All About A Court Reporter

By Tonia Merritt


The word reporter is often associated with individuals who do are in charge of disseminating news to the general public. There are other types of reporting however that are equally as important. One kind involves the production of accurate written accounts of all the speech that took place. This is what a court reporter new orleans does.

The main responsibility of these professionals is to write down the dialogues of all parties, from start to finish. He will have to make sure that everything is verbatim. For this to be possible, he will have to be fast but he will also have equipment to help him do this. Courts are usually the ones how hire them.

The skills required for this position can be honed by taking up courses. These are usually being offered by local institutions but there are also online schools for those who want a more flexible schedule. Some only want to learn the basic skills so they just get a certification. Others want advanced courses so they can specialize.

Once these courses have been completed, the professional must pass a set of exams first. By now, he should be able to type a certain number of words per minute and he should be highly accurate in the transcripts he has produced. Once he gets more experience, he can pursue an area of specialization such as real time reporting or live captioning.

These individuals could be working independently or they may be hired through an agency. Because of the sensitive nature of their work, they will often be required to certify the accuracy of the material they have produced. The salary is good though the job can be quite demanding. One has to be able to maintain concentration for long periods to provide a complete and accurate transcript.

As mentioned, there is a variety of equipment used to make reporting possible. The professional might use a stenography device to keep up with the speech of all parties. Another method would be to record the event by repeating exactly what has been said and then producing the transcription later on using another device or software.

It is important that the reporting be as exact as possible as it may be used in the decision making process. It makes it possible to review the statements of all the involved parties. It can therefore play a part in the conviction of an individual or in his freedom. It can also play a role in settlements.

Another thing that these people can do would be to provide captioning for television shows. When captions are produced real time, the viewer will be able to follow the event even if he has no ability to hear. The captions provide information so that the hearing impaired can keep up with the show.

A court reporter new orleans is someone who has been hired to provide a verbatim account of a proceeding. One can undergo training and certification to acquire the basic skills and acquire familiarity with various reporting devices. The professional is expected to be accurate and fast.




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