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Everyone has seen that silent, unassuming person in the front of a courtroom seated very near the judge. You may have seen the familiar scene in person or on TV. This professional types at warp speed as lawyers interrogate, witnesses answer questions, defendants plead for leniency, and so on. A Jupiter Court Reporter shares that unbreakable focus and nerves of steel as job requirements to ensure accuracy.
You can’t be distracted as you pound that stenotype keyboard in such a high tense environment. This is just a glimpse of a court reporter’s job.
Demands Unique Specifications
Court reporters provide real-time services in a highly stressful environment. Choosing this career requires training so you can document words said rapidly. A Jupiter Court Reporter must have stellar spelling skills. You must know legal jargon, industry terms, names of the parties involved, and other case-specific details.
As such, you need stenographic shortcuts to record swiftly, accurately, and easily. You need to create drafts of accurate real-time transcripts. With 40 hours per week at work, it can be pretty nerve-wracking, especially with complex cases. Court reporters do the following daily:
- Type verbatim court proceedings, committee meetings, legislative assemblies, and the like
- Take notes using shorthand or computer-aided recording tools like electronic stenograph machines or steno masks that print on paper
- Document symbols on computer storage media
- Use smart aided transcription to translate and display the symbols as words
- Transcribe proceedings following established formats
Requires Verification and Accuracy
Attorneys are known for being smooth-tongued. Yet, they aren’t always audible to a court reporter. Sometimes, they lower their volumes to exude a non-intimidating vibe to draw out answers from a witness. In other instances, lawyers clash and argue in their bid to outdo one another. According to a Jupiter Court Reporter, many lawyers frequently make simultaneous statements.
As such, a court reporter’s job requires deciphering and untangling what has been said. In a trial with so many heavy emotions, this task becomes complicated. To embark in this profession, prepare to do the following:
Understand Accents
A court reporter must understand speech in a broad range of accents. It also includes deciphering statements with heavy emotions. Be prepared to reply to requests to read a portion of the recorded proceedings.
Listen Well
Court reporters know how to listen well to maintain their reports’ accuracy. If you choose this career, you must have sound judgment. If words are inaudible, you have to weigh if you will interrupt the proceedings to ask for clarifications. When the subject is not pressing, some reporters opt to do it later during recess to avoid disrupting the court session.
Conduct Thorough Work
Part of the job entails providing judges, attorneys, or the public with transcriptions. You must also file a final legible transcript of records with the clerk of court. Your duty involves ascertaining the transcripts’ accuracy by checking against original records. Most of all, you have to ensure precise documentation of ruling by confirming with judges.
Demands Strong Coordination Skills
As the daily workload demands precision and accuracy, a Jupiter Court Reporter job requires strong coordination skills. As you listen, your hands and wrists must be able to keep up with the demands and rigors of intensive litigation. You will often find court reporters pursuing musical instruments outside the courtroom. Being adept with one’s fingers and ears equates to better job performance.
In the same token, other court reporters pursue dance to hone their listening skills and body coordination. They also take care of their hands to do their daily work at top speed. If you become a court reporter, massage both hands and wrists to ensure they stay in tiptop condition. Don’t forget to include finger and wrist stretches as a preventive measure.
Necessitates Keeping Details Confidential
Though a Jupiter Court Reporter might not have seen how things transpired, they certainly hear all the details about it. Their daily life is full of information which they have to account for. With so much interesting data and juicy tidbits around the courtroom, you will be tempted to squeal about your findings. However, keep things confidential. You cannot even tell your family!
Keep in mind that a court reporter’s job is more than keeping an accurate record of events. You are a vanguard for truth and justice. Thus, you must keep every detail confidential. Though some may ask questions, in time, they will realize that you are a person of integrity who will never go beyond your professional work ethics.
Though you may not be able to share specific details, the job will educate you about current affairs, the ways of the world, and human nature. All of these will serve well as you deal with other people and live your life.
Involves Reliance on Technology
Just like any other profession, court reporters need to rely on technology, such as the stenotype. This is a special typewriter for crafting reports. It was specifically invented for shorthand typing and easy transcribing. A Jupiter Court Reporter will usually type symbols in lieu of words or phrases.
Today, they can also rely on speech text software. This uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to produce a real-time transcript. Though helpful, these machines still can’t replace an actual person as they don’t have wisdom and discernment.
Court reporters capture words verbatim without any mistakes. They have a very crucial task of ensuring there are misinterpretations in the transcripts. These reports become the basis of legal professionals when they evaluate cases. Thinking of pursuing this career? Rest assured that this is a financially rewarding job. You can take pride in knowing that you are part of an honorable profession that ensures justice is served.
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