The rise of “STENO United” and the Fearless Stenographers Conference reflects a growing trend in our field: advocacy transformed into spectacle. Inspiration becomes insulation when branding replaces transparency, and unity becomes a tool for silencing dissent. Our profession doesn’t need one movement claiming moral authority—it needs distributed, ethical leadership grounded in accountability, not curated mythology.
Tag Archives: StenoImperium
Could California Court Reporters Bring a Holmgren-Style Case Against CRB?
A quiet but consequential legal question is emerging in California: Can court reporters compel their own regulator to enforce laws already on the books against the expansion of digital-only reporting? Inspired by Texas’s Holmgren case, this analysis explores the hypothetical viability of a mandamus action against the Court Reporters Board for non-enforcement, examining standing, risk, and the strategic steps that would be required before such a case could responsibly proceed.
A Membership Wall Around Opportunity – NCRA’s New Jobs Board Restriction Raises Questions in a Shrinking Profession
The National Court Reporters Association has quietly restricted its Jobs Board to dues-paying members only, blocking more than 13,000 qualified non-member reporters from viewing official court reporter openings. The move comes amid nationwide staffing shortages in court systems and raises concerns that a membership paywall could shrink the hiring pool and undermine efforts to preserve stenographic officialships. Critics warn the policy conflicts with the profession’s survival needs.
The Death of Expertise and the Erosion of the Record & Why Court Reporters Are the Last Line of Truth
In The Death of Expertise, Tom Nichols warns that society is replacing knowledge with convenience. Court reporting stands at that fault line. AI may transcribe words, but it cannot witness truth. Only a certified reporter — physically present, ethically bound — can certify a record. To sign off on machine output isn’t innovation; it’s fraud. And it marks the death of expertise itself.
Court Reporters v. Digital Recording and Voice Recognition – A Comprehensive Breakdown
Digital recording and ASR may promise convenience, but they fail the test of law and logic. Machine transcripts aren’t sworn, certified, or admissible—they’re hearsay without a human declarant. Court reporters remain the only officers of the record who can guarantee accuracy, authenticity, and accountability in real time. Justice still depends on human precision.
The Freelancer’s Harvest & What a California Farmer Can Teach Court Reporters About Diversification
When a California farmer’s entire grape crop was rejected over a 0.1% sugar shortfall, he lost a year’s income overnight. Freelancers face the same risk when they depend on one agency or client. If that relationship sours—or gets bought out—you’re back at zero. Diversify now. Build multiple income streams so your livelihood doesn’t hinge on someone else’s decision.
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.
Dividing Zero – The Illusion of Division in the Court Reporting Profession
There is no “division” in the court reporting profession — only distinction. Reporters are more united than ever: mentoring students, fighting the shortage myth, and defending the record against digital and AI intrusion. Outsiders may market unity to mask exploitation, but unity built on falsehoods isn’t healing. It’s control. You can’t divide zero.
The CA Law Has Changed – Freelancers Now Have Legal Protection — Even If Agencies Don’t Know It Yet
California’s new Freelance Worker Protection Act (SB 988) is in effect, but many agencies are still unaware they’re breaking the law. Reporters can protect themselves through education and documentation—adding FWPA clauses to rate sheets, email signatures, and job confirmations. Timely payment is now required, and retaliation for collection efforts is prohibited. Knowledge is power—spread awareness and stand firm.
“Spin to Win” for Transcripts? Why This Giveaway Likely Violates California Lottery & Professional Standards Laws
Magna’s “Spin to Win” wheel isn’t harmless fun—it’s an illegal lottery in disguise. By tying raffle entries to transcript submissions and page counts, the company recreates the same scheme Shaunise Day’s Steno in the City™ ran in Long Beach without DOJ registration. In California and most states, Prize + Chance + Consideration = lottery. No free entry means no compliance.
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