Court Reporters Are the Change Agents

Posted bystenoimperiumPosted inCourt Reporting, Legal ServicesTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Supply and Demand Crisis

The legal system is a cornerstone of any democratic society, ensuring justice is served and disputes are fairly adjudicated. However, an often-overlooked yet vital component of this system is the court reporter. These professionals serve as the guardians of the official record, providing verbatim transcripts of legal proceedings that form the foundation of appeals, legal references, judicial oversight, and case law. Despite their critical role, the United States faces a shortage of court reporters, leading to delays in justice and operational inefficiencies in courtrooms nationwide. The supply and demand imbalance was supposed to have reached a crisis level, according to the Ducker Worldwide Court Reporting Industry Outlook Report in 2013/14. Court reporters have stepped up as change agents to address this challenge.

Understanding the Supply and Demand Crisis

According to the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), the shortage of court reporters is largely driven by a confluence of factors, including an aging workforce, declining enrollment and graduation rates in stenographic programs, and the increasing demand for court reporting services.

The Aging Workforce

One of the primary causes of the shortage is the demographic shift in the profession. A significant portion of certified court reporters are approaching retirement age, and there are not enough new entrants to replace them. The average age of a stenographer in the U.S. is over 50, meaning that retirements will outpace new certifications in the coming years. The industry has struggled to attract younger professionals, leaving a growing gap in supply.

Increased Enrollment in Court Reporting Programs

Court reporting schools had seen a steep decline in enrollment over the past two decades, but post-Covid, schools are reporting a record number of enrollments, and have a wait list for the first time in decades. Many institutions had shut down their programs due to low interest and insufficient awareness among students about career opportunities in the field, prior to Covid, but new online programs have opened up all across the country. High dropout rates in court reporting schools further exacerbated the issue, as students struggle with the rigorous training required to attain certification, but many states have changed laws to allow voice writing in their state. The perception that stenography is an outdated skill in the era of digital recording no longer discourages prospective students from pursuing this career path.

Rising Demand for Court Reporting Services

Despite declining numbers of court reporters, demand for their services has remained steady and, in some regions, has even increased. The judicial system continues to rely on accurate, human-generated transcripts for legal proceedings, depositions, and arbitrations. In addition, other industries, such as captioning services for the hearing impaired and broadcast captioning, have increased the demand for stenographic expertise. The shortage of professionals has led to delays in legal proceedings, increased reliance on less reliable alternatives like digital recordings, and higher costs for legal services.

Court Reporters as Change Agents

To address the crisis, court reporters themselves must become change agents, advocating for solutions to the supply and demand problem. By taking proactive measures, they can influence education, policy, and public perception to ensure the sustainability of their profession.

Advocating for Educational Reforms

One of the key areas where court reporters can effect change is in education. Encouraging the revitalization of court reporting programs at community colleges and vocational schools is essential. By working with educational institutions to modernize training methods, implement mentorship programs, and provide scholarships, court reporters can help attract a new generation of professionals.

Additionally, current professionals can take an active role in mentoring and training aspiring court reporters. Internship programs, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training opportunities can help bridge the gap between education and employment, reducing dropout rates and ensuring that students gain practical experience early in their careers.

Promoting the Profession to Younger Generations

Many young people are unaware of the benefits of a career in court reporting. Court reporters have been actively promoting their profession through social media campaigns, career fairs, and school presentations. By showcasing the financial stability, job security, and flexibility offered by a career in court reporting, they have been attracting an exciting new wave of professionals to the field.

Furthermore, leveraging technology to engage younger audiences is critical. Creating online courses, interactive training modules, and virtual reality simulations can make learning stenography more appealing and accessible.

Encouraging Policy Changes

Legislative advocacy is another crucial avenue for change. Court reporters should work with professional associations and policymakers to implement initiatives that address the shortage. These initiatives could include student loan forgiveness programs for those pursuing court reporting, government incentives for schools that offer stenographic training, and funding for technological advancements in court reporting.

Moreover, court reporters can push for mandatory stenographic reporting in courtrooms instead of relying on digital audio recordings, which are often less accurate and prone to technical failures. Strengthening regulations that prioritize human-generated transcripts will ensure that the profession remains indispensable to the judicial system.

Embracing Technology While Preserving the Human Element

While some argue that technology, such as automatic speech recognition (ASR) software, can replace human court reporters, the reality is that AI-driven transcription tools are far from perfect. Court reporters should embrace technology as a complementary tool, rather than a replacement. Real-time transcription software, digital notetaking tools, and improved stenographic machines can enhance efficiency and accuracy without eliminating the need for skilled professionals.

By positioning themselves as tech-savvy professionals who can integrate new advancements into their workflow, court reporters can future-proof their careers and demonstrate their indispensable value to the legal system.

Strengthening Professional Organizations

Professional organizations such as the NCRA and state-level associations play a vital role in addressing the court reporter shortage. Court reporters should actively participate in these organizations to contribute to advocacy efforts, continuing education initiatives, and workforce development programs. A united profession is better equipped to tackle industry challenges and push for meaningful change.

Additionally, professional organizations can help create standardized national certification requirements, making it easier for court reporters to move between states and fill shortages where they are most needed. Increased reciprocity in certification standards will improve workforce flexibility and allow for a more efficient distribution of court reporters nationwide.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

The court reporter shortage is a pressing issue that threatens the efficiency and integrity of the judicial system. Without enough qualified professionals to create accurate legal records, the risk of delays, errors, and compromised justice increases. To combat this crisis, court reporters must become the change agents who drive solutions.

By advocating for educational reforms, promoting the profession to younger generations, encouraging policy changes, embracing technology, and strengthening professional organizations, court reporters can take control of their industry’s future. The need for skilled stenographers is undeniable, and only through proactive efforts will the profession be able to thrive in the years to come.

Now is the time for court reporters to lead the charge—because without them, the very foundation of justice is at stake.

Published by stenoimperium

We exist to facilitate the fortifying of the Stenography profession and ensure its survival for the next hundred years! As court reporters, we've handed the relationship role with our customers, or attorneys, over to the agencies and their sales reps.  This has done a lot of damage to our industry.  It has taken away our ability to have those relationships, the ability to be humanized and valued.  We've become a replaceable commodity. Merely saying we are the “Gold Standard” tells them that we’re the best, but there are alternatives.  Who we are though, is much, much more powerful than that!  We are the Responsible Charge.  “Responsible Charge” means responsibility for the direction, control, supervision, and possession of stenographic & transcription work, as the case may be, to assure that the work product has been critically examined and evaluated for compliance with appropriate professional standards by a licensee in the profession, and by sealing and signing the documents, the professional stenographer accepts responsibility for the stenographic or transcription work, respectively, represented by the documents and that applicable stenographic and professional standards have been met.  This designation exists in other professions, such as engineering, land surveying, public water works, landscape architects, land surveyors, fire preventionists, geologists, architects, and more.  In the case of professional engineers, the engineering association adopted a Responsible Charge position statement that says, “A professional engineer is only considered to be in responsible charge of an engineering work if the professional engineer makes independent professional decisions regarding the engineering work without requiring instruction or approval from another authority and maintains control over those decisions by the professional engineer’s physical presence at the location where the engineering work is performed or by electronic communication with the individual executing the engineering work.” If we were to adopt a Responsible Charge position statement for our industry, we could start with a draft that looks something like this: "A professional court reporter, or stenographer, is only considered to be in responsible charge of court reporting work if the professional court reporter makes independent professional decisions regarding the court reporting work without requiring instruction or approval from another authority and maintains control over those decisions by the professional court reporter’s physical presence at the location where the court reporting work is performed or by electronic communication with the individual executing the court reporting work.” Shared purpose The cornerstone of a strategic narrative is a shared purpose. This shared purpose is the outcome that you and your customer are working toward together. It’s more than a value proposition of what you deliver to them. Or a mission of what you do for the world. It’s the journey that you are on with them. By having a shared purpose, the relationship shifts from consumer to co-creator. In court reporting, our mission is “to bring justice to every litigant in the U.S.”  That purpose is shared by all involved in the litigation process – judges, attorneys, everyone.  Who we are is the Responsible Charge.  How we do that is by Protecting the Record.

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