevity. Many court reporters have enjoyed several decades-long careers in the profession and plan to work well into their retirement age. Longevity in court reporting is possible because of the variety of jobs.

A few of the things a human court reporter can do that digital recording can’t are: capture testimony at 99 percent or greater accuracy, handle multiple speakers at the same time, identify speakers, understand different accents and dialects, create an immediate draft transcript, create a same-day or next-day final transcript, mark exhibits, swear witnesses, and stop a proceeding for clarification due to an accent or soft-spoken witness, or ask for a repeat because a door slammed or other noise cut out the speaker.

Even if voice recognition technology evolves to a level of near perfection, it can still never replace the human court reporter because it lacks the ability to control and protect the record and do the human aspects of the job.

These five reasons outlined here by CourtScribes, show how court reporting is a great career choice. It is a decision you have to make, but if you think that these five reasons make sense and it is of any interest to you, then this is a career choice you would have to consider. It is not only rewarding financially, but it is rewarding because you are an intricate cog in the machine of the courts and justice.

Sonja L. Reeves Receives Prestigious NCRA Award

Posted on: November 15th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

CourtScribes likes to spread the love. So we are happy to announce that The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), which is the country’s leading organization representing stenographic court reporters and captioners, has announced that Sonja L. Reeves has earned the nationally recognized Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR) certification.

This is the highest credential available to stenographic court reporters handed out. Reporters with this credential are recognized as highly experienced and seasoned members of the profession’s elite. NCRA currently has about 350 members who hold this highly prestigious certification.

Reeves is a federal official court reporter for the U. S. District Court in the District of Alaska. She is also a member of NCRA and has worked as a court reporter for 32 years. She also holds the professional certifications of Registered Professional Reporter (RPR), Registered Merit Reporter (RMR), and Certified Realtime Reporter, (CRR).

To be recognized as an RDR, candidates must hold the RMR certification and have five current and continuous years of membership in the NCRA, as well as pass a written knowledge test that focuses on the areas of technology, reporting practices and professional practices.

If you need court reporting services like Sonja provides, then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

CourtScribes is Changing the Court Reporting Industry

Posted on: November 8th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

CourtScribes court reporting agency is changing the court reporting industry by using Internet age technology to create the official record of court proceedings, using remote transcriptionists and charging attorneys up to 50% less than what they now pay. And as argued below as a disruptive technology, it will not only improve the quality of services but also ultimately extend and even democratize the use of services that are today often restricted only to high profile or high dollar value cases. The attorneys not only benefit from a less expensive transcript but the video and/or audio recording provides them with a more accurate and verifiable record.

CourtScribes may provide a live feed to attorneys in the office, allowing the office team to monitor the proceedings and more effectively assist the attorneys in the courtroom. All of this is a benefit to the attorneys as well as the clients that the attorneys represent. This simplification is key to getting accurate results and thus a more successful trial situation for everyone involved.

Automatic Speech Recognition Engine is On the Way

Posted on: November 1st, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Stenograph, LLC, which is a leader in legal transcription technology, announced that a project called Phoenix, an Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) engine, which is designed specifically for the court reporting and the legal transcription industry which will increase the productivity and profitability of reporters, court reporting agencies, as well as transcription service providers.

Stenograph’s decades of knowledge of legal terminology, formatting, and editing to provide a solution that is purpose-built for the legal industry is a big reason why industry insiders feel like Phoenix can be a “game-changer”.

Stenograph has always led the court reporting and legal transcription industry in innovation to serve the purpose of justice globally. From the first shorthand machine to the first paperless writer, from audio backup to cloud backup. Stenograph has always striven to provide technology that is geared towards enhancing the productivity and profitability for all stakeholders of the court reporting ecosystem.

The Phoenix ASR engine will be incorporated into solutions that will support steno, voice, and digital methods. This is a step towards bridging the increasingly widening gap between supply and demand for quality legal transcripts by improving efficiencies up to 50%. In addition, Stenograph will also provide integrated white label solutions to service providers to incorporate Phoenix into transcription platforms for increasing productivity and profitability of such providers.

Stenogrpahy & Stenographers Matter

Posted on: October 25th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Stenography is one of the most identifiable methods of recording the spoken word. Stenographers have been a familiar sight in courtrooms for the better part of the past centuries. Stenography, in short, is the act of recording spoken words through shorthand using a stenotype machine.

Shorthand as a whole is not a new concept. Shorthand systems may rely on symbols, which represent specific sounds, concepts, or letters. Or it may rely on letters that have specific meanings.

The ultimate goal of stenography is to record the spoken word verbatim. Stenography allows court reporters, like those at CourtScribes, to record proceedings much quicker than they would be able to do using a standard keyboard. And, although handwritten stenography has been used for centuries, the use of a stenotype machine allows a court reporter to record information in a less laborious and more accurate manner.

Although today’s court reporters may use a variety of advanced technologies to record written proceedings, stenography still remains the most widely used form, both in and out of the courtroom.

Why Stenography is Necessary in Law

Posted on: October 18th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

You probably already are well familiar from this site that court stenographers are people trained to type and write in shorthand, which allows them to write as fast as people can speak. It is believed that 180 Words Per Minute is the ‘speed of speech’. Stenographers document and record everything that takes place in the courtroom. This makes them an integral part of court hearings across the world. In this article, we are going to break down what stenography is, and explain why it is important in law.

What Does Stenography Mean?

The word ‘stenography’ comes from the Greek word ‘steno’ which means narrow and ‘graphy’ which means writing. ‘Narrow writing’ therefore, is the writing system of shorthand. Stenographer simply means shorthand writer. Modern-day stenographers use machines called stenotypes, which allow them to type, in some cases, faster than 300 WPM, which is just about double the ‘speed of speech’.

Stenography is a specialist career, still vital to the legal industry despite the massive changes and advancements made in technology. Attempts to phase out stenography have failed in many places around the world, which we will explain, so continue to read more here about it. But first, here is a brief history of stenography, some basic facts you should know about.

The Importance of Stenographers

It is a requirement in many places for courts to have written transcripts. This alone makes stenography something that is still needed. Court reporters sit in on courtrooms and transcribe as the case is heard. Many now use a technology called ‘steno masks’ which are microphones plugged into their computers that run voice-recognition software. The stenographer then, in real-time, cleans up the machine’s mistakes and errors; the perfect fusion of technology and stenography.

While technology is an incredibly important part of all of our lives, it cannot be entirely trusted just yet. Machines are not infallible and make mistakes. A stenographer must supervise and verify what these ‘steno masks’ record. Court reporters are now also tasked with writing down the defendant’s gestures and expressions, as well as their reactions to things. This is something that no machine can do (at the moment).

Do You Need to Hire a Digital Court Reporter

Posted on: October 11th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

What is a Digital Court Reporter?

Like a stenographer, a digital court reporter is a notary. Their responsibilities include swearing in witnesses and marking exhibits.

How Does Digital Court Reporting Future-Proof Your Business?

The biggest difference between digital and standard stenographic court reporting is that digital court recording systems allow businesses to grow and future-proof their operations.

How Digital Court Reporting Improves Turnaround and Quality

CourtScribes Explains What a Stenographer Is and Does

Posted on: October 4th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

CourtScribes is the number one company in America when you are looking for a stenographer. A stenographer is one who is trained to type or write in shorthand methods, enabling them to write as quickly as people speak.

Stenographers create long-lasting documentation of everything from court cases to medical conversations. This is useful in many legal settings. The skill is also used for live closed captioning on television or captioning for hard-of-hearing audiences at events.

What Does Stenographer Mean?

The word “stenography” comes from the Greek “steno” meaning narrow and “graphy” meaning writing. So stenography equals “narrow writing”.

Modern-day stenographers use shorthand typing machines called stenotypes. These machines allow stenographers to type at rates exceeding 300 words per minute. An average talking speed is about 150 words per minute. This incredible rate of writing lets a high-quality stenographer keep up with complex conversations, even when multiple people may be speaking in a court or event setting.

How Does Stenography Work?

Today’s stenographers use stenotype machines that enable shorthand writing. These stenotype machines work by typing in syllables rather than letters. By pressing three keys at once (called a “chord”), they can make the syllable “cal”, then “en” and “dar”. In the time it takes us to type three individual letters, a stenographer can type an entire word on their stenotype.

Because of this condensed form of typing, a stenotype keyboard has only 22 keys. This is opposed to normal computer keyboards, which have between 70 and 105 keys. The stenotype can be so condensed because of the chord system — by combining keys you have hundreds of combinations to make different syllables quickly.

What are the Differences Between Stenographers and a Court Reporters?

Let us first note that all court reporters are stenographers, but not all stenographers are court reporters.

Stenographers can offer services as medical transcriptionists, real-time TV captioners, as well as in numerous accessibility fields (think transcribing voice calls for deaf users). These stenographer services are widely varied in difficulty and importance of accuracy.

Court reporters are specialized, highly trained stenographers. Their extra training and certifications make the documents they create admissible as evidence in court.

It is crucial that a court reporter be completely accurate in their shorthand typing, so no important words or phrases are missed that could make or break an attorney’s case. Additionally, court reporters must learn an entire set of legal vocabulary and processes that they will use in the courtroom, all while navigating the stenotype machine that has been compared to using an instrument and a foreign language at the same time.

Stenographer vs Digital Court Reporting

In today’s digital age, it is easy to think that stenography should already be replaced by digital recording and AI transcription of recorded words. Eventually, this will probably be the case.

A more viable replacement for stenographers that is already being used in some courtrooms is digital court reporting. Rather than paying a highly trained stenographer to work a complex stenotype machine, courtroom proceedings are simply recorded as digital audio, then after the proceeding, a less trained typist transcribes the record at a slower pace.

The problem that many digital court reported records run into is the inaudible moments. Often a microphone will sizzle or a witness moves away from the microphone, resulting in difficult-to-hear and impossible-to-transcribe moments on the record. In high-stakes criminal justice, this can have a massive impact. A live stenographer has better hearing and can ask for a statement to be repeated if they miss a few words.

While digital options are certainly going to eat into the job market for stenographers (market sources anticipate the number of jobs to slow), there is still an anticipated shortage. The average age of stenographers is well into their fifties, and in the next ten years, the retirement wave is expected to create a shortage of stenographers. This makes stenography a very viable career even as the industry becomes increasingly digital.

Why Court Reporting Can Be Such a Rewarding Career

Posted on: September 27th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Are you considering court reporting as a career? Did you know there are several perks to becoming a court reporter, making it a profession worth pursuing? If you are interested in becoming a court reporter, there are several rewards that you can look forward to. Let CourtScribes show you how.

Court Reporting is Interesting

As a court reporter, there’s never a dull day in your profession. This type of profession exposes you to a wide range of subject matter. You’ll be working and learning a lot at the same time.

You also get to work in various locations and courtrooms. Interesting experiences even include coming into a courtroom with celebrities. While listening to depositions and courtroom litigations, you get to listen to people from various professions themselves. Some are even highly educated and much respected in their fields as they stand as witnesses or parties in a case.

A court reporter with decades of experience under their belt will likely tell you how they still take home something new every day. The amount of information they get to listen to and learn from daily is vast. You can look forward to the same if you decide to pursue court reporting, too.

Court Reporting Has Earning Potential

The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that a court reporter’s average annual salary in 2019 was $60k+. The bureau also saw 9% growth for the profession faster than all occupations from 2019 to 2029.

A court reporter’s salary depends on their location, services offered, and the certifications they have obtained. A court reporter who offers real-time translation services typically earns more than one who does not. Many court reporters prefer to work part-time or freelance. However, others chose to work even harder and earn more than $200,000 per year.

In Conclusion

Is being a court reporter rewarding? Yes, it is. Court reporters have skills that are valued worldwide, especially in the legal world. You also get benefits in terms of income, longevity, reduced burnout rate, flexibility, a sense of purpose, and pride in mastery. There are indeed many rewards to being a court reporter.

Ge to Know CourtScribes and What They Do

Posted on: September 20th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

If you want to get to know CourtScribes and what exactly it is that they do, you are in the right place. CourtScribes is a team of professional court reporters that lead the industry in top-of-the-line court reporting technology. And all for a fraction of the price. Also provided is an experienced court reporter, which is essential to every case. This includes federal, state, and local jurisdictions.

Now, digital recording is the exclusive method for all Supreme Court cases. With professional legal videography, ease of access databases, and transcripts that are made with effective and precise support services, CourtScribes provides a service that paralegals and attorneys alike rely on. Whether it’s a trial, deposition, arbitration, mediation, or a hearing, visit CourtScribes.com or call 1-833-SCRIBES today to inquire about their services.

Top of the Line Services Offered

Videography

Audio Recording

CourtScribes audio recording equipment is designed to record every voice clearly and precisely. Each sound channel is dedicated to another person. Without having interfering channels, each voice will be captured in its own time allowing for playback at any time. Regardless of outside noise, accents or low speaking voices, there should be zero issues with our court reporters’ abilities to capture every moment.

Audio Transcripts

County in Indiana Makes Sure That Court Reporter’s Pay is Raised

Posted on: September 13th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

We at CourtScribes always think that positive news regarding court reporters is always a good thing. With that, Lawrence County, Indiana judges asked that all their court reporters be placed on the same pay schedule during the most recent county council meeting

“All of the judges have agreed this is acceptable practice in dealing with helping to increase pay for their court reporters,” said Lawrence County President Scott Smith.

Lawrence County Superior Court I Judge John Plummer III’s budget was similar to his budget over the last three years with the only key difference of making a request for all court reporters to receive a six percent salary increase.

Judge Plummer III works with one less court reporter than the courts do, which is a savings of approximately $45,000 to the county. The average court reporter’s salary ranged from $35,000 – $43,000 in 2021, the proposed salary increase would lift the average salary between the amounts of $36,000 -$44,000.

There are several qualifications and requirements that are labor-intensive to find applicants who meet the expectations, training, and follow Indiana State law in performing the duties required. A court reporter types a real-time transcription of everything that happens in a court of law. When there are appeals of a criminal case a court reporter must be able to provide a transcript of the proceedings which takes a lot of time.

Why Stenographers at CourtScribes Are Important

Posted on: September 6th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

We are guilty of being biased here at CourtScribes. We know that the career of being a stenographer is a ‘hidden gem of a career’. There are many services stenographers offer. These include court reporting, medical transcribing, and real-time TV captioning.

A court reporter serves an important role in the judicial system by protecting and preserving evidence and testimony and delivering an accurate record of events in a legal proceeding. All court reporters must be certified by a state board and approved by the State Supreme Court.

What are the Responsibilities?

A court reporter uses their stenograph machine, which is a specialized chorded keyboard or typewriter used for shorthand. The reporter listens to everything said in a courtroom during a hearing and types it all out in real-time.

On a normal day, the reporter will be in a courtroom for anywhere from five minutes to the whole day. She’ll keep records for 10 years, and, if needed, provides transcripts. They work in the office a lot. And work in the evenings and on weekends on transcripts quite a bit.

There are two types of court reporters. There are official court reporters and freelance court reporters. Instead of being employed by the judicial system, freelance court reporters are independent contractors or work for a court reporting firm and are typically hired by law firms to cover depositions, arbitrations, meetings, and business sections like a CourtScribes

The Stenotype Machine

Although it might seem like an easy job from the outside, court reporting is not as easy as it can look. Using a stenotype machine is like playing the piano. Stenotype machines have 22 keys and work by typing in syllables rather than letters, like normal keyboards, and court reporters use the chord-like system to combine hundreds of syllables to type upward of 300 words per minute.

What are Those Court Reporters Typing On

Posted on: August 30th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

What’s that thing court reporters are always typing on? This is a question that CourtScribes gets asked all the time.

How Does a Stenotype Work?

Almost all stenographers have their own customized machines. A brand-new, top-of-the-line stenotype costs up to about $4,500. Cheaper training models are a bit over $1,000.

Why You Might Want to Consider a Digital Court Reporter

Posted on: August 23rd, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

CourtScribes has shown often, that there is a growing shortage of stenographers. This combined with the fact that the average age of a court reporter is now in the mid-fifties, causes concern about the profession’s future. Other factors to this shortage include a significant decrease in graduates from professional stenographic training and the closing of many training schools, according to the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT).

The court reporting industry has been tapping into digital court recording systems to overcome these hurdles. This includes audio and video recordings of proceedings and advanced transcription technologies, which provide accurate court reporting.

What is a Digital Court Reporter?

Like a stenographer, a digital court reporter is a notary. Responsibilities include swearing in witnesses and marking exhibits.

Instead of the traditional stenography machine, these professionals record the proceedings using digital technology. That usually means audio, but also includes video. Professionals take notes during the recordings either manually or by annotating in a software platform, and then submit these for transcription into a cohesive document afterward.

How Digital Court Reporting Future-Proofs Your Business

The biggest difference between digital and standard stenographic court reporting is that digital court recording systems allow businesses to grow and future-proof their operations.

How Digital Court Reporting Improves Turnaround and Quality

The Keys to Having a Successful Remote Deposition

Posted on: August 16th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Depositions are a key factor in a court case. In fact, they may be one of the most important factors in the decision-making process of a trial. In order for attorneys and other law participants to obtain valid information regarding the case, they must go through the process of deposition.

The actual definition of deposition is the act of going to a witness or someone with regards to the case at hand and receiving their personal information and the facts they have pertaining to the case. It is important to be prepared for these types of interactions. We are in times now where depositions are not necessarily done in person. They are more and more commonly being done remotely.

Here are some tips to get you on the right track to having a successful remote deposition.

Remote Depositions Rely on Working Equipment

This isn’t a standard deposition where you meet in person with an attorney and give all your information then and there. You are working over an online connection and speaking through a video streaming application. All of these interactions are going to be relying on your equipment, that is allowing you to stream, to continue working properly. Ensuring that nothing will go wrong with your computer and the internet is stable is essential.

Be Comfortable and Follow Standard Protocol for a Deposition

You’ve done it. Other than ensuring that your internet and equipment are functioning properly, you only have to answer all the questions the attorney provides you. Remember, you can be comfortable in your own space, but be respectful and follow all other standards for a deposition you would normally attend.

CourtScribes is the Choice For Professional Court Reporting

Posted on: August 9th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

CourtScribes is a team of highly professional court reporters that has offices all over the country but is based out of South Florida. CourtScribes is the leader in the industry using top-of-the-line technology. Having an experienced court reporter is essential to every case. This includes cases in federal, state, and local jurisdictions.

You may not have known, but digital recording is now the exclusive method used for the record for all Supreme Court cases. Well, CourtScribes is doing the same with professional legal videography, ease of access databases, and transcripts that are made with effective and precise support services.

CourtScribes provides services that attorneys and paralegals alike all rely on. Whether it’s a trial, deposition, arbitration, mediation, or a hearing, visit CourtScribes.com or call 1-833-SCRIBES today to inquire about services.

Our Top-of-the-Line Services Include:

Audio Recording

Audio Transcripts

Videography

Three Common Misconceptions About the National Court Reporter Shortage

Posted on: August 2nd, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Recent studies were done that caught the eye of CourtScribes regarding a likely court reporter shortage. The study found that the gap between the number of available stenographers and the demand for their services nationwide continues to increase year over year. This is no surprise as we have reported on this many times.

This problem has been consistent for seven years now and the shortage is impossible to ignore. This is a reality that the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t even mask.

No firm has been immune to the impact of this court reporter shortage, especially firms located in the most litigious states like California, New York, Illinois, Texas and Florida. However, there are plenty of misconceptions about the national court reporter shortage.

Interestingly enough, some believe that there is no shortage at all despite all the evidence. There are some misconceptions about what is going on in the industry.

Misconception #1: Can’t we just train more stenographers?

This is easier said than done, especially when statistical data proves that such a proposition is near impossible.

Why is this happening? It was found that 70% of stenographers were over the age of 46. As the current population of stenographers continues to progress towards retirement, there are not enough new stenographers from younger generations entering the field to help close the gap.

Misconception #2: The shortage won’t affect us.

While you might think that only the “big” litigation states will be impacted by this shortage, each state will face the devastating lack of court reporters sooner than later.

As of 2019, 82,000 new students enrolled in court reporting training programs nationwide each year to overcome the deficit. This dropped dramatically in 2019 where there were only about 2,500 new enrollments. Now imagine that the average graduation rate is 10% and you’re talking about a maximum of only 125 new court reporters into the market.

You can see how the shortage is affecting all of the states. Combine this with our new remote work environments brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and there are even fewer court reporters available.

Misconception #3: There are no alternatives to stenography to combat the shortage.

While stenography is the gold standard for capturing a verbatim record of a proceeding, there are other court reporting methodologies available that are both accurate and flexible and provide the same finished product.

Voice writing offers an alternative to stenographers. A voice writer speaks into a steno mask, capturing a verbatim record of the proceeding, while speech-recognition technology converts the recorded audio into text.

Digital reporting is another court reporting method that has gained more widespread adoption in recent years. In fact, courthouses and law firms across the US have been successfully using digital reporting for years as their sole means of recording hearings and trials.

As the supply of available court reporters continues to widen each year, it’s becoming increasingly more important for legal professionals to understand and recognize the potential implications for their practice. While stenography will always remain the gold standard, there are additional court reporting methodologies that offer accurate, affordable and flexible solutions.

If you need court reporting services (with a little more experience than Lumsden) that handle digital recoding then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

What Exactly is the Art of Stenography

Posted on: July 26th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

The CourtScribes company are masters in stenography? The “art” of stenography is about recording what is being said as quickly and as accurately as possible.

“Steno” uses a complicated machine (a stenotype) to record all this information, and people who are specially trained to use these machines are called stenographers.

It’s also used for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in places of learning to help follow what’s being said in a lecture, classroom, or video conference.

Why Would I Need a Stenographer

Many companies are now looking to stenographers (like those at CourtScribes) for live captioning services.

Live captioning is a way to level the playing field for everyone, while at the same time ensure your company is meeting its obligation when it comes to the law.

The Uncertainty of Remote Depositions Post COVID-19

Posted on: July 19th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

As we have discussed many times here at CourtScribes, remote depositions became more prevalent in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. But we now have an interesting conundrum. Court reporters have refused to use video to record depositions because they were not certified to do so. This led to some attorneys taking the job upon themselves even though very few attorneys have had a chance to “test” the use of self-recorded video depositions at trial.

Now that civil cases are now getting back on the dockets, so are the questions of the admissibility of uncertified videos from remote depositions that took place during the pandemic.

In one Illinois case, a federal judge found that the use of such uncertified video recording bypasses the process outlined in the rules of civil procedure and jeopardizes the integrity of the proceedings. The judge was unconvinced by arguments that the certified transcript was available for comparison to affirm the accuracy of the video.

The judge seemed further concerned about the “vantage point” in remote depositions. He noted that in a gallery view situation, the jury could be influenced by the attorneys’ home spaces and children or pets that will occasionally (inevitably) appear on the camera.

He concluded that neither option mimics a typical video deposition that gives the jury proper focus at trial and that absent changes in the civil rules, uncertified recordings from video depositions are not admissible in his courtroom. It is difficult to tell how other courts will rule on the admissibility of such self-recorded online depositions.

As courts reopen, attempts to use uncertified video deposition recordings at trial will become more common. Until court rules and decisions provide more guidance, it is important to enter proper stipulations to ensure that an uncertified video recording of an online deposition can (or cannot) be used at trial.

If you need court reporting services, please contact CourtScribes.com, which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world, and are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

What are the Different Stenographic Certifications

Posted on: July 12th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Like any career, there are some that are more accredited than others. This is true for those in stenography as well. Here is an introduction to the levels that stenographers can achieve according to the NCRA aka National Court Reporters Association.

Stenographic certifications include (from entry-level to highest order):

Registered Skilled Reporter (RSR)
Registered Professional Reporter (RPR)
Registered Merit Reporter (RMR)
Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR)

The entry-level registered skilled reporter requires the slowest Q&A dictation speed at 200 words per minute. The dictation speed and written knowledge content increase in difficulty through the certification progression. The registered diplomate reporter is the highest level of certification available to stenographic court reporters and requires passing a Q&A dictation speed of 260 words per minute. The RDR designation also has a years-of-experience component. The RDR distinguishes high-level, seasoned reporters as members of the profession’s elite.

The National Verbatim Reporters Association aka NVRA voice writer certifications include:

Certified Verbatim Reporter (CVR)
Certificate of Merit (CM)
Military Verbatim Reporter (MVR)

Skills tests for both NCRA and NVRA certifications are administered at speeds ranging from 200 to 260 words per minute for five minutes of dictation at 95% to 96% accuracy, including all speaker designations, punctuation, and procedural events that take place during the proceeding.

A Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) is a designation granted by multiple states across the country. The testing speeds and written exam requirements vary.

If you’re seeking a stenographic reporter who is highly skilled at providing an instantaneous delivery of the spoken word to text, you will want to seek a Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR).

A voice writer with similar skills has achieved one of the following certifications: Realtime Verbatim Reporter (RVR) or Realtime Verbatim Reporter – Master (RVR-M).

Accessibility to justice requires accommodations for people with hearing loss. A Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC) should be engaged for this service if you’re using a stenographic reporter. Registered CART Provider – Master (RCP-M) is the designation for a voice reporter.

A Certified Legal Video Specialist (CLVS), administered by the National Court Reporters Association, holds a high level of skill and understanding of all aspects of video deposition recording, court proceedings, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and deposition best practices.

Addressing the Court Reporter Shortage

Posted on: July 5th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

One thing that CourtScribes has mentioned over and over again is that there is a serious court reporter shortage. This has not changed. As a matter of fact, it has probably gotten worse.

So that being said, there is definitely is still a shortage of stenographic court reporters in the United States. Yes, there have been concerted efforts to attract and train new stenographic reporters. But it is an uphill battle. First off, the job requires a high level of skill and education. Combine that with the rate at which stenographic reporters are retiring, and you can see that the numbers are dwindling.

Some court reporting agencies like CourtScribes, who are striving to ensure their client’s record is given the requisite diligence, have started to hire and train individuals to become certified as digital reporters.

One thing for sure is that professional certification requires a serious commitment to acquiring and maintaining a unique skill, which leads to the highest quality of service and product to clients. Commitment to obtaining, maintaining, and continually improving knowledge and skill levels are essential to quality. And while there are some that are ready to tackle this very overwhelming task, it is complicated, takes diligence, and needs someone with a “stick to it and through it” attitude.

Project Steno Helps Students Choose a Career in Court Reporting

Posted on: June 21st, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Project Steno, founded in 2017, is an independent, non-affiliated organization that relies on financial support from the court reporting community to promote the stenographic reporting profession and recruit promising students.

Project Steno has a free, online, 12-hour course offering potential students an introduction to court reporting and captioning. All of this without having to make a financial commitment. Project Steno even provides a steno machine for the student’s use while in Basic Training.

The textbook and all training materials are provided to the prospects at no charge. Guest speakers will come to each two-hour session and explain the various professions to those who achieve the necessary stenographic skills.

The program allows prospective students to decide whether this is the right path for them. And with that, helping to save thousands of dollars in tuition and course fees should they discover it is not the right fit.

School data shows that 66% of students who start it, complete the 12-hour course, and 44% of those that complete enroll in court reporting school.

But it is a difficult course. It is very much like learning an instrument or a foreign language. This means that it can typically be a two-year program. Once enrolled, students are offered incentive-based merit awards (two at $1,000 each), as well as being mentored and encouraged along the journey to graduation and in their start as a new professional in our field.

Graduates are very necessary. As we have highlighted before, the industry is hurting for stenographers. Without graduates from this court reporting program, the community will be unable to staff courtrooms, putting at risk one’s right to appeal his/her/their verdict with a verbatim transcript of the testimony and arguments presented in trial.

Without graduates from the captioning programs, vital live events such as the news and sports will not be accessible to those members of our community who need them most: deaf and hard of hearing people.

How Did COVID-19 Shape UK Court Reporting?

Posted on: June 14th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Much like in the US, the UK justice system has also had to adapt to virtual settings (like Zoom meetings) throughout the pandemic. But it is not just lawyers and judges who have felt these perils. Court reporters have also experienced a period of adjustment.

When the pandemic hit, the UK government introduced The Coronavirus Act 2020. This meant that UK courts began to use video and audio technology so proceedings could be viewed by the public, including court reporters covering the cases.

And although the COVID-19 restrictions are easing, it doesn’t seem like video calls are going away anytime soon. The Coronavirus Act in the UK has been extended until September, so remote court hearings will continue until then.

Bumps in the Road

The transition to virtual court attendance has had its fair share of bumps in the road. One of the issues was that the UK legal system lacked the digital technology and infrastructure to make a smooth transition. Participants were dialing in through Skype and then a dedicated cloud video platform. Many times the links did not work and the settings were not acoustically designed for the type of set-up. It was often hard to hear who was talking and pick up the important details during hearings.

Normally the clerk of the court is on hand to clarify questions, or details on court lists, addresses, charges, or even the spelling of people’s names. But it is harder to ask questions in a virtual setting and so routine questions needed to be handled through follow-up emails. This was rather challenging.

Tuning in through a camera lens fails to encapsulate the typical drama expected in the courtroom. Journalists are missing out on reactions from the dock, defendants reacting to what’s being said about them, not being able to see the barristers or judge, and not understanding who the other people in the courtroom are. These are all peripheral things taken for granted in a courtroom.

The Upsides & Benefits

However, there is a bright side. Virtual hearings are more practical when a full day of work could mean up to four different hearings at four different venues across the town. So while the downside is that you can’t be there, you save time on travel and can get more accomplished virtually.

Improving accessibility could also see a spark of interest in court reporting. Virtual attendance has the capacity to get more journalists in the newsrooms involved with court reporting, but also spark more interest in the young talent coming through. However, universities have not been able to take their journalism students to visit courts as they normally would.

If you need court reporting services in the US that handles digital recording then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world is ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

What is a Stenotype, the Tool Stenographers Use

Posted on: June 7th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

We have all seen that person in the courtroom typing away superfast on something that “kinda looks like a typewriter”. They are typing away because they are taking down all of the information to create a record of the events in that courtroom. And while that is not a typewriter they are typing on, it is actually called a stenotype. It is also known as a shorthand machine, steno writer, or chorded keyboard. And what that stenotype is doing, is recording in shorthand.

Those who are registered to use a stenotype as a trained court reporter must write speeds of approximately 180, 200, and 225 words per minute at very high accuracy in the categories of literary, jury charge, and testimony. We here at CourtScribes have many stenographers that are experts at just that.

What is a Stenotype?

The stenotype machine was invented in 1906 by Ward Stone Ireland, an American stenographer and court reporter. The stenograph and stenotype machine are used in offices to some extent. But they are mostly used for court reporting. Both machines have keyboards of 22 keys, and because the operator uses all their fingers and both thumbs, any number of keys can be struck simultaneously. And they will need to be.

The operator controls the keys by touch and is thus able to watch the speaker. The fingers of the left hand control the keys that print consonants occurring before vowels. The thumbs control the vowels, and the fingers of the right hand control the consonants that follow the vowels. There are not separate keys for each letter of the English alphabet. Abbreviations are used for some of the most frequent words, giving the operator the ability to write two or three words in one stroke.

Pressing the multiple keys simultaneously spells out whole syllables, words, and phrases with a single hand motion. Because the keyboard does not contain all the letters of the English alphabet, letter combinations are substituted for the missing letters.

If you need court services that handle digital recording that require those stenography skills, then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

CourtScribes is the Best in Court Reporting

Posted on: May 31st, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

If you are in need of court reporting services, the team at CourtScribes is a team of highly professional court reporters that are leading the industry. Possessing top-of-the-line technology for a fraction of the price, CourtScribes based in South Florida, is the one and only company you need for court services of all kinds. Having an experienced court reporter is essential to every court case. This includes federal, state and local jurisdictions.

CourtScribes also uses digital recording. Digital recording is now the exclusive method for all Supreme Court cases. It seems like it will become more and more used in the future. With professional legal videography, ease of access databases, and transcripts that are made with effective and precise support services, CourtScribes provides a service that paralegals and attorneys alike can rely on. Whether it’s a trial, deposition, arbitration, mediation, or a hearing, visit CourtScribes.com or call 1-833-SCRIBES today to inquire about their services.

Services Offered by CourtScribes

Audio Recording – We possess audio recording equipment that is designed to record every voice clearly and precisely. Each sound channel is dedicated to another person, without any interfering channels. Each voice is captured in its own time allowing for playback at any time. Even in the event of outside noise, accents, or people speaking too low, there will be no issues with our court reporters’ abilities to capture every moment.

Videography – CourtScribes even provides live and on-demand video streaming. These videos are also stored in our database for needed use later on down the road. We use video-to-text synchronization for easy research into a past video. Our top-of-the-line technology will ensure that your case will be recorded with precision and accuracy.

Audio Transcripts – Each audio sample will be replayed, documented, and time-stamped for future review. That way there won’t be any issues if a previous statement needs to be retraced or disputed. And these transcripts are available through our 24/7 online database.

Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Court Reporting

Posted on: May 24th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Court reporting is a tough job. Court reporting may not be for everyone. You will have to go to a school and acquire a whole new skill set. That being said, here are ten reasons for why one should consider a career in court reporting.

1 – Potential for High Income

2 – High-Demand & Recession-Proof Career
From the moment you graduate from court reporting school and get licensed as a certified shorthand reporter, you will never experience a day without working that you didn’t want to work. A recession-proof job is one that remains in high demand even through bad economic times. Though no career is entirely recession-proof, court reporting is more constant than most others when times are hard.

3 – Flexible Working Hours
If you are looking for a flexible job, court reporting may be the field for you. Some court reporters work just two or three days a week. Working part-time as a court reporter is common and easily attainable if you are looking for a nice balance between your professional and personal life. Freelance reporters are able to schedule a short one-hour depo or an all-day video deposition if necessary. If you need to take the day off, then you can simply tell the agency you’re not available for work that day.

5 – Longevity
Stenography stems from man’s desire and necessity to preserve happenings of yesterday and today for the future. Stenography is one of the oldest professions and will be around well into the future. Even with technological advancements, it will always need a human touch. Technology has come a long way in the last 20 years, but it still has a long way to go before it will be a threat to the profession of court reporting. The experimentation with replacing human court reporters with audio recording has failed time and again. It’s similar to replacing all language interpreters with translation software.

Nine Questions Answered About Stenography

Posted on: May 17th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

We have all seen the person in the courtroom typing away with reckless abandon, as people speak and give their testimony in any given courtroom proceeding. You may have wondered to yourself, how do they do that, where did they learn that, and even how much do they make for doing that? Well, that person is called a court stenographer. Sometimes they are also referred to as a court reporter.

Court stenographers, like the ones available from CourtScribes, or court reporters, are people trained to type and write in shorthand, which allows them to write as fast as people can speak.

1 – What Does Stenography Mean?

The word “stenography” comes from the Greek word “steno” which means narrow and “graphy” which means writing. Narrow writing is now commonly referred to as “shorthand”. A stenographer simply put is a shorthand writer.

Modern-day stenographers use machines called stenotypes, which allow them to type, in some cases, faster than 300 WPM, which is just about double the ‘speed of speech’.

2 – How is stenography used?

Stenographers can type in shorthand which allows them to type as quickly as people speak. This provides important and accurate documentation that is immediately available. This is mostly provided in courtroom settings, however, stenographers are used to assist the hard of hearing as well by providing the services that you see on movies and TV that allow for captions.

You can actually make the case that the stenographer is as important as the judge in a courtroom.

3 – Do stenographers type every word?

Yes, and they can type full words at once by simultaneously tapping multiple keys. So while they do type every word, it is done with shorthand.

4 – Is stenographer a good job?

Yes, it is a great career. There is a huge demand in courtrooms for stenographers. This is true for a couple of reasons. One, there is a dire shortage of those that are trained to do this job, so there is a lot of opportunity. Two, the job pays very well, as it is a hard to acquire skill. And three, there are many side jobs you can do, as well as outsourcing your services outside of the courtroom.

5 – Why is stenography important?

It is important as it is a requirement in many places to have written transcripts. This makes stenography something that is still needed. Court reporters are also tasked with writing down the defendant’s gestures and expressions, as well as their reactions to things. This is something that no machine can do. The stenographer is responsible for creating the “record” of what occurred in the courtroom. This record is extremely important as every member of the court uses this record in their case.

6 – What are stenography skills?

The main skill is the ability to do shorthand and then transcribe your notes. 180 WPM is the ‘speed of speech’ which means that stenographers have to be able to write at a minimum speed of 180 WPM. Stenographers document and record everything that takes place in a courtroom, which makes them an integral part of court hearings across the world.

7 – How long does it take to become a stenographer?

It takes close to three years. You do have to put in the time as if it is a college-like education you are getting. This is a very difficult to master skill, and many dropout or just cannot accomplish the curriculum.

8 – Are stenographers well paid?

Stenographers are actually very well paid. Stenographers can make upwards of $80,000 a year based on hours and years in the industry.

This is due to the fact that it is an intricate skill, there are very few people that have the skill, and there is a shortage of those with the skill that are working in courtrooms.

9 – What is the future of stenography?

The future of stenography is clear. Technological advancements have been made and stenographers will have to adapt to them. While it is unlikely that at any time, now or in the future, that stenographers will not be needed, technology has infiltrated the area.

As technology has become more and more advanced, audio and video recordings are now being used in courtrooms around the world. To save money, courtrooms have invested in video and audio recorders. Many then theorized that the stenographer’s days were numbered. This simply is not true. There is room for both to work.

This is because video and audio recordings are not always successful. There can be interference, data gets corrupted, and sometimes people just forget to turn the devices on! Because of this potential threat, the stenography industry had to adapt to the times.

Computers became more popular, and as they did, court reporters began using these machines to compete with other forms of technology. Stenotype machines could now be plugged into portable computers, laptops, and be used to translate shorthand onto the computer screen in real-time. This was something video and audio recorders could not accurately do.

Many now use a technology called ‘steno masks’ which are microphones plugged into their computers that run voice-recognition software. The stenographer then, in real-time, cleans up the machine’s mistakes and errors; the perfect fusion of technology and stenography.

These nine points should have made one thing clear. Court reporters aka stenographers are very important, and they are not going anywhere any time soon. We here at CourtScribes provide all of the services mentioned in this article.

So if you need court reporting services that handle digital recording and remote depositions then CourtScribes.com, which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world, are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

We are located in South Florida, but offer our services throughout the entire United States. Call us now when you need any courtroom steno or tech.

Court Reporter Goes Rogue in Wisconsin

Posted on: May 10th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Nobody was surprised when Hyundai Motors, the Korean automaker, planned to appeal after a Racine County, Wisconsin jury returned a $38.1 million verdict against the company.

But nobody expected nearly a year later, that the appeal would remain on hold because of a missing court reporter who was responsible for providing a transcript of the trial.

Court records show that after the trial, Brande Browne agreed to have transcripts sent to Hyundai’s lawyers by March of 2020. By June the transcript still hadn’t been produced. Browne, nor her boss at the Racine Court Reporter’s office, were answering emails from Hyundai’s attorneys at the law firm of Quarles & Brady.

This scenario is one thing for sure that you won’t have to worry about with Court Scribes.

What Did the Court Reporter Do?

Finally, in mid-June, Browne responded, saying that personal and professional events had set her back, but she was working as fast as she could to complete the transcript of the 18-day trial. On June 30th, she indicated in a formal document that she would have the transcript by July 31st.

The problem is, August came, but the transcript did not. Hyundai’s lawyers emailed Browne repeatedly but never heard back. The Court of Appeals then demanded Browne file the transcript, then extended the deadline twice, before fining her $1,075 in November.

In December, the trial judge issued a warrant for Browne’s arrest after she failed to appear in court to explain why she hadn’t produced the transcript. Police have been to her home, but she was never present at the home. Calls reporters to various numbers listed went unanswered or the numbers were no longer in service.

What is the Case Against Hyundai About?

In 2015, Edward Vanderventer, 67, of Racine, Wisconsin, was stopped, waiting to turn in his 2013 Hyundai Elantra at an intersection when he was rear-ended by a 17-year-old driver.

He sued Hyundai and the driver, alleging that while the other driver caused the accident, Vanderventer’s serious back injuries, which left him a paraplegic, were caused by a defective seat that collapsed into his spine, although three passengers in his car were not seriously injured.

The jury found that a large portion of Vanderventer’s injuries was attributable to the seat design. Hyundai lost a judgment for $32.7 million of the total judgment.

The Appeal From Hyundai

On appeal, Hyundai plans to raise issues about how the trial was conducted. But they can’t without a reliable, accurate record of the proceedings due to the absence of the court reporter.

A court reporter, or stenographer, like the ones at Court Scribes, doesn’t just type what’s being said in court. They write the rapid speech into a type of code they must later translate into a readable transcript. They have extreme importance to the case.

Vanderventer’s attorney said the court reporter Browne was dependable throughout the trial. He said if she or her machine are never found, those drafts of daily transcripts might allow both sides, and the judge, to assemble an agreed-on final transcript for the appeal.

If you need proper court reporting services that handle digital recording and remote depositions then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

Ten Tips to a Successful Remote Deposition

Posted on: May 3rd, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

With COVID-19 completely altering the entire system of the courts, CourtScribes would like to offer some great tips in mastering the art of the remote deposition. The remote deposition has become one of the most important parts of the process now that things have dramatically changed and may stay this way for the near future.

CourtScribes has ten successful tips to take 2021’s virtual depositions to the next level. Let us dive into these valuable suggestions!

Get to the Call Early. This will help in avoiding delays and gives time to iron out any technical issues, should there be any.
Set the Stage Properly. Eliminate distractions around you. Make sure there is proper backlighting, and position yourself to the center of the screen.
Test All of Your Equipment. Test your internet connection, your microphones, your headphones, and audio quality.
Update Your Zoom software Regularly – Make sure to check for updates and install them.
Dress Well. Wearing dark, solid colors works best on camera. Everyone should be clean and professional.
Close All Unrelated Programs. When doing a remote deposition, only the deposition should be on your device. Close all browsers and programs running in the background. This will help to avoid inadvertently displaying confidential or compromising material or other sensitive materials to other participants. It also keeps focus on the deposition.
Speak Slowly, Loudly, and Clearly. In any deposition, speaking clearly and slowly is helpful to the court reporter taking down the record. This is true for the interpreter, if one is present, as well.
Avoid Multiple Participants in the Same Room. Each participant in the deposition should have their own separate location and device so that there are no problems with audio feedback. This will also provide a clear headshot for each participant.
Request the Video. The mobile videoconference recording will always be made available, but this recording is unedited, and syncing is also not available.
Be Patient. Technology, like everything else, is not perfect. Glitches, though uncommon and quickly resolved by skilled technicians, can and do sometimes happen. Just be patient and you will overcome any of these issues.

This list should be very helpful. Whether remote depos are a struggle or smooth sailing, this list is should be helpful as you continue to schedule remote depositions with CourtScribes. So, if you need court reporting services that handle digital recording and remote depositions then CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world are ready to serve you in your court reporting, videography services, interpreters, live-streaming, and video-to-text synchronization.

Successful Tips for a Remote Deposition

Posted on: April 26th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, CourtScribes, courtrooms, and frankly the whole court system has changed. The need for social distancing has become an important factor in getting things back to normal as quickly as possible. And the courtrooms are no different.

Society agreed that conducting trials while making use of remote court appearances and remote depositions is now the norm. The thing is, that many are not used to video conferencing (like Zoom) and maybe going to the net for tips. You’re in luck though, as CourtScribes is gonna provide a list of tips to conducting a successful remote deposition.

1 – Knowing the Web Conference Applications

You should always do a practice run of the software that you will be using during remote depositions. This will make it more comfortable to use and can access all system commands without issue.

2 – Don’t Interrupt Audio from Another Source

Remote depositions are always recorded for future use. It is important that all of the audio is transmitted correctly. If it is not done correctly, it will be too difficult to understand. Try not to speak over others to ensure that everything is recorded.

3 – Make Sure All Equipment is in Order

Having a stable internet connection might be the most important part of having a successful remote deposition. Make sure all systems are stable. You don’t want to have any issues with disconnections. Check that all audio devices are working and make sure that the microphone is picking up all audio correctly.

4 – Follow Normal Conducts for a Standard Deposition

Many people are working from home, and although you are comfortable in your home, with your familiar equipment, it’s important that you still represent yourself in a professional state of mind. Use all standard protocol procedures for conducting a normal deposition.

5 – Work in a Comfortable Space

When working, you just don’t need unexpected visitors popping in to interrupt your remote deposition. It is important to make sure that the area you are going to work in is free from any chances of interruption.

CourtScribes is who you need to provide you with everything you may require for a remote deposition.

Why are Court Reporters Important

Posted on: April 19th, 2021 by Sfl Media No Comments

However, certain jobs require a human quality to properly function. Court reporting is definitely one of those jobs.

Who or what is a court reporter?

Reliability is Key

Don’t Leave it to Chance

What this says, is that until it is perfect, courts just can’t take that chance.

Author Archive

Explaining the Difference Between Court Reporters and Stenographers

You Can Find the Most Talented Court Reporters at CourtScribes

Understanding What it’s Like to Be a Court Reporter

Source Talented and Professional Court Reporters From CourtScribes

Benefits of Working with the Same Court Reporting Service

Make CourtScribes Your Number One Source for Quality Court Reporting

What Happened

Why You Should Work with CourtScribes

Why is Inflection so Important in a Court Case?

Record Depositions Accurately and Efficiently at a Low Cost, with CourtScribes

The Process of Becoming a Court Reporter

Make CourtScribes Your Source for Experienced Court Reporters

What Happened

What Were the Consequences?

Hire Court Reporters That Deliver 100% Accuracy Every Time

They Have Specialized Equipment

They Save People the Trouble of Generating Settled Statements

Want Records You Can Count On? Call CourtScribes

How Bad Can it Be?

Want 100% Accuracy? Give CourtScribes a Call!

What the Court Reporter Shortage Means for Litigators

What’s Causing the Shortage?

Team Up with CourtScribes Before the Shortage Gets Any Worse

The Practical Advantages of Working with Us

We Can Help You Slow the Spread of COVID While Preserving the Environment

Reduce Litigation Costs and Maximize Productivity With CourtScribes!

The Disadvantages of Working with a Freelance Court Reporter

The Advantages of Working with a Professional Court Reporting Service

Want it Done Right? Call CourtScribes!

The Role of a Videography in a Court Case

Why Videography Is Also Useful to Attorneys in Estate Planning

Schedule Your Videography with CourtScribes Today!

How Does a Stenotype Work?

What is a Digital Court Reporter?

How Does Digital Court Reporting Future-Proof Your Business?

How Digital Court Reporting Improves Turnaround and Quality

Efficiency and Reliability

Can’t Take that Chance

Why Would I Need a Stenographer

Reliability is Key

Don’t Leave it to Chance

Our Top-of-the-Line Services Include:

Audio Recording

Audio Transcripts

Videography

What Does Stenography Mean?

The Importance of Stenographers

What is a Digital Court Reporter?

How Does Digital Court Reporting Future-Proof Your Business?

How Digital Court Reporting Improves Turnaround and Quality

What Does Stenographer Mean?

How Does Stenography Work?

What are the Differences Between Stenographers and a Court Reporters?

Stenographer vs Digital Court Reporting

Court Reporting is Interesting

Court Reporting Has Earning Potential

In Conclusion

Top of the Line Services Offered

Videography

Audio Recording

Audio Transcripts

What are the Responsibilities?

The Stenotype Machine

How Does a Stenotype Work?

What is a Digital Court Reporter?

How Digital Court Reporting Future-Proofs Your Business

How Digital Court Reporting Improves Turnaround and Quality

Remote Depositions Rely on Working Equipment

Be Comfortable and Follow Standard Protocol for a Deposition

Our Top-of-the-Line Services Include:

Audio Recording

Audio Transcripts

Videography

Misconception #1: Can’t we just train more stenographers?

Misconception #2: The shortage won’t affect us.

Misconception #3: There are no alternatives to stenography to combat the shortage.

Why Would I Need a Stenographer

Bumps in the Road

The Upsides & Benefits