A court reporter is considered to be an officer of the court. It takes hard work, dedication, and experience to be a good reporter. But, if you want to be the best you need something extra, something additional, something that would separate you from the rest of the crowd. It’s how well you learn and how fast you learn that will make you a great court reporter. Here, are some tips that can make you a successful and effective court reporter.
Attention to Detail A good court reporter pays attention but a better court reporter will always have attention to detail skill. Whether it be grammar or taking down the notes, a successful court reporter will always be thorough and ensure that all the transcripts are accurate and of the highest quality.
Excellent Writing Skills A court report ought to develop and maintain accurate and fast writing speeds. A court reporter would have to record spoken conversations into text, therefore their writing speed should be at least 225 words per minute on their stenotype machines. The speed and writing accuracy will ensure that whatever is being recorded during the legal proceeding is accurate.
Integrity Integrity is the moral quality of being honest and fair. A court reporter must have integrity. This quality is needed because it is important for a court reporter to remain impartial during the legal proceedings.
Good Listeners Court reporters must be good listeners. Having active listening skills means giving one’s full attention to what another person is saying. The court reporter is expected to give their full attention to multiple people who are involved in the legal proceedings.
Being a learner always Court reporter must be dedicated to continual learning. Like all other professions, when it comes to court reporting the learning doesn’t stop with school. There are always many certifications to strive for and also many experienced court reporters from whom you can learn. Well acquainted with technical vocabulary: Court reporters must develop a large technical vocabulary. Along with knowing the legal terminology, it is important for court reporters to expand their vocabulary into other fields as well such as business and medicine. This will help the court reporter when he or she is assigned to a highly technical case where this terminology will be used often.