|
A court reporter is one of the central officials inside any American court. While lawyers and judges are what most people think of when they consider the people inside a courtroom, court reporters are an essential part of the function of justice. If you feel called to participate in the legal system, then a job as a court reporter might be right for you. What Do Court Reporters Do? Court reporters are tasked with recording the details of every courtroom proceeding held. The material produced by court reporters is used by newspaper writers, lawyers, law students, legal researchers, and anyone else interested in a particular case. A court reporter must make an accurate accounting of each stage of a courtroom proceeding. Statements by lawyers, defendants, plaintiffs, judges, and jury members are recorded verbatim. The legal arguments put forward during the course of a trial will also be put down for later lawyers to reference. In this way, an accurate record of contemporary legal proceedings is made in order for future lawyers to better defend their clients; legal scholars looking back on trials taking place today will use the information recorded to base their new arguments upon. In this way, the study of law moves forward. Inside the Court Room During a typical work day, a court reporter will receive a schedule of the legal proceedings they will be recording that day. The reporter will arrive at the designated courtroom and take their place; court reporters are usually seated near the judge's bench to better hear and see everything that happens. The reporter will notate everything that's said in real time, so transcription speed is a necessary skill to have. After the proceeding has completed for the day, the reporter will collect the records and retype them in a standardized format for filing. Data will be entered into the records to supply any additional information that's necessary. Because an accurate accounting is such a central part of a court reporter's job, anyone aspiring to do this work must be prepared for the physical and mental requirements. It may be necessary to be seated in a courtroom for several hours at a time. Court reporters can't allow themselves to be distracted from the proceedings going on around them, so intense focus is necessary. The transcripts entered into the official court record have to be typed up with precision and filed promptly; persistence and follow-through are important traits for any court reporter to posses. Legal employers have stated that their ideal court reporters are diligent, focused, and accurate and possess a strong natural work ethic. Related Work Court reporters have a number of skills that are useful in many different jobs. There is a great need in the business world for people who can record speeches and conversations with speed and accuracy. The many types of equipment used by court reporters are highly specialized and so people with experience using these items are sought after by many employers in the business, technology, and media industries. Working as a court reporter is a job tailor-made for people who are highly focused, detail-oriented, interested in the law. The work done by these specialized record keepers is a vital part of the American legal system. Lawrence Reaves writes for Cook and Wiley, a court reporting firm that focuses on providng quality court reporting services and they also offer video conferencing capabilities. For more information about Cook and Wiley visit this site.
Related Articles -
court reporting, court reporters, court reporter, court,
|
