23-2091.00 - Court Reporters

Updated 2008

Summary Report for:
23-2091.00 - Court Reporters

Use verbatim methods and equipment to capture, store, retrieve, and transcribe pretrial and trial proceedings or other information. Includes stenocaptioners who operate computerized stenographic captioning equipment to provide captions of live or prerecorded broadcasts for hearing-impaired viewers.

Sample of reported job titles: Court Reporter, Freelance Court Reporter, Court Stenographer, Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR), Realtime Court Reporter, Court Monitor, Court Recording Monitor, Deposition Reporter, Freelance Court Stenographer, Stenographic Court Reporter

View report: Summary Details Custom

Tasks

Take notes in shorthand or use a stenotype or shorthand machine that prints letters on a paper tape.
Provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.
Record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks.
Transcribe recorded proceedings in accordance with established formats.
Ask speakers to clarify inaudible statements.
File a legible transcript of records of a court case with the court clerk's office.
File and store shorthand notes of court session.
Respond to requests during court sessions to read portions of the proceedings already recorded.
Record depositions and other proceedings for attorneys.
Verify accuracy of transcripts by checking copies against original records of proceedings and accuracy of rulings by checking with judges.

Tools & Technology

Tools used in this occupation:

Desktop computers

Notebook computers — Laptop computers

Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers — Personal digital assistants PDA

Photocopiers — Photocopying equipment

Stenotype machines

Technology used in this occupation:

Data base user interface and query software — Acclaim Legal Acclaim DepoManage; Chase Software Solutions Court Reporting Software; Courtpages; OMTI ReporterBase

Enterprise resource planning ERP software — Acculaw Court Reporters Billing Scheduling Job Management System ABSMS; ReporterWorks

Time accounting software — Equative TimeLedger

Voice recognition software — Courtroom Data Solutions Techlennium; Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking

Word processing software — Corel WordPerfect software; Microsoft Word; Thomson West LiveNote; VocEdit *

* Software developed by a government agency and/or distributed as freeware or shareware.

Knowledge

English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Law and Government — Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Skills

Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Equipment Selection — Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Instructing — Teaching others how to do something.

Troubleshooting — Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Work Activities

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Work Context

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Spend Time Sitting — How much does this job require sitting?

Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?

Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Telephone — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Time Pressure — How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

Freedom to Make Decisions — How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

Structured versus Unstructured Work — To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Job Zone

Title	Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Overall Experience	Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job Training	Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.
Job Zone Examples	These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include funeral directors, electricians, forest and conservation technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.
SVP Range	(6.0 to < 7.0)
Education	Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Interests

Interest code: CE

Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Enterprising — Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Work Styles

Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.

Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Work Values

Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Achievement — Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

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Wages & Employment Trends

National

Median wages (2008)	$23.90 hourly, $49,710 annual
Employment (2006)	19,000 employees
Projected growth (2006-2016)	Much faster than average (21% or higher)
Projected need (2006-2016)	8,000 additional employees

State & National

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008 wage data and 2006-2016 employment projections . "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2006-2016). "Projected need" represents job openings due to growth and net replacement.

Summary Report for: 23-2091.00 - Court Reporters