Success of a Court Reporter: Defining and Measuring Achievement

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Success is a multifaceted concept that varies from person to person, and the court reporting profession is no exception. While some court reporters define success by financial achievements, others measure it by their professional influence, industry recognition, or personal satisfaction. But what does it truly mean to be a “successful” court reporter? How do we quantify success in this profession? Is it by certifications, income, the number of clients, or something more intangible? Let’s delve into the many dimensions of success for a court reporter and explore what truly defines excellence in the field.

Defining Success in Court Reporting

To understand success in court reporting, we must first recognize that the profession itself is diverse, with various paths to achievement. Some reporters work as freelancers, others operate their own agencies, while some prefer the stability of an officialship. Each of these career trajectories carries its own markers of success.

Success in court reporting can generally be categorized into three main areas: professional credibility, financial stability, and industry influence. These three areas intersect in different ways for different individuals, shaping their personal definitions of success.

Measuring Success in Court Reporting

Certifications and Professional Credentials

One of the most widely acknowledged markers of success in court reporting is certification. Achieving designations like the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR), Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR), or Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR) demonstrates expertise and commitment to the profession. These certifications not only open doors to higher-paying jobs but also solidify a reporter’s credibility among clients and colleagues.

Income and Financial Success

For many, success is measured by financial stability and growth. A high income often correlates with a reporter’s skill, experience, and reputation. Those who take on high-profile depositions, specialize in realtime reporting, or own their own agencies tend to earn significantly more than entry-level reporters. However, financial success is not always indicative of quality. A reporter may be in high demand due to aggressive marketing rather than superior skill.

Client Demand and Reputation

The number of clients a court reporter has and the frequency of repeat requests can serve as a measure of success. Attorneys, judges, and law firms often develop preferences for certain reporters based on reliability, professionalism, and perceived competence. However, as seen in real-world cases, client demand does not always reflect technical excellence—some reporters with high demand may struggle with translation accuracy or grammar, relying heavily on scopists and proofreaders.

Owning a Court Reporting Agency

Another benchmark of success is entrepreneurship. Some court reporters transition from freelancers to agency owners, managing teams of reporters and securing large contracts. While owning an agency can be lucrative, it also comes with additional responsibilities, such as managing client relationships, overseeing payroll, and ensuring timely transcript delivery. For some, the ability to scale their business and create opportunities for others is the ultimate measure of success.

Leadership in Associations

Holding leadership positions in state or national associations, such as the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), is another way court reporters gauge their success. Serving as a board member, president, or committee chair signifies respect and influence within the industry. These positions provide opportunities to shape the future of court reporting, advocate for legislative changes, and mentor up-and-coming reporters.

Lifestyle and Material Markers

For some court reporters, success is reflected in their lifestyle—the ability to purchase luxury items, drive exotic cars, and travel internationally. Owning a collection of Louis Vuitton bags, sporting a high-end Rolex, or taking extravagant vacations to Europe or the Maldives can serve as tangible markers of financial achievement. While these material possessions may indicate financial prosperity, they do not necessarily equate to professional skill or credibility. A court reporter may drive a luxury car yet struggle with producing clean realtime output. Conversely, a reporter with modest means may be one of the most skilled in the field, choosing to prioritize quality over quantity.

Mentorship and Giving Back

For many seasoned court reporters, success is about legacy. The number of mentees they have, the impact they make on new professionals, and the guidance they offer are crucial measures of success. Mentoring new reporters and helping them navigate the profession is another vital aspect of success, as it ensures the longevity and strength of the industry.

Speaking Engagements and Publications

Invitations to present at association conferences and publish articles in industry magazines reflect a court reporter’s standing and expertise. Those who frequently contribute to discussions on industry standards, technology advancements, and professional ethics are often seen as leaders in their field. Being invited to speak at conferences, write articles for the Journal of Court Reporting (JCR), and share expertise with the next generation can be a fulfilling achievement.

The Reality of Assessing Court Reporting Skill

Despite all these markers of success, how can one truly gauge the skill level of a court reporter? The truth is, an attorney or judge may have no real way of knowing how skilled a court reporter is unless they see the output—whether it’s a realtime feed or the final transcript.

For example, a reporter may be highly sought after, booked for numerous cases, and have attorneys specifically requesting their services. However, if their realtime feed on the judge’s screen is riddled with untranslated steno, it becomes clear that popularity does not always equal proficiency. Similarly, some reporters rely heavily on scopists and proofreaders to correct errors, making it difficult to discern their actual skill level.

On the other hand, there are reporters who can produce impeccable transcripts without external assistance, but choose to use scopists and proofreaders to maintain a high volume of work and maximize income. The reality is that different reporters have different strengths—some excel at technical accuracy, while others thrive in speed and efficiency.

What Defines True Success?

Ultimately, success in court reporting is subjective. Some define it by financial prosperity, others by professional recognition, and some by the ability to mentor and give back. The markers of success—certifications, income, client demand, leadership roles, material possessions, lifestyle, or mentorship—vary depending on individual goals and values.

However, at the core of it all, the true measure of success in court reporting should include the quality of work produced. A successful court reporter is not only in high demand, but also consistently delivers accurate, well-punctuated, and timely transcripts. While external accolades, luxury lifestyles, and material wealth may signal success to some, the real proof lies in the output—the transcripts, the realtime feeds, and the impact left on the profession. In the end, success is not just about how a reporter is perceived, but about the work they leave behind and the legacy they create in the field of court reporting.

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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