Learn About Becoming a Court Reporter

Court reporters make word-for-word records of what happens in court and other legal meetings. They help keep accurate records so everyone has a clear account of important events. If you pay close attention to details and like working with words, a career as a court reporter can be interesting, stable, and rewarding.

Becoming A Court Reporter

Court Reporter Career Information and Resources

A certified court reporter, court stenographer, or shorthand reporter (CSR) is a highly trained individual whose occupation is to capture the live testimony in proceedings using a stenographic, stenomask or voice writing machine. They produce verbatim transcripts of several types of legal proceedings that can include courtroom hearings, trials, depositions, discoveries, sworn statements, and other settings that go beyond the courtroom.

Both stenography and voice writing generate a verbatim record of the proceedings. The difference lies in the method used to capture the record. Stenography is performed using a compact, specialized keyboard that contains only 21 letters. In voice writing, the reporter wears a steno mask and repeats everything said in the courtroom into the mask.

Becoming a licensed CSR requires passing a three-part licensing exam, usually after attending a state-approved court-reporting school. Court reporting schools offer courses in shorthand, machine, and voice writing theory, as well as speed-building classes to prepare students for the state licensing exam. These programs also include instruction in English grammar, punctuation, spelling, and word usage, along with legal and medical terminology, deposition, and court procedures. Education in legal and medical terminology might open up additional career avenues or serve as a foundation for pursuing higher education.

Court and deposition reporting; makes a verbatim record of the proceedings.
Broadcast captioners capture what is being said during live television programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers with software that instantly displays speech as text so it can be read immediately. This includes news, emergency broadcasts, sports events, and more.
The skills gained on the stenotype machine may prepare you for other career options such as:
- Rapid Data Entry
- Paralegal
- Legal Secretary
- Medical Transcribing
- Scoping (computerized editing of transcripts for court reporters)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for court reporters is estimated to increase by 9% by 2029 across the U.S. Due to this demand, court reporters have become highly sought after, commanding high-paying salaries that often come with various incentives. For example, currently, the annual salary range for the Merced Superior Court Reporters is $82,971.20 - $100,838.40. Through June 30, 2026, the Court has the following incentives: