FREE-Secure-24/7 Access To Your Transcripts and Exhibits

Posts Tagged ‘court reporter’

Murder Case Delayed for Months Due to Missing Transcripts

Posted on: April 18th, 2022 by Harrison Bryan 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Upon receiving the transcripts, the citation for contempt of court was rescinded.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!

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.

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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

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.

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.

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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

Why are Court Reporters Important to CourtScribes

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

Court Reporting StenographAs 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.

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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

Why Court Reporting Can Be Such a Rewarding Career

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

court reporters

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.

 

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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

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.

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.

Addressing the Court Reporter Shortage

Posted on: July 5th, 2021 by joshw 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.

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.

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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

Court Reporter Goes Rogue in Wisconsin

Posted on: May 10th, 2021 by joshw 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.

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.

Why are Court Reporters Important

Posted on: April 19th, 2021 by joshw No Comments

court reporters

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?

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

Derek Chauvin Trial Highlights the Crucial Work of Court Reporters

Posted on: April 5th, 2021 by joshw No Comments

The Derek Chauvin (George Floyd’s kneeling police officer) trial is taking place, and someone in the courtroom who doesn’t get any publicity has one of the more important jobs. That job is the court reporter. CourtScribes agrees. This may be the most important person in the courtroom.

A court reporter is responsible for accurately transcribing every word that’s said in open court. Christine Phipps, the president of the National Court Reporters Association, says the job comes with a lot of pressure.

 

“Somebody’s life hinges on that testimony,” Phipps said. “It’s the court reporter’s certified transcript that rules the day over anybody’s memory of what might have been said. That is going to be what’s argued on appeal.”

 

Court reporting isn’t done letter by letter. Court reporters use combinations of keys to type by phonetic sounds. Shorthand gets proofread and fleshed out later.

When a trial goes on for two weeks, it could probably get between 2,500 to 3,000 pages of transcript you need to proof.

If something is missed or needs to be repeated, the court reporter will interrupt the proceedings, but tries to do so as delicately as possible. The reporter will also confer with the judge if they feel someone in the courtroom should be instructed to slow down.

Getting correct and proper testimony is key in any trial, but even more so in a trial that the whole world is watching. We at CourtScribes know this is true. That is why this position may actually be the most important in any given courtroom.

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.

Hiring the Right Stenographer

Posted on: March 8th, 2021 by joshw No Comments

steno-machine

If you weren’t familiar by now with who those people are that are typing away during court proceedings are, they’re known as stenographers. Sometimes, they are also referred to as court reporters. They are incredibly helpful because the service they provide is helping a court, and all the members of it, jot down and record the proceedings by creating a written report.

While the courts require them, private attorneys and often businesses will occasionally need to find qualified stenographers that are able to do the job properly, which means that there is a checklist of qualifications to look for. Here are some of the ways to hire a good stenographer that a company like CourtScribes offers.

Start by Searching Court Reporter Companies

There are plenty of companies that hire out stenographers or reporters for the courts. This makes it easy to find the best out there as a court reporting company will feature only the most qualified, and the most trusted stenographers available. It’s also a lot easier to negotiate rates or fees, as well as scheduling when a large company is handling the bulk of the heavy lifting.

Check References & Reviews

On company sites, or anywhere else that a stenographer has listed work or availability, you’ll want to check references or reviews. Any job that is skilled labor will have reviews to help you decide on the right contractor. Stenographers are an example of this kind of contractor that can be found with reviews or even references to help bolster their claims of being qualified for the job. It’s important to always read these reviews to see what former clients have said about them, good or bad.

Find a Stenographer That Charges Reasonable Rates

Stenographers don’t charge an exorbitant amount considering their work, but they are not cheap. It’s not surprising to find stenographers that range in fees between $20 – $80/hr. It can be a lot or a little, depending on the length of the need. It’s still important to note that hiring a good stenographer is an important part of the process to ensure that the reporting of the court case (or whatever business transcription might be needed) is done effectively and efficiently. This is not something you’d want to mess up by hiring inferior workers, so a reasonable rate can be flexible if they are very experienced and qualified.

View Their Skills & Qualifications

Many stenographers, whether working full-time for a company or as a freelancer is that they should have a list of their skills and qualifications. Any kind of certificates or previous experiences working in sectors involving their typing, notation, and dictation skills are things that they will want to show off to make themselves look like more qualified and attractive candidates. You can easily view these, as well as looking them up on LinkedIn, to verify and determine if they are the right kind of candidates.

Meet & Vet Potential Candidates

You also have the option to meet up and interview the candidates or do a little more investigating to see how they are. It’s never a bad idea to meet face to face because this adds a more human approach to the entire process where you can finally meet and see them and figure out if they may be the right hire. Picking out a good stenographer means going with your gut sometimes, so getting a good interview process going will help you figure this out.

 

Stenographers might not be a household name when it comes to professions, but their services are invaluable nonetheless. Finding a good stenographer for a court case is also a hugely important process, so following these tips will help you make the right choice in picking a qualified court reporter. If done properly, you would end up with a stenographer than can get the job done in an efficient and effective manner.

 

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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

Can Court Reporting Be A Rewarding Career

Posted on: January 4th, 2021 by joshw No Comments

So You Want to be a Court Reporter

CourtScribes wants to know, “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.

Great 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 their certifications. A court reporter who offers real-time translation services can earn 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.

Interesting Work

As a court reporter, there’s never a dull day at work. The 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 courtrooms and locations. Some 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. 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.

 

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.

 

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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

Illinois is Looking to Hire 400+ Court Reporters Over the Next Few Years

Posted on: September 28th, 2020 by joshw No Comments

court reporters

Obviously, judges and attorneys are at the forefront in any courtroom. Court reporters are not usually in the same spotlight in the courtroom as a judge or attorney would be. But you would be surprised how truly important court reporters are. We have shown examples of this fact many times on this site.

Jill Layton, an official court reporter for the Cumberland County, Illinois Courthouse. said a court reporter’s job is one of the most important there is.

“It’s very important to have what people say in the courtroom. You want it, word for word what everybody said every utterance and you want to keep that forever,” said Layton. 

As we have stated many times here on CourtScribes.com, there’s a shortage of court reporters. In fact, Jill Layton is the only court reporter at the Cumberland County Courthouse.

And that is why classes are now in session.

The First Steps class at the Edgar County Courthouse gave people a taste of the short-hand writing style used in courtrooms. The class was taught how to spell out words and phrases in a single-hand motion.

“When you see people on tv and they’re just touching that’s not court reporting, you’ve got your machine and you’re pounding away on that,” said Layton.

 

Layton said for those who are interested, there’s an entire world of opportunity waiting for you.

“You will not find a court reporter that does not say I absolutely love what I do and so we’re just bringing people into the fold,” said Layton.

As we have mentioned many times, this is a career desperately in need. From Florida to Illinois, court reporters are in full demand, so if you have a calling now is the time.

If you need court reporting services from the best court reporting service, CourtScribes.com which supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world, and we 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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

Why is CourtScribes Even More Important During the Pandemic

Posted on: September 21st, 2020 by joshw No Comments

 

Covid-19 has changed everything when it comes to the courtroom. Trials, jury selections, and yes, depositions are all being handled in a completely different manner now. Technology and the ability to record without being directly present is now also the norm. This is why you need CourtScribes. CourtScribes is a team of professionals dedicated to giving the highest quality service to judges, attorneys, and all other court participants through their excellent court reporters and high-quality technology.

With a wide array of digital-based technology, high-quality video, and a plethora of professional-level recording systems, we capture every moment of the case and store it in a cloud-based databank. Also, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the extra steps are taken to provide all remote court needs. From scheduling to recording to video hosting, CourtScribes is here for all of your court reporter and remote court needs.

 

So What Does CourtScribes Offer?

 

CourtScribes prides itself on state-of-the-art technology that allows for crystal-clear court recordings. When you’re trusting your case to CourtScribes you can expect the following:

 

What Are You Looking for in a Court Reporting Agency?

Posted on: September 15th, 2020 by Santino No Comments

 

Having a court reporting agency that is both reliable and trustworthy is very important. However, what exactly are the skills you are looking for in an agency that puts them above the rest. Court Scribes is a court reporting agency that prides itself on excelling in every aspect of court reporting. With the addition of technology and remote aspects being added to the court room, just simple stenography no longer cuts it in this newly progressing industry. In order to stand above the rest, you need professional legal videography, an online repository and the ability to use remote technology for the courtroom.

 

Why the Need for Tech?

 

The need for a stenographer will never disappear. Their ability to translate the chaos of a courtroom into separate lines of information to be later read is required. However, that doesn’t mean technology can’t help. With the addition of video and audio technology, a court reporter’s job has now become that much more efficient.

Professional legal videography allows the entire process to be recorded. State-of-the-art audio technology also allows the use of multiple channels to separate all the different voices that are speaking at the same time within the court room.

Finally, with all of the social distancing guidelines in play, it is important that your court reporting service is able to maintain all types of remote court needs. Leading edge technology is integral in competing in the court reporting service.

Court Scribes takes pride in being able to provide a myriad of court reporting services to our clients. This includes all of the professional legal videography, live-streaming, interpreters, video-to-text synchronization, national coverage, 24/7 client service and repository, unmatched quality and unparalleled savings. If you know someone or are a court participant that is in need of a court reporting service, then contact Court Scribes today!

Who are you Using for your Remote Court Appearances and your Remote Depositions?

Posted on: August 31st, 2020 by Santino No Comments

 

The public health crisis known as the COVID-19 pandemic has made the court system take measures that have never been required before. Social distancing measures have been put into play and have made a lot of things that normally require in-person matters impossible. Remote systems have now been put into play that allow us to maintain this social distancing while also keeping up with the day-to-day court needs. However, for someone to conduct these remote court solutions, they need a company that supplies them with such. CourtScribes is proud to provide all matters of court reporting, along with videography and any remote court needs you require.

 

What are Remote Court Appearances?

 

Remote court appearances are required by many states to conduct court procedures. What this means, is that you will be speaking to your judge and attorney on an online platform such as Zoom. This will allow all the proceedings to take place for the court date. In order for this to work, the client, attorney and judge all require a system to deliver their online streaming service. CourtScribes provides remote court appearances to judges, attorneys and all other court participants. You need a system that is reliable and our team possess state-of-the-art videography technology.

 

What are Remote Depositions?

 

If you want your court proceeding to go successfully, you’re likely going to need depositions from any and all witnesses or peoples related to the case. A deposition is any information gathered from another person prior to the court date that will aid your in your case. However, with the coronavirus in play, these depositions are much more difficult to retrieve. Remote depositions are the exact same situation, but on an online streaming service just like the remote court appearances.

If you need a provider of remote court services, then contact Court Scribes today!

 

 

CourtScribes Provides 24/7 Online Access to your Private Online Repository

Posted on: August 24th, 2020 by Santino No Comments

 

CourtSribes if your go-to access for all of your court reporter, remote court access and online database needs. One of the biggest features is the 24/7 access to a private online repository that will hold all of your transcripts, exhibits and videos regardless of where you are. By using either a computer, tablet or smart phone, you can access all of your files on-demand. If you need the help of some of the most skilled court reporters in the business, then contact CourtScribes today!

 

What Type of Services does a Court Reporting Agency Provide?

 

CourtScribes takes pride in providing some of the most high-value skills many court reporting agencies don’t even possess. Here are some of the services that CourtScribes provides:

CourtScribes Covers Trials, Arbitrations, Depositions, Mediations and Hearings.

 

CourtScribes is a team of professionals dedicated to giving the highest quality service to judges, attorneys and all other court participants through their excellent court reporters and high-quality technology. With a plethora of professional-level recording systems, digitally based technology and high-quality video, they capture every moment of a case and store it in their cloud-based databank. Also, with the COVID-19 pandemic reaching all over the nation, they have taken the extra step to provide all remote court needs. From scheduling, to recording and even video hosting, CourtScribes is here for all of your court reporter and remote court needs.

The Importance of a Court Reporter

Posted on: August 10th, 2020 by Santino No Comments

 

Technology has seen an increase of jobs being taken over by their mechanical counterparts. 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.

 

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 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 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.

What is the Transcription Process of a Court Reporter?

Posted on: July 28th, 2020 by Santino No Comments

 

One of the most important aspects of our modern way of law is the court transcript. A court transcript is a word-for-word written document that displays the actions and statements said by every party within the court room. This all-important document must be made with perfection in order for an involved judge, attorney or any other legal participant to look back on the trial for information whenever they choose to do so. A court transcript is crafted by a court reporter, who sits in and records everything they hear.

 

Knowledge and Training Required to be a Court Reporter

 

Each different state has many different requirements and credentials in order to become a court reporter. Some states require college degrees. Whereas, other states need a certification and applicants need to possess and extensive knowledge of listening skills, writing skills, reading comprehension, concentration and attention to detail. Judges and attorneys require a perfect transcript to look back on cases. In other words, there is no room for error when recording the proceedings for a trial. The standard for typing speed for a court reporter would be about 225 words per minute.

Court reporters must learn a special type of shorthand. It is an abbreviated language form that is designed for rapid transcription, to take notes on a steno machine in order to catch each word that is spoken. Once the notes are entered into the machine, they are translated by computer software into English.

 

CourtScribes Supports Court Reporters from Around the Nation

 

CourtScribes.com supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world, and we too 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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

CourtScribes Will Take Care of All of Your Court Reporter and Remote Court Needs

Posted on: July 6th, 2020 by Santino No Comments

 

CourtScribes is a team of professionals dedicated to giving the highest quality service to judges, attorneys and all other court participants through their excellent court reporters and high-quality technology. With a plethora of professional-level recording systems, digitally based technology and high-quality video, they capture every moment of a case and store it in their cloud-based databank. Also, with the COVID-19 pandemic reaching all over the nation, they have taken the extra step to provide all remote court needs. From scheduling, to recording and even video hosting, CourtScribes is here for all of your court reporter and remote court needs.

 

What Features Does CourtScribes Have?

 

CourtScribes prides itself on the state-of-the-art technology that allows for picture perfect court recordings. When you’re trusting your cases to CourtScribes you’re receiving all of the following:

COVID-19 Increasing Demand for Remote Court Appearances All Over the Country

Posted on: June 15th, 2020 by Santino No Comments

 

As the country is beginning to reopen in the attempt of returning to life and living with the virus, there are still many constraints on distancing and self-safety. In order to preserve life as much as possible, most environments that are still able to function in a remote setting are requiring to do so. All over the United States there are courts requiring that all cases be transmitted through the modern courtroom, Remote Court Appearances. Courtrooms are some of the most compact and difficult places to properly follow all social distancing guidelines. Court Scribes is proud to represent attorneys, judges and other participants in all Remote Court Appearances for the safety of all!

 

Technology Bringing the Courtroom to you

 

IT professionals are capable of bringing a courtroom to wherever you may be. Although we still do recommend wearing proper formal attire for appearing in a court, you can conduct these cases from the comfort of your own home. Not only that, but companies such as Court Scribes, will allow you to have an online portal for all videos, audio files, depositions and full text court reporting for the proceedings. Attorneys are able to conduct all matters civil, criminal and any type of litigation from their own office. Using your phone, computer or whatever your desired device for Remote Court Appearances.

 

Benefits of Remote Court Appearances

 

These practices are going to increase the capability of our court officials in all aspects of life. Long-term results may even find that remote court appearances bring about quicker and more reliable results. Complete video copies of all court proceedings are easily made with recording technology. No travel is required of any participant. Also, this completely eliminates all forms of violating social distancing. The largest two issues with currently attending an in-person court proceeding would be the waiting room and the court room itself. With Court Scribes’ availability to give all attorneys, judges and other law participants a platform for remote court appearances, it will be difficult for people to return to the older mundane way of conducting trials.

Court Reporters

Posted on: April 6th, 2020 by Sfl Media No Comments

Court Reporters

The CourtScribes senior executive court reporting team has decades of experience working in the court reporting and legal services industry. The CourtScribes team utilizes the latest in technology to deliver the highest-quality transcripts at an affordable cost. In addition, CourtScribes provides a host of litigation support services such as live and on-demand video streaming.

CourtScribes has developed a wide network of court reporters and videographers of the highest caliber to service your bookings. The company provides unmatched value to our legal clients. Offering discounts of as much as thirty to fifty percent off of what other court reporting agencies charge for their service. CourtScribes is not only the most affordable. We are also the most modern and professional court reporting agency available today.

Our Court Reporter Standard Package Includes:

Standard Services

 

Our Court Reporter Advanced Package Includes:

Advanced Services

If your legal team could use any of our amazing and cutting edge court reporting services then please call our office today. Our court reporting team is standing by and waiting to help! At CourtScribes we take pride in being an industry-leading and industry revolutionizing court reporting agency. Give us a try and you will not be disappointed and don’t forget that every court scribes court reporting package comes with a free legal video! Call us toll-free now at 1-833-SCRIBES we are open 24 hours a day and seven days week for your convenience.

Federal Reporter Christin E. Russell Earns Highest Court Reporter Credential

Posted on: December 9th, 2019 by Dependable Website Management No Comments

christin-e-russellA court reporter for U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland in Port Huron, Michigan has gained the highest credential possible for court reporters. Christin E. Russell of Ortonville, Michigan has earned the nationally recognized Registered Diplomate Reporter certification for stenographic court reporters, according to the National Court Reporters Association.

There are approximately 350 reporters with the RDR credential nationwide. They are recognized for being highly experienced and seasoned, and members of the profession’s elite.

 

“Becoming an RDR has been a personal goal for many years,” Russell said in the release. “I hope to continue evolving and pushing myself to excel in my current position, but also serve as an example for current and future court reporters.

“Being a member of NCRA is both an honor and privilege. It is a wonderful family of professionals who offer support and continue to promote growth in our challenging, yet very rewarding field of court reporting.”

 

Russell has provided court reporting in many cases involving the Macomb County corruption scandals, including two trials, at the Port Huron federal courthouse for the Eastern District of Michigan. The federal investigation, which has resulted in more than 20 people charged, continues at the time of this article.

Russell has worked as a court reporter for 25 years. She also holds the professional certifications of Registered Professional Reporter, Registered Merit Reporter, Certified Realtime Reporter and Federal Certified Realtime Reporter.

CourtScribes.com supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world, and we too 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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

 

Kansas Court Reporter Dealing With Ethics Violation

Posted on: November 4th, 2019 by Dependable Website Management No Comments

shawnee-county-kansasSometimes court reporters can overstep their boundaries. It happened in Kansas, as an attorney representing a court reporter who worked the Shawnee County, Kansas murder trial of Dana Chandler conceded Friday his client violated professional ethics by posting to social media personal opinions about the case, but sought leniency from the Kansas Supreme Court in deciding the punishment.

A court reporter named April Shepard admitted to violating a rule requiring court reporters to maintain impartiality toward each participant in all aspects of court proceedings, including a tight-lipped approach to pending cases outside judicial settings.

The State Board of Examiners of Court Reporters recommended that she be publicly reprimanded for the infraction, but Shepard requested the Supreme Court impose a less-severe private reprimand.

 

So What Did Shepard Do

Her offense was in 2016 when she posted to Facebook a series of remarks declaring Chandler guilty in a double-homicide and defending the conduct of prosecutor Jacqie Spradling and Judge Nancy Parrish. The Chandler case was still on appeal at the time. In 2018, the Supreme Court overturned Chandler’s guilty verdicts with an opinion that concluded Spradling engaged in prosecutorial misconduct.

Todd Thompson, who represented the Board of Examiners in oral argument before the Supreme Court, said Shepard directly violated the code of conduct. Shepard said online Spradling didn’t distort facts in the Chandler case, Thompson said, but the Supreme Court found to the contrary.

A public reprimand is appropriate to inform the citizenry of this type of transgression in the legal system and consequences of that unethical behavior, he said.

James Chappas, Shepard’s attorney for the Supreme Court’s disciplinary hearing, said it would be excessive to burden Shepard with a public rebuke. He said it would be unjust for the state to “squash” people in a disciplinary process based on a public need-to-know theory.

Chief Justice Lawton Nuss, presiding at his final session of oral argument as a member of the Supreme Court, said even the appearance of partiality by someone involved in the court system sent a troubling message to the public.

What Was the Chandler Case About

Michael Sisco and his fiance Karen Harkness were killed by gunfire in Topeka, Kansas in 2002. Chandler, Sisco’s ex-wife, was arrested in 2011 and charged with first-degree murder. A Shawnee County Kansas jury found her guilty in 2012. Her appeal prompted the Supreme Court’s reversal of the convictions. Chandler remains incarcerated awaiting retrial.

In December, a state board found probable cause to believe Spradling, the former Shawnee County chief deputy district attorney, violated the Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct in prosecution of Chandler. He disciplinary case hasn’t ended.

The online comments by Shepard were posted while she engaged in debate about the Chandler case with Keen Umbehr, an attorney who has worked on Chandler’s behalf. Shepard said online she was confident Chandler was guilty because “I was there, I reported that whole case. I saw firsthand this case.” She acknowledged Spradling “pushed a little too far at times” during the trial and defended Parrish, the trial judge.

 

Was She Baited

Chappas, Shepard’s attorney, told justices that Umbehr enticed his client into commenting on the trial in an effort to help Chandler’s cause.

“I think supporters of Miss Chandler purposely baited Miss Shepard to engage in conversations about this particular trial,” Chappas said.

“Your client knew they were public, right?” asked Justice Caleb Stegall.

Justice Dan Biles said the back-and-forth on Facebook proved Shepard took sides on an appellate case before the Supreme Court.

“That’s showing partiality,” Biles said. “She said, I believe Jacqie Spradling. Implicit in that statement is the claim of prosecutorial misconduct is wrong.”

CourtScribes.com supports all states and programs that aid in the court reporting world, and we too 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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

 

Illinois State Grad a ‘Rising Star’ in World of Court Reporting

Posted on: September 9th, 2019 by Dependable Website Management No Comments

isaiah_robertsIsaiah Roberts laughs when he people say it, but he still remains humble and proud when people call him “a rising star in the court reporting world.”

Roberts, 25, likely would be a rising star in any world he entered. For now, though, he is more than satisfied. All the more so when you know that this wasn’t his first career choice.

Roberts’ mother was a court reporter in LaSalle and McLean counties, so the young Roberts always had a fascination with the legal system.

“I went to school and got my undergrad in marketing,” he said, overlooking he was 15 when he entered Illinois State University and was the school’s youngest graduate at 19 with a bachelor’s degree. “My plan was always to go to law school. I love the law and was determined that was what I wanted to do.”

But during his last semester, as he was applying to law schools, he looked at the number of lawyers entering the workforce and wondered if the profession was becoming oversaturated.

 

What Changed for Roberts

So Roberts took a closer look at his mom’s career.

“I realized that maybe I had overlooked that,” he said. “It had many of the things I was looking for, such as being interesting, dealing with the law and, in addition, there was a high demand for workers.”

Some 2 1/2 years later, just a month after his mother retired, he passed the state certification test and began working at the McLean County Law and Justice Center.

“I think I actually took her job,” he said, “but I love it.”

 

What Now  For Mr. Roberts

Now living in Chicago, Roberts is in demand for higher profile depositions and trials. He frequently travels across the country for work. Last week, he was one of the keynote speakers at the Illinois Court Reporters Association convention in Springfield, Illinois.

“He is really amazing,” said Tammy Bumgarner, director of court reporting services for the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. “It’s not a fluke that he is a rising star in this industry.”

Roberts enjoys the challenge of focusing on his task, but also following closely the complex and difficult trials. Roberts was the court reporter for one of the hearings for Don Whalen, whose murder conviction was overturned last year.

“I (had) just finished an hour of court reporting and the secretary asked me the witness’s name, but I couldn’t recall it off the top of my head, because when you are working, you are just focused on what is being said so much,” he said.

Almost 90 percent of all court reporters are women, but Roberts knows that men can do the job, too, and do it well.

“I love my job but I get to travel, I do some captioning — which is live captioning for live television shows — and I wish people would know about all of the opportunities there are for court reporters,” he said. “It frustrates me that we have a shortage of reporters. People have the wrong idea that it is going to be replaced by audio recordings, but I don’t see that happening. There are so many parts of this industry that are growing.”

CourtScribes.com like Mr. Roberts, is 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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

 

Top Manhattan Court Reporter Sues to Get His Job Back

Posted on: September 2nd, 2019 by Dependable Website Management No Comments

manhattan_courthouseA former top stenographer for Manhattan (New York) civil courts claims he was wrongly fired. And that same Manhattan court reporter sues to get his state job back. John Phelps is claiming in a new suit against the New York state court system that some of his alleged misconduct had been authorized by Manhattan’s chief clerk.

 

What Happened to Phelps

Phelps oversaw a team of roughly 60 people who create the official records of trials, arguments and other matters at four state courthouses, said the lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court. Phelps’ suit against the New York State Unified Court System is seeking reinstatement of his job as a court reporter.

According to the court documents, some colleagues testified in Phelps’ defense and spoke highly of him, but other witnesses said he did little actual supervising and took home tens of thousands of dollars a year by disregarding the part of his job description that said he should only “rarely” transcribe proceedings.

 

What Was Said in the Courts

According to the judicial hearing decision, Phelps was chronically late, delegated much of his administrative work to a “deputy” and picked simple reporting jobs for himself. He also “borrowed” thousands of dollars from an account meant to buy gifts for judges and his staff and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor petty theft in connection with his use of that money.

 

“As one who has devoted over half a century to public service, it is not easy to recommend the termination of employment of another public servant,” said Joseph Fisch, a retired judge who heard the court’s case against Phelps. “But I cannot faithfully discharge my responsibility by failing to take notice of the portrait of the respondent that emerged after the evidence presented to me.”

 

Fisch wrote that Phelps was a “bully” who threatened to fire employees who crossed him.

Phelps argued that he had a clean record in his two decades as a court reporter, saying in his lawsuit that the court system crossed the line by firing him. He produced an email from early in his tenure as principal court reporter where John Werner, the recently retired chief clerk of the Manhattan Supreme Court Civil Term, told him it would be “no problem” for him to work with referees or take daily assignments from judges.

And Phelps also said he reimbursed the gift account or shelled out from his own pocket to buy gifts that used to be paid by the fund. He said he pleaded to petty larceny and took a sentence of 10 days’ community service and some $2,500 in restitution to avoid a felony charge.

CourtScribes.com is 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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

What to Ask When Hiring a Court Reporter

Posted on: June 24th, 2019 by Dependable Website Management No Comments

So You Want to be a Court ReporterMore times than not, law firms give very little thought to the court reporting firm they will use in litigation. They assume all firms have court reporters who are similarly trained and experienced. Sometimes they stick with a court reporting service they have traditionally used without assessing whether the reporters are meeting the law firm’s needs in the most effective way. These law firms may be doing themselves and their clients a disservice. This blog post will examine what to ask when hiring a court reporter.

Choosing a highly experienced court reporter can make the deposition process easier, ensure the accuracy and integrity of the record, decrease the stress on your legal team and clients, and save time and money for all involved.

When choosing the right court reporting firm to support depositions, it will help to ask the following questions about the company’s reporters.

Is the Court Reporter Confident & Professional?

It is important that a court reporter presents themselves in a secure and professional manner throughout an entire deposition. This involves showing up on time for court and turning transcripts around in a prompt manner. While this is important, it is even more important, critical even, for the accuracy of the record that your court reporter is assertive and in control of the deposition.

For example:

As an officer of the court, court reporters have a duty to ensure the accuracy of the record. That accuracy of the reporter’s work can have an impact on issues as important as settlement negotiations and examination and cross-examination of witnesses. It is critical that attorneys use professional, and experienced court reporters for their depositions.

 

Has the Reporter Deposed in Highly Technical Litigation?

Many law firms who regularly use court reporting services handle complex litigation and having the right court reporter can be invaluable. Cases involving pharmaceuticals, medical malpractice, mass torts, intellectual property, or similar issues will involve highly technical terminology. The court reporter should be familiar. This helps ensure a complete and accurate record that you can rely on in the event of a trial or an appeal.

Does the Reporter Have Access to Tech That Improves the Deposition Experience?

Court reporting firms have access to many types of technology that can increase the convenience and reliability of the deposition process. The tools a high-quality court reporting firm should provide include:

If law firms want to maximize efficiency, they should make sure to choose a full-service court reporting firm. Seek a court reporting service that provides not only top-notch reporters but also the full-service assistance you need for a successful deposition.

 

CourtScribes.com is 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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

What is a Court Reporter

Posted on: June 17th, 2019 by Dependable Website Management No Comments

legal.booksThere are many professions that simply do not get the spotlight that they deserve. We know that we need talented doctors, dentists, and teachers. But there are other professionals who have amazing skills in essential positions. A court reporting career showcases those with those amazing skills.

Along with the more celebrated lawyers and paralegals, court reporters are the lifeblood of the legal discovery and depositions business. The role of a court reporter is essential to the legal process. It is quite amazing that it isn’t marketed enough to young adults when choosing their career path. This article should shed a light on the basics of court reporting and the court reporter career outlook. And maybe this will inspire and locate the talent to pursue this career, or encourage another excellent fit.

 

What is a Court Reporter

A court reporter, sometimes known as a stenographer or shorthand reporter, transcribes the spoken word/testimony at court hearings, depositions, trials, arbitrations, or other official proceedings. While there are several types of tools and technology used to make the record, the primary method today is a steno machine, a word processor with a modified 22-button keyboard, upon which words are “written” phonetically.

A certified court reporter must be able to write at, minimally, a 95% accuracy rate at 225 words per minute. This is no simple task. Higher level certifications require rates of up to 260 words per minute. Elite court reporters even offer a service known as “realtime”, where their record is streamed, obviously in real time to laptops and tablets in the room.

Often court reporters take work outside the courtroom. One of the most common gigs is captioning services for radio and TV broadcasts for the hearing-impaired. Court reporters working in closed captioning often also provide realtime captioning for corporate events, live concerts, sporting events, and conventions.

 

Why are Court Reporters Important

Court reporters are an integral part of the legal process. They are responsible for preparing and recording verbatim the transcripts of proceedings to be used by the litigants, the attorneys, and the judges. Court reporters also serve the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities by providing realtime captions for live television programs, as well as one-on-one personalized services in educational and public environments.

 

How Long is the Court Reporting Program

Typically, a court reporting school is a two or three year program. It can take up to three to five years to complete the court reporter training. It is highly dependent on the amount of effort put into developing the skill set to become a reporter.

Check out the list of certified schools and programs on file with the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) to find the right fit for you!

 

 

 

Is Certification Required

In some states, certification is required. The most recognized certifications are those offered through the NCRA. The entry-level Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) requires passing a skills test with 95% accuracy at 225 words per minute. There is also the advanced Registered Merit Reporter (RMR) certification, which requires 95% accuracy at 260 words per minute. A higher standard and accreditation. According to the NCRA, the highest level of certification available is the Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR). The Diplomate Reporter differentiates the advanced, veteran reporters as the elite in the profession.

 

What Personality Traits Should Court Reporters Possess

 

How Much Can a Court Reporter Make

Just as anything else in life, what you get out of something depends on what sort of effort you put into it! Court reporting is no different. Salaries can range depending on one’s situation. Many reporters work as independent contractors at their own pace, taking jobs to match their lifestyle. Other reporters work in fulltime positions within the court system. It is about choosing what is best for you.

As of April 2019, the average annual salary for a court reporter was $56,000+. Reporters who have invested in continuing education, advanced certification, and cutting-edge technology typically earn $100,000+.

 

What Types of Court Reporters are There

It is important to remember that there are different types of jobs for those who master the skills required to become a court reporter.

freelance court reporter is an independent contractor, or one who works for one or more court reporting agencies. Their work primarily consists of recording testimony taken in the discovery phase of a case (depositions), as well as meetings, arbitrations, and hearings.

An official court reporter is typically hired by a court system and works inside the courtroom. These reporters are generally full-time employees of the court and work regular hours.

 

What is the Court Reporting Career Outlook

In a word: Strong!

There is a critical shortage of stenographic reporters across the nation. In 2013, the NCRA commissioned a report on the impact of the shortage in the industry. The Court Reporting Industry Outlook Report, concluded that the demand for court reporters would exceed the supply within five years (2018).

Nationwide an additional 5,500 stenographic reporters would be needed to fill the void. The profession fell drastically short on meeting demand and many stenographic schools closed. This resulted in fewer enrollees, and fewer professionals entering the field. These numbers also didn’t consider the number that have and will continue to retire.

Due to the necessity of court reporters in legal proceedings, it’s a profession that is at its prime to enter. Larger metropolitan areas are in desperate need for new professionals. Agencies will often move you to locations with more jobs than you could ever hope to cover. The areas that are seeing the greatest demand for new reporters are California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Washington, D.C.

There has long been speculation that technology will take over the court reporter’s job. Many courts and court reporting agencies are implementing new technology, such as digital reporters, to fill the deficit of stenographic reporters.

The problem though, is that these new technologies are unable to provide many elite services that experienced stenographic reporters deliver, such as real-time. Stenographic reporters are, and will be, an essential piece in the legal landscape. The profession is here to stay and joining now can provide you with a fascinating career for the rest of your life.

So what are you waiting for. Sign up for a class now.

Illinois Court Reporter Lobbies Lawmakers

Posted on: May 13th, 2019 by Dependable Website Management No Comments
kim_cottrell_photo

Illinois court reporter Kim Cottrell with Senator Tammy Duckworth.

Great news for the court reporting world is coming out of Illinois. A certified shorthand reporter with the Illinois Eighth Judicial Circuit was in Washington last week advocating for the court reporting profession at the National Court Reporter Association’s 2019 Leadership and Legislative Boot Camp.

 

Kim Cottrell, who has worked in the Eighth Circuit for two years, met with staffers from U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood and Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin. It was a fruitful meeting.

 

“My experience at Boot Camp was life changing,” Cottrell said. “It gave me the confidence to continue to advocate for court reporting in any arena; particularly, its superiority over electronic recording in our state courts.”

 

What Did She Do

While meeting with congressional staffers, Cottrell, a member of the Illinois Court Reporters Association Board of Director, urged the lawmakers to support the reauthorization of the Training for Realtime Writers grants under the Higher Education Act enacted in 2009.

 

The legislation created a grant program to train realtime writers to provide both captioned information and communication access for 30 million Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing. Programs established with past grants also aided working reporters in learning and polishing realtime skills.

The National Court Reporters Association represents stenographic court reporters, captioners, and legal videographers. And boy are we thankful for them and their representation.

 

What Did the Boot Camp Provide

The Boot Camp provided sessions on politics and grassroots lobbying, effective press communications and what to expect when visiting lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Other session provided mock hearings and tips for promoting the profession to consumer groups, as well as how to testify before legislators.

This is something that can only help the court reporting industry which can use any help it can get. We have shown in previous posts here at CourtScribes.com that there is a dire shortage of reporters out there.

CourtScribes.com is 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, Gaithersberg, and Rockville.

This blog page, as well as the rest of this really exceptional website was designed by Dependable Website Management. If you think this website looks good and has been informative, don’t hesitate to click the link and take a look at what Dependable Website Management has to offer in the way of web development, social media marketing & management, web hosting, directory management and much more. DWM does amazing work, provides excellent customer service and has a team with over 50 years of combined web development, SEO, SEM and internet marketing experience.

Stenographer Shortages Hit Illinois Too

Posted on: April 2nd, 2019 by Dependable Website Management No Comments
Court reporters

There is a continued need for court reporters

Courtscribes.com has written before about the shortages that have hit the court reporting industry. Well, that trend continues as now the state of Illinois is waving the red flag.

 

Nicole Kopec, who is the court reporting supervisor in the Eighth Judicial Circuit of Illinois, knows that court reporters in the West-Central Illinois area are stretched thin. She knows this because she travels to various counties to make sure reporters are available when needed. And she’s not the only one.

Kopec sees many court reporters, including herself, traveling across the circuit up to four days a week.

 

The Eighth Judicial Circuit is meant to have twelve court reporters to notate the events in various criminal and civil cases. Currently, there are seven reporters for the eighth-county circuit because several court reporters have retired and there are no replacements.

Court reporter Shannon Niekamp, who works in the Adams County Courthouse, said her day consists of various court hearings and preparing transcripts.

“I like being busy, so it doesn’t bother me,” Niekamp said. “You get to be in the action (of the courtroom) without doing anything. You’re just a neutral party preserving the record.”

Kopec and Niekamp both heard when they decided to become court reporters that their profession would soon be eliminated with technological advances, but they remain certain that there will always be a need for court reporters.

Niekamp said, “Somebody is always going to have be there to transcribe the record and make sure it’s accurate. There are so many times where the audio — even in this county — where it doesn’t work.”

Kopec once was working during a jury trial when the courthouse lost power.

“I was there, so we got to keep going on with the jury trial,” she said. “And I think any reporter will tell you that what we do is way better quality than anything that you can take off the electronic recording. Attorneys talk over each other. There is no one to tell them to stop or slow down.”

Court reporters test at 225 words per minute. Employed by the state of Illinois, a newly-certified court reporter’s salary starts at about $30,000 and can climb up to $47,000 if they are real-time certified, which is similar to closed captioning on TV. Court reporters also are able to earn extra money for preparing transcripts.

Anyone interested in exploring a career in court reporting can visit the National Court Reporters Association website. It also offers a free introductory course. Training programs are site-based or online, and can be completed in two and a half to four and a half years on average. Illinois allows court reporters who aren’t yet licensed to work for up to a year before they become certified.

“There’s been reporters who have completed it in 19 months,” Kopec said. “It’s possible to do it quick. It’s all up to you.”

As you know from previous articles, this continues to be a problem all around the United States. Luckily, we at courtscribes.com have plenty of reporters for your court reporting needs. Contact now to find out what is needed to take advantage of our many services.

Mount Hope Student Is Fastest Court Reporter

Posted on: March 18th, 2019 by Dependable Website Management No Comments
maia_morgan_courtscribes

Maia Morgan, the winner of Plaza College’s 2019 National Court Reporting Association Student Speed Competition.

Mount Hope resident Maia Morgan from the Bronx is one of twelve winners in Plaza College’s 2019 National Court Reporting Association Student Speed Competition.

With over 100 students racing against the clock and racing against each other to see who was the fastest and most accurate court reporter in honor of National Court Reporting and Capturing Week, Morgan was the best.

Morgan and her peers were to transcribe using a stenotype. It is a specialized shorthand machine which interfaces with a customized laptop, and take dictation at various speeds as they train to become professional court reporters. Morgan has proven that she is good enough to be hired by CourtScribes, which houses the best in the business.

A stenotype keyboard has fewer keys than a conventional alphanumeric keyboard. It is usually used for court reporting purposes. Multiple keys are pressed simultaneously to spell out whole syllables, words, and phrases with a single hand motion. Since the keyboard does not contain all the letters of the English alphabet, letter combinations are substituted for the missing characters.

 

“Using the stenotype machine is almost like learning another language,” Morgan expressed.

 

Morgan types at an impressive 120 words per minute with 96% accuracy. To graduate, she will have to increase her speed to 225 words per minute. Morgan aspires to one day work as a stenographer in either the supreme or civil court. She finds being a court reporter an exciting career option and encourages everyone to give it a try.

“Maintaining the required speed and trying not to think too hard while typing are challenges, but they can be overcome through practice and patience,” Morgan said.

She said making one’s fingers nimble is key to increasing typing speed. Morgan suggested learning to play an instrument such as a piano or guitar to establish muscle memory.

According to Karen Santucci, Plaza College Court Reporting chairwoman and NYS Court Reporters Association vice president, stenographers are very vital. They keep records for legal hearings and trials; grand juries; depositions; government meetings and hearings at local, state and federal levels; as well as TV closed captioning and services for the hearing impaired.

“Our role is crucial because we record and preserve the accurate accounts of trials, depositions, grand juries and other crucial aspects of the legal system which are essential to ensuring the fair administration of justice,” Santucci explained.

Court reporters’ records ensure fair trials and serve as the basis for appeals and other cornerstones of the entire American legal process. These professionals (court reporters), 90% of whom are women, are responsible for preserving the historical record of legal proceedings and serve as crucial documentarians ensuring reliability.

Court reporters’ salaries can top $100,000 a year. If you have trained to be a court reporter or you are in need of one, go to the website courtscribes.com to see how you can become a part of the team, or contact to hire a reporter.

Plaza College is NYC’s sole court stenographer program, with 200 students currently enrolled. Plaza College has a 70% graduation rate across all of their offered programs and more specifically a 73% retention rate within the court reporting program. A true sign of a successful program putting out successful reporters.