Things are changing in the court reporting industry, and CourtScribes offers services that will help clients keep up with the major changes driven by budget cuts, court reporter shortages and new technology.

Although some proceedings in Florida still call for the presence of a traditional stenographer, the profession is being driven by technological change. Courts can no longer afford to have a stenographer in every courtroom and at every hearing, and the shortage of qualified stenographers makes the situation even more difficult.

CourtScribes remains at the forefront of technological changes by combining video, audio, and cloud technology with traditional stenography to offer unparalleled speed and accuracy in its verbatim record keeping.

The company uses professional-level recording systems to bring the most sophisticated digital technology into the private marketplace and provide the highest-quality transcripts, using computer-based digital systems with enhanced features that perform recording functions with convenience, flexibility, and economy.

Electronic recording equipment is overseen by an experienced reporter at all times. The reporter simultaneously takes notes that are time-linked to the corresponding recording, so people involved with the case can instantly find the point in the record where they want to re-listen.

Because primary participants are assigned to separate, discrete sound channels, it’s easy to identify who’s who.

“This voice isolation feature permits a full and accurate transcription of exactly what was said — and who said it — because each channel can be listened to individually,” entrepreneur and professor Barry Unger wrote in a company white paper.

A typical four-channel system individually records the judge, witness, plaintiff’s attorney and defendant’s attorney. When two or more parties talk at the same time, digital reporting captures each voice clearly on its own separate sound channel.

The recording process captures all words exactly as they are spoken without worrying about a person being unable to understand accents or dialects — which can lead to misunderstanding the meaning of testimony — as well as complex medical or technical terms.

Any portion of a recorded proceeding can be played back over audio speakers whenever the judge or counsel requires it.  Audio also can be replayed for jurors if they wish to review actual spoken testimony during deliberations.

Counsel can also obtain copies of the actual recording with digital annotations “hot-linked” to the audio so points of interest can be located quickly and efficiently.

Another benefit is that both log notes and audio files are transmitted over the internet, reducing or eliminating shipping costs and delivery delays. Storage and archiving are efficient because audio and log notes are saved as computer files.

Storage and archiving are efficient and compact because there are cassettes to store or reporters’ paper notes to file.

A court reporter shortage means choosing the career could set you up for success in the job market.

All around the country, there’s a court reporter shortage. In South Carolina, that shortage has become particularly acute.

The Charleston Post and Courier reports that more than a quarter of that state’s court reporter positions are vacant. Those vacancies are resulting in delays and last-minute cancellations of proceedings across the state, the newspaper reports.

According to the Post and Courier:

Rescheduled hearings can mean additional expenses for litigants, according to a Family Court judge who said she and others on the bench are upset by how they say the state has failed to recruit and hire reporters.

The Supreme Court slowly adopts new technology

If you want to follow a strong career path and become a court reporter, there are some practical steps you can take.

Here are a few of them.

Pick an area of specialization

According to CourtReporter EDU.org, there are multiple paths you can take in this versatile career. “Although all court reporter programs have the same, basic structure as to prepare students for state licensure and/or professional certification, some schools divide their court reporter programs in a number of ways to best prepare students for specific areas of court reporting, while others provide a more comprehensive approach to court reporting.”

Be sure you’re prepared for the court reporter program

CourtReporter EDU.org writes, “Students are then often required to rent or purchase a model computerized writer for CAT classes. Purchasing a new computerized writer may cost upwards of $2,000, while used models can be purchased for as little as $400. Given the cost of computerized writers, many students choose to rent these models. Software for the computerized writers may also cost an additional $100 to $500. Individuals should also be prepared to take entrance exams prior to being accepted into a court reporter program. Entrance exams are usually in typing and English, and students should have an excellent grasp of the English language before applying to a court reporter program.”

Complete your program

“The path to a court reporting career is rather standard in terms of education. Specifically, individuals must complete a recognized court reporting program. However, where this education is obtained may differ, as court reporting programs are available in a number of institutions, from community colleges to dedicated court reporter schools. A court reporting program may therefore result in an associate’s degree or professional diploma or certificate, depending on the institution in which the program is located,” writes CourtReporter EDU.org. “It is common for court reporting programs to be quite flexible, with many institutions offering a number of online courses and day and evening classes to accommodate today’s busy lifestyles.”

There’s still a place for courtroom stenography in the technological revolution by court reporting agency CourtScribes.

With a shortage looming, a group of Texas court reporters has taken the unusual step of raising money to educate the next generation of court reporters.

The Texas Deposition Reporters Association has raised $11,000 to help fund Project Steno, which provides educational opportunities for stenographers. According to a press release:

There is a very critical nationwide shortage of court reporters affecting the legal system, and many in the industry are coming together to employ creative solutions to solve this looming crisis. Project Steno is designed to help promising new reporting students, recruited through a free introduction to court reporting known as the Steno A to Z Program, with their court reporting school tuition. TEXDRA recently concluded its first successful Steno A to Z class, and there are several more classes happening statewide; the program is also now featured online.

The initial first step in Project Steno’s 4-step plan is to engage prospective court reporting students in one of many A to Z programs being delivered by volunteer court reporters across the U.S. Students who graduate from an A to Z program and are then accepted by Project Steno will be offered tuition assistance when they choose to attend a Project Steno Partner Program. TEXDRA is very proud to be engaged in this complementary, innovative and unprecedented effort.

“Nothing we face as a profession is more important than joining forces to stimulate interest in the opportunities available through a career in court reporting,” said David Ross, president of TEXDRA. “We put out an appeal to our members for Project Steno, and we raised over $10,000 in what felt like a blink of an eye. TEXDRA’s members are the best!”

While there is the possibility of shortages of court reporters, in many ways, there’s never been a better time to be part of the business, thanks to advances in technology, solid salaries, and increasing demand.

The high tech solutions adopted by CourtScribes Miami court reporters could help solve personnel shortages.

In some states, there’s a shortage of a key ingredient in the smooth running of courthouses. That kind of shortage points out one of the advantages inherent in the technology embrace by the Miami court reporters of CourtScribes.

One of the states facing court reporter shortages is South Carolina. According to the Charleston Post & Courier:

A lack of court reporters in South Carolina — trained stenographers who transcribe verbatim records of proceedings — is causing last-minute cancellations of hearings ranging from divorces to criminal pleas. To officials and observers, this means time wasted, taxpayer money lost and added stress on victims, witnesses and families.

While court reporters often blend into the background, proceedings grind to a halt in their absence.

“It’s one spoke in the whole gear, but it’s stopping up the whole system,” said 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson, who oversees prosecutions in Horry and Georgetown counties. “Everybody’s been impacted.”

More than a quarter of court reporter positions within the S.C. Judicial Department are vacant. With 36 job openings and only 94 reporters working in family and circuit courts across the state, officials said it can be difficult and sometimes impossible to find an employee to fill in when a reporter calls off work.

CourtScribes’ Miami court reporters use technology to revolutionize the court reporting process, which helps overcome such shortages.

The company uses advances in cloud computing, audio and video technology to enhance its courtroom stenography services, building a more accurate and accessible record while bringing down costs in the process.

“CourtScribes is changing the court reporting industry by using Internet age technology to create the official record of court proceedings, using remote transcriptionists and charging attorneys up to 50% less than what they now pay, and as … a disruptive technology will not only improve the quality of services, but also ultimately extend and even democratize the use of services that are today often restricted only to high profile or high dollar value cases,” writes Barry Unger, a professor and entrepreneur, in a white paper.

Litigants may soon be able to go to court online, part of the wave of digital innovation pioneered by Miami court reporters agency CourtScribes.

Britain is embarking on an experiment in virtual courtrooms that could be the next step in a technological revolution begun by pioneers like Miami court reporters CourtScribes.

The Guardian reports that claimants will be able to start attending UK Tax Appeal court via video link beginning this Spring. According to the newspaper:

The new system will allow claimants to attend a hearing while at home or work, rather than having to give up a day to travel to court.

The pilot programme is part of a £1bn modernisation drive by the Ministry of Justice that is expected to expand remote hearings into other court areas. Couples applying for divorce can already conduct the process online.

Tax tribunals rule on claims about disputed assessments by HM Revenue and Customs. The hearings will involve a judge in a court taking evidence from claimants over the internet.

The software that enables the parties to communicate is free to install, according to the MoJ. If claimants wish to be represented, their lawyers can sit alongside them at their computer, or participate remotely via video link.

It’s the kind of innovation that is becoming more commonplace, thanks to digital pioneers such as the Miami court reporters of CourtScribes.

Entrepreneur and professor Barry Unger, in a white paper, writes that CourtScribes is leading a wave of change in creating and accessing verbatim records of legal proceedings.

Unger writes: “CourtScribes is changing the court reporting industry by using Internet age technology to create the official record of court proceedings, using remote transcriptionists and charging attorneys up to 50% less than what they now pay, and as … a disruptive technology will not only improve the quality of services, but also ultimately extend and even democratize the use of services that are today often restricted only to high profile or high dollar value cases.”

The buildings may be classical, but Miami court reporters know changes are taking place in the legal system.

Miami court reporters agency CourtScribes is on the cutting edge of technology that’s changing courtrooms across the country.

The court reporting agency uses the latest in technology to help lower costs while increasing the quality of verbatim records, democratizing the legal process. It’s part of a big set of changes that’s coming to the legal system and affecting not just court reporting, but the way evidence is presented as well.

Law Technology Today, in a report about a new audio visual system in a courthouse, points out, “The jurors of today are communicating with smart phones, texting and sending e-mails.  They take pictures and videos with their phones, posting them on Facebook and YouTube, and communicate their moment-to-moment thoughts and reactions on Twitter. This new generation of jurors is accustomed to the instantaneous delivery of information using the latest technology.  As lawyers, we need to use the technology to which this group is accustomed if we expect to effectively communicate with them.”

As lawyers adjust to presenting evidence in different ways, the court reporting profession is in the middle of similar changes.

According to Jesse Caitland of essentialbusinsses.com, more technology in the courtroom has not meant job losses for court reporters, as it has for some other fields. In fact, she writes: “Court reporters have benefited in a significant way by embracing key technologies and maintaining the traditional values of professionalism, punctuality and other traits.”

Caitland points out that there’s no substitute for the judgment of a professional when it comes to such an important function as court reporting.

The Miami court reporters at CourtScribes see technology as a major opportunity. Cloud computing combined with digital and audio advances put Courtscribes ahead of the pack when it comes to both accuracy and cost. CourtScribes embrace of technology allows it to charge less and deliver more than competitors.

As virtual reality explodes, it will make its way into the courtroom in a way similar to the Miami court reporters of CourtScribes.

Technology in the courtroom is getting much more powerful and the Miami court reporters at CourtScribes are at the forefront.

Technological change in the courtroom ranges from the video, audio and cloud technology used by CourtScribes to the virtual reality on the verge of more widespread use. And no doubt virtual reality will become more available, Forbes reports:

Seeing VR in the courts is set to ‘rapidly’ change in the next few years according to FBI agents and VR specialists. Not a good thing for criminals for sure but not without issue either.

The Newseum and Immersion (a VR production house) have created an interesting example – although not used in law courts – that shows the potential VR has within the legal system. The first ‘experience’ surrounds the Unabomber bombings (1975-1999). Users will be able to explore the primitive cabin where the Unabomber was captured, pick up objects and play detective, immersing themselves in scenes and scenarios that actually happened. Terry Turchie, the FBI agent who ran the task force on that case, narrates the story, which presents the user with important questions about the journalistic ethics involved in deciding whether to publish potentially controversial content.

Is this the future of criminalistics? Can VR really help convict criminals? It’s already happening according to Turchie; “The law enforcement profession is rapidly embracing virtual reality technology to enhance crime scene investigations, crime scene training, and courtroom presentations. Virtual reality technology will play an ever-evolving role, indoors and out, through the use of 3D imaging, mobile mapping, and precision use of measurements, photos and capabilities to secure and preserve crime scenes and evidence.” Currently, mass adoption is only being stopped by the cost of these systems and content per Turchie; “As the cost of using VR technology comes down, it will be widely available to police departments, small and large, to train officers and detectives in the art of crime scene investigations, from honing their observations to recording and collecting evidence.

The coming virtual reality is one thing. But the Miami court reporters of CourtScribes have been offering more accuracy for lower prices thanks to technology before now.

The company uses advances in cloud computing, audio and video technology to enhance its courtroom stenography services, building a more accurate and accessible record while bringing down costs in the process.

“CourtScribes is changing the court reporting industry by using Internet age technology to create the official record of court proceedings, using remote transcriptionists and charging attorneys up to 50% less than what they now pay, and as … a disruptive technology will not only improve the quality of services, but also ultimately extend and even democratize the use of services that are today often restricted only to high profile or high dollar value cases,” writes Barry Unger, a professor and entrepreneur, in a white paper.

There’s still a place for courtroom stenography in the technological revolution by Miami court reporters CourtScribes.

There’s still a place for stenography in the courtroom. But the Miami court reporters of CourtScribes are changing the game by adding other services as well.

CourtScribes uses the latest technological tools to pursue the oldest goal in the business, verbatim records of key proceedings. Along the way, the Miami court reporters are driving down cost, thanks to expert use of those tools.

Here are three things CourtScribes does differently that make it an industry disruptor.

Free HD video

Thanks to the latest in video and cloud computing technology, CourtScribes is able to offer free HD video of proceedings.

Normally, videography can be even more expensive than standard services. But CourtScribes offers this service without additional cost.

Online repository

CourtScribes’ private online repository makes it possible for you to access transcripts, videos and exhibits no matter where you are and no matter what kind of device you’re using.

The company is able to do this thanks to its cloud computing prowess.

Live Streaming

For a small additional cost, CourtScribes provides live streaming of proceedings.

That service allows for enhanced trial support. “CourtScribes is able to leverage its process and technology to provide live and on-demand video or audio recording to attorneys in the office at marginal cost. Attorneys not only benefit from a less expensive transcript but the video and/or audio recording provides them with a more accurate and complete record,” Barry Unger, a professor and entrepreneur writes.

Unger points out that the company is able to do its work for less than most competitors, and is forging a new standard for court reporting.

“Looking at the already successful implementations of CourtScribes’ technology and internet based service, I can see an analogous type of phenomenon beginning to happen in the legal industry, where court reporting and videography will become a new standard, a “no-brainer” as it were, for the legal professional, and thus extend both the amount and uses of legal reporting, and its practicality and availability to a larger part of the public the legal industry serves,” he writes.

Miami court reporters CourtScribes are ready to take on 2018.

Change has swept through courtrooms for a decade. This year will be no different, and the Miami court reporters at Courtscribes are leading the way.

Courtscribes court reporters use the latest in internet, audio and video technology to go beyond courtroom stenography into a new era. And it’s leading a technological revolution at the right time, as increased demands and retirements lead to a court reporting shortage.

According to Ducker Worldwide: “Increased legal activity and new opportunities will drive demand despite the steady transition of some courts to digital recording. Decreased enrollment and graduation rates for court reporters, combined with significant retirement rates, will create by 2018 a critical shortfall projected to represent nearly 5,500 court reporting positions.”

Among the services Courtscribes is pioneering:

• Videography—Typically, even more expensive than court reporting. No matter how complex your case, expect a perfect video record of your proceeding at no additional cost.
• Perfect record keeping—We pride ourselves in creating a completely accurate, verbatim transcript no matter how chaotic the environment.
• Private online repository—With CourtScribes’ Private Online Repository, you are able to acesss all of your transcripts, exhibits and videos no matter where you are. Whether it be by phone, tablet, or PC, you can access all of your transcripts, exhibits, and on-demand videos sorted by each individual case.

Entrepreneur and professor Barry Unger writes: “CourtScribes is changing the court reporting industry by using Internet age technology to create the official record of court proceedings, using remote transcriptionists and charging attorneys up to 50% less than what they now pay, and as … a disruptive technology will not only improve the quality of services, but also ultimately extend and even democratize the use of services that are today often restricted only to high profile or high dollar value cases.”

And that will continue this year and into the future.

Miami court reporter company Courtscribes is leading the way in tech.

Brooklyn, N.Y., recently became the latest entrant in the high-tech courtroom sweepstakes, adopting the kind of technology pioneered by Miami court reporter company Courtscribes.

Referred to as the Kings County Integrated Courtroom Technology Part, the family court features cameras, screens and audio equipment setup for video conferencing and remote court interpreting. Evidence can also be shared remotely. Wi-Fi will now all be available in all New York City Family Courts, the Brooklyn Eagle reports.

“Today is yet one more example of NYC Family Courts standing as one of the most innovative courts in our state and in the nation,” said Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence K. Marks. “Family Court is our first paperless court in the state and is probably the largest paperless court in the country. What an achievement that was and now the court will further benefit from this cutting-edge technology.”

It’s the kind of technology pioneered by Miami court reporter company Courtscribes.

Entrepreneur and professor Barry Unger, in a white paper, writes that the Fort Lauderdale court reporting agency is leading a wave of change to disrupt the centuries-old profession.

Unger writes: “CourtScribes is changing the court reporting industry by using Internet age technology to create the official record of court proceedings, using remote transcriptionists and charging attorneys up to 50% less than what they now pay, and as … a disruptive technology will not only improve the quality of services, but also ultimately extend and even democratize the use of services that are today often restricted only to high profile or high dollar value cases.”

Here are some of Courtscribes’ services:

• An experienced court reporter oversees recording equipment and takes simultaneous notes.  Digital annotations are time-linked to the recording so it’s a simple process to find and listen to actual testimony.
• Each primary participant in the proceeding is given a discreet sound channel so that each voice is distinct, eliminating confusion caused by cross talk. “This voice isolation feature permits a full and accurate transcription of exactly what was said — and who said it — because each channel can be listened to individually,” Unger writes.
• Because of the quality of the recordings, court reporters are less obtrusive than in more traditional court stenography. Unger writes, “The recording process captures all words exactly as spoken — then in transcription the audio can be replayed as needed to verify verbatim accuracy.”
• Lawyers or other interested parties can obtain copies of the digital recording as well as the transcript, and, “With digital annotations directly “hot-linked” to the audio, points of interest are located quickly and efficiently,” Unger writes.

The Supreme Court refused slowly adopts new technology

Even the U.S. Supreme Court doesn’t use the technology available through CourtScribes’ Miami court reporters. But the high court is taking steps to become more tech savvy.

The Associated Press reported in November that the Supreme Court has started making new legal filings available online. According to the news agency:

Can livestreamed audio of arguments and even televised sessions be far behind? Yes, they can.

But advocates of court openness will take what they can get for now, especially because the Supreme Court will not charge for documents. The federal courts’ PACER system does charge fees.

“Though the Supreme Court has moved glacially to join the rest of the judiciary in permitting online filing, that’s better than not at all, and the institution should be commended for creating an e-filing system that, unlike PACER, will be free and easily accessible to the public,” said Gabe Roth, executive director of Fix the Court.

Over the years, the justices have at times shown a glancing familiarity with technology. Some carry computer tablets with high court briefs loaded on them. But notes between justices are routinely sent on paper, definitely not by email.

Chief Justice John Roberts himself noted a few years back that the court stuck with pneumatic tubes to transmit newly released opinions from the courtroom to reporters waiting one floor below until 1971, long after their heyday.

Roberts said that it’s appropriate for courts “to be late to the harvest of American ingenuity” because their primary role is to resolve disputes fairly.

The Supreme Court’s position contrasts with the high tech offerings of Miami court reporters working with CourtScribes.

CourtScribes offers both complete standard court reporting services and advanced services other court reporting companies don’t have, including live, on-demand courtroom video.

“CourtScribes is embracing technology and leading the way in a new age of court reporting. They provided me with dramatically superior service and price,” says Justin Rundle of Rundle Law in Miami.