How do steno-machine keyboards work?

Stenographs are small devices (similar in appearance to laptops) that court reporters use to take down what is being said as it is being said in a deposition or courtroom. These machines enable court reporters to maximize typing speeds by assembling the keyboard with phonetic sounds instead of letters. Court reporters must press several keys at a time to ensure the proper pronunciation is noted for later use.

How many words can court reporters type in a minute?

Court reporters must have a typing speed of over 200 words per minute and an accuracy of 97.5% to achieve their certified, court reporting license.

How do you become a certified court reporter?

To become a legally certified court reporter in their state, court reporters must receive a certification of completion from a state-recognized court reporting program, and then take the state exam. After passing that examination, court reporters earn their Certified Shorthand Reporter License. Reporters must be certified in the state they work. Many reporters go the extra mile to further their education and receive additional certifications through the National Court Reporting Association (NCRA), one example being a Realtime Reporter.

Will recording devices replace court reporters?

Since recording devices have been around since the late 1800s, it does not appear that court reporters will be replaced by technology any time soon. Recording devices are able to record what was said and how it was said, but not why it is significant, distinguish accents and people properly, or format proceedings in digital and text formats. Since both stenographs and recording devices require the same about of manual operation, it isn’t necessary to add another piece of technology to monitor.