Court reporting technology vendors are not Big Tech. They are small, specialized companies serving a shrinking professional market. Expecting instant, round-the-clock concierge support misunderstands the realities of the industry. Professional competence requires patience, self-sufficiency, and deep knowledge of one’s tools. When a reporter’s livelihood depends entirely on immediate vendor intervention, the risk is not poor service—it is misplaced dependency.
Tag Archives: StenoCommunity
Using AI to Strengthen Your Voice – How Court Reporters Can Advocate Powerfully for Our Profession
AI isn’t here to replace court reporters—it’s here to amplify us. When used intentionally, AI becomes a strategic partner that helps reporters write stronger letters, clearer public comments, and more persuasive advocacy for our profession. It levels the playing field, giving every reporter the ability to speak with clarity, confidence, and impact. Your voice matters. AI simply helps the world hear it.
A Harbinger of Collapse – What One Facebook Post Reveals About the Future of Court Reporting in the United States
A single Facebook post from a Canadian reporter—reduced to just 3–6 jobs a month—should terrify every U.S. attorney and stenographer. It is a glimpse of what happens when ASR replaces certified professionals: the market collapses, accuracy disappears, and justice erodes. Canada didn’t fail because reporters weren’t skilled. It failed because decision-makers chased “cost savings.” The U.S. is next—unless we stop it now.
Surviving the Holidays as a Court Reporter – A Realistic Guide to Family Drama, Deadlines, and the December Blues
The holidays can be brutal for court reporters — transcript overload, family drama, grief, financial stress, and the pressure to be “festive” when you’re barely holding it together. This guide offers real strategies for surviving December without drowning: boundaries, triage systems, emotional self-care, and expectations that won’t break you. You don’t need a perfect holiday. You need a kind one — and you deserve that peace.
When the Bill Comes Due – How California’s SB 988 Exposes a Nationwide Gap in Reporter Payment Protections
California’s SB 988 requires court reporting firms to pay reporters within 30 days — but attorneys have no matching deadline to pay the firms. This imbalance creates cash-flow strain, especially for small agencies, and highlights a national gap in reporter protections. With one-third of U.S. reporters in California, what happens here shapes the entire industry. Other states could — and should — follow with smarter, reciprocal legislation.
When Faith Becomes a Mask & How Performative Virtue Undermines Integrity in the Steno Community
When faith becomes performance instead of practice, entire communities suffer. In court reporting, where truth is our calling, we cannot ignore the damage caused by virtue-based branding, intimidation, or spiritual manipulation. Real leadership demands humility, accountability, and integrity — not curated vulnerability or public theatrics. Our profession deserves truth-keepers, not performers hiding behind faith-washed imagery.
The New “Mentorship” Funnel – Why Court Reporters Should Be Cautious About Handing Over Their Professional Data
A “free mentorship event” sounds harmless—until you realize it may be a data-collection funnel for a trademarked for-profit brand. If speakers aren’t compensated, if attendees unknowingly become marketing leads, and if the program mimics a nonprofit without governance or transparency, the community must ask hard questions. Court reporters deserve mentorship rooted in ethics—not a commercial pipeline in disguise.
Beneath the Surface – The Hidden Burnout Crisis in Court Reporting
Burnout in court reporting isn’t about long hours—it’s about how those hours feel. When reporters lose psychological safety, recognition, or autonomy, exhaustion turns into disengagement. The real burnout triggers aren’t visible on the surface—they’re cultural, ethical, and emotional. Until agencies and courts address those invisible causes, the profession will keep losing its best reporters beneath the surface.
Beneath the Surface – The Hidden Burnout Crisis in Court Reporting
Burnout in court reporting isn’t about long hours—it’s about how those hours feel. When reporters lose psychological safety, recognition, or autonomy, exhaustion turns into disengagement. The real burnout triggers aren’t visible on the surface—they’re cultural, ethical, and emotional. Until agencies and courts address those invisible causes, the profession will keep losing its best reporters beneath the surface.
Spooky Season or Shady Season?
Magna’s Halloween “Spooky Season” giveaway offers $25 gift cards for every 100-page transcript — a festive twist that may violate California’s court-reporting ethics code. By tying rewards directly to transcript production, the program breaches CCR § 2475(b)(8), which bans gifts or incentives for reporting services. What looks like a treat could become a costly trick for Magna and participating reporters.
StenoImperium Marks 400 Articles – A Chronicle of Truth, Transparency, and Tenacity
StenoImperium celebrates its 400th article — a milestone built on truth, transparency, and independence. While often mistaken for Stenonymous, we are not the same. We’re two separate blogs, on opposite coasts, with distinct voices and philosophies, united only by our shared passion for stenography and protecting the integrity of the record in an era of automation and misinformation.
The Yin and Yang of Court Reporters – What Do You Do Outside the Record?
Kevin O’Leary says top talent balances discipline with creativity — the Yin and Yang of performance. Court reporters embody that perfectly. From musicians and marathoners to painters and pilots, our passions beyond the record fuel precision on the job. What’s your other side? Share what keeps you inspired beyond the transcript.
Truth on Trial – How Narcissists Weaponize Silence in Court Reporting
There’s a chilling moment that many truth-tellers eventually face: the instant they stop playing along with a narcissist’s carefully curated façade and speak honestly. What happens next is rarely proportional. It’s explosive. Vindictive. Calculated. And in the court reporting world, it can be professionally and personally devastating. “The times I felt the most unsafe wereContinue reading “Truth on Trial – How Narcissists Weaponize Silence in Court Reporting”
When Advocacy Turns Hostile – A Call for Integrity in Court Reporting
When advocacy turns hostile, professionalism suffers. In the court reporting world, performative leadership and public bullying are replacing ethics and collaboration. This anonymous essay calls for a return to integrity — where disagreement isn’t met with defamation, and leadership doesn’t rely on intimidation. The future of steno depends not just on who speaks, but how we choose to lead.
When Campaign Emails Cross the Line – A Closer Look at the NCRA Vice President Race
Margary Rogers’ campaign email for NCRA Vice President sparked concern for its tone, tactics, and alignment. While promoting experience and leadership, the message included subtle jabs at opponents and leaned heavily on personal branding. With the profession at a crossroads, members should expect professionalism over promotion, and clarity over charisma. This election is about trust, not just titles—and our standards should reflect that.
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