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Court Reporter
Legal & ComplianceYou type every single word spoken in a courtroom at speeds that would make a concert pianist jealous. Your stenotype machine looks like a tiny piano and produces gibberish that only you can translate. One missed word can change the meaning of testimony, so no pressure — just the entire justice system resting on your ability to keep up.
Salary Range
Low
$38k
Median
$60k
High
$100k
10-Year Growth
average
US Workers
16K
Education
Court reporting program (2-4 years) + state certification + 225+ WPM
Environment
indoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Stenotype machine operation (200+ wpm)
- ▸Real-time captioning and CART services
- ▸Transcript preparation and editing software
- ▸Legal terminology and courtroom procedures
- ▸CAT software (Eclipse, Case CATalyst, StenoCAT)
- ▸Audio recording backup systems
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Concentration and focus
- ▸Accuracy under pressure
- ▸Professionalism in court settings
- ▸Time management
- ▸Discretion
What you'll actually do
- 01Transcribe spoken testimony at 225+ words per minute on a machine with only 22 keys
- 02Sit in courtrooms for hours maintaining focus while lawyers argue about things that could be emails
- 03Read back testimony when attorneys ask 'can you read that last part?' — always at the worst time
- 04Produce transcripts with 99.5% accuracy because one wrong word can change a verdict
- 05Set up your equipment in courtrooms that were designed before technology existed
- 06Maintain composure while transcribing testimony that ranges from boring to horrifying
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