Court reporters play an essential role in legal proceedings. Their responsibility is to offer real-time access to a transcript of the case. The notes they provide after litigation are then used as official records and references by lawyers and judges, helping them to study the case further. Many reporters do not prefer working in legal settings. They may use their expertise to caption the recordings of the case.
These are some of the additional responsibilities of a court reporter.
- Report the speaker’s identification, actions, and gestures along with their spoken words.
- Use specialized stenography machines such as microphones and recording devices for better efficiency.
- Ask the speaker to speak clearly during the testimony.
- Provide legal counsels, courts, and involved parties with copies of their transcripts.
Thus, if you are looking forward to hiring a court reporter for your case, listening and writing skills are what you need to look for. However, there is one more crucial thing you need to consider while hiring a reporter. And that’s ensuring if they are licensed and certified.
Here are some licenses and certifications your reporter should have to make things easier for you. Read on to get in-depth knowledge about them.
- Registered Professional Reporter Certification
RPR or Registered Professional Reporter is one of a court reporter’s basic certifications. The reporters qualify for this certification by passing an exam focussing on skill tests on question responses and literary phrases. The candidate must also have a typing or writing speed of up to 225 words per minute.
The certification also involves reporters passing general knowledge tests that involve various Court Reporting practices. Additionally, the candidate must also complete three continuing education units to maintain the certification status.
- Registered Merit Reporter Certification
RMR or the Registered Merit Reporter certification is designed for mid-career reporters looking forward to taking their skills and career to a whole new level. If the potential candidate holds this certificate, it typically means that they are counted amongst the top in the country.
The certificate opens doors for many opportunities involving challenging and lucrative job opportunities. The certification is proof that the reporter is now a more valuable part of the judicial system.
- Certified Realtime Reporter
CRR or Certified Realtime Reporter is a certification exclusively designed for candidates who are willing to demonstrate real-time competency. With this certification, the reporters can now market themselves as real-time reporters with a cutting edge in the industry.
- Registered Diplomate Reporter Certification
RDR or Registered Diplomate Reporter is the highest degree of certification for elite reporters willing to exhibit exemplary skills.
The certification is presented to the industry’s most talented professionals looking forward to nurturing their careers. If your court reporter holds this certification, then you should be at ease thinking that you are working with the best of the best in the industry.
The bottom line
Even with efficient technology, court reporters are still very much in demand. They play an essential role in the US legal system by offering an unbiased record of court proceedings. Hopefully, the article was informative enough to shed some light on the necessary certification your court reporters should have.
