A Kentucky administrative hearing again exposed the fatal flaw of digital recording: when the agency’s “official” audio failed, a certified court reporter was the only reason the record survived. Due process cannot depend on glitchy technology or missing audio files. This case proves, yet again, that the stenographic reporter—not a digital recorder—is the only acceptable guardian of the legal record.
Tag Archives: StenoStrong
Trial Etiquette – The Unwritten Code Every Court Reporter Is Expected to Follow
Trial etiquette carries unwritten rules, and one of the strongest is this: if you accept a trial, you finish it. Leaving mid-trial hurts colleagues, judges, and even jurors—especially when readback requests arise and transcripts were never prepared. Substitute reporters are often handed unusable roughs or incomplete PDFs, creating risk of reversible error. Judges notice. Agencies remember. Professionalism demands continuity from start to finish.
Sliding Into the High-Speed You – What a Russian Physicist’s Theory Teaches Court Reporters About Passing the CSR, RPR, and Every Other “Impossible” Test
High-speed stenography isn’t about gripping harder — it’s about shifting into the version of yourself who already writes with ease. When you stop treating certification like a monster and adopt a “no-big-deal” mindset, your hands relax, your rhythm returns, and speed finally emerges. You don’t force 225. You become it.
The Familiar Face Fallacy & Why Court Reporters Must Question the Platform Narrative
Familiarity is not alignment. When a recognizable face stands before the profession offering reassurance, it is easy to mistake comfort for safety. But critical thinking demands a harder question: who benefits if our work becomes optional? Reporters must look beyond polished narratives and ask what external platforms gain from reshaping our role. Strategy deserves scrutiny, not applause, and vigilance is the price of sovereignty always.
AI Should Fold the Laundry — Not Replace the Court Reporter
AI may be able to automate tasks, but it cannot replace the trained human mind responsible for capturing the legal record. Court reporters do far more than transcribe—they perceive, clarify, and protect accuracy in ways no algorithm can. The future isn’t humans versus machines. It’s using technology to remove friction, not expertise, and preserving the integrity justice depends on.
The First Impression Bias & How Female Court Reporters Are Judged on Appearance Before Skill
Women in court reporting are often judged on appearance long before anyone recognizes our skill. I’ve walked into rooms dressed like an attorney and still been mistaken for anything but the professional safeguarding the record. These subtle moments add up—and they reveal a deeper bias in the legal system. Our work deserves recognition based on expertise, not aesthetics.
“What Even Is 6-7?” When a Meme Walks Into a Courtroom (And Everyone Over 30 Panics)
In court this week, an entire room of adults—attorneys, clerk, judge, and yes, even me—realized we had absolutely no idea what “6-7” meant. Turns out it means… nothing. Everything. Whatever kids want it to mean. This chaotic, context-free meme is the perfect reminder that language is shifting faster than ever—and why human court reporters remain essential guardians of clarity in an increasingly nonsensical world.
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.
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.
Hiring to Train AI – When Data Collection Crosses the Line
TransPerfect’s $30 “Remote Data Contributor” job isn’t just harmless side work — it’s part of a massive AI training pipeline. By paying people to record their voices, companies quietly harvest human speech to teach machines how to sound like us. It’s data extraction disguised as inclusion — and it’s accelerating the automation of human jobs, one voice at a time.
The Recipe of Community – Inside the Unseen Strength of the Court Reporting Profession
Court reporting has always been more than a technical skill; it is a community built on mentorship, discipline, and shared purpose. This Thanksgiving, the profession reflects on the people who make it possible — the teachers who guide students, the colleagues who step in during long days, and the families who support the demanding work behind the record. Gratitude is, and always has been, part of the craft.
Where Your CEU Dollars Go – Choosing State Associations and Nonprofits That Reinvest in the Profession
Every continuing education dollar is a decision about the future of court reporting. When those funds are directed to legitimate state associations and nonprofit organizations, they strengthen advocacy, education, and ethical standards that preserve the integrity of the record. When they flow instead to personality-driven ventures, the profession risks becoming a revenue stream for individual ambition rather than a sustained legacy built on collective stewardship.
Not All Heroes Wear Capes — Some Wear “Stenographer” Lanyards
After a 32-hour brain surgery, two surgeons collapsed from exhaustion — heroes in scrubs. For court reporters, that same level of endurance isn’t a one-time feat; it’s our daily life. We don’t wear capes. We wear stenographer lanyards — quiet symbols of duty, precision, and perseverance. We may not save lives, but we preserve truth, and that saves justice.
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.
Your Journey. Your Way. Flawlessly.
Court reporting is no longer confined to a single path or setting. Today’s reporter chooses where, how, and when they work—courtroom, deposition, captioning, remote, or across borders. The skill remains constant: the ability to capture testimony with precision and integrity. The journey, however, now belongs to the reporter. Your profession. Your autonomy. Your record. Your Journey. Your Way. Flawlessly.
The Bubble Beneath the Record – A Financial Crisis in Court Reporting Is Coming
A financial bubble is forming beneath the court reporting industry. Private equity markups have pushed attorneys toward cheaper “alternative” record methods, but those substitutes fail evidentiary standards and are beginning to collapse under legal scrutiny. As reporters reject unsustainable rates and attorneys realize uncertified transcripts don’t hold up in court, the industry is nearing a correction. The record cannot be commodified—and the bubble will burst.
When the Forest Votes for the Axe – A Warning to the Court Reporting Profession
The profession is the forest—and we are the trees. Yet many have been persuaded to welcome the very axe designed to replace us. Digital and AI models present themselves as allies, promising convenience and efficiency, while quietly eroding our roots: accuracy, ethics, and due process. The future of the record depends on whether we recognize the axe for what it is—and defend the forest together.
When Disclosure Isn’t Enough – Why AB 711 Doesn’t Serve Court Reporters or Access to Justice
AB 711 claims to curb “reporter waste,” but it’s a paperwork fix for a resource crisis. Mandating disclosure of who will hire a court reporter doesn’t solve shortages, improve access, or strengthen the profession—it risks normalizing hearings without certified stenographers. California needs investment in reporters, not bureaucracy that treats them as optional.
The Penny Auction Rebellion – How Stenographers Can Take Back the Record
In 1936, farmers fought foreclosure by staging “penny auctions,” bidding pennies on their neighbors’ land and giving it back to them.
Today, stenographers can do the same — through unity, co-ops, and reporter-owned platforms to reclaim our profession from AI, digital recording, and private equity control.
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.
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.
Train Like an Athlete – The Mental Conditioning of a Future Court Reporter
Stenography isn’t just skill — it’s mental athleticism. Like NBA rookies, students must fail, reflect, and adjust daily. Every dropped word is data, not defeat. Treat your practice like training camp: review your “film,” log your growth, and build proof, not praise. Five minutes of reflection a day turns pressure into performance.
The Battle for the Record Is Here — and CCRA Needs You
CCRA has taken a historic stand for every California court reporter. With attorney Scott Kronland of Altshuler Berzon, we’re defending the integrity of the record before the California Supreme Court. The fight against electronic recording isn’t just about jobs—it’s about justice. Your profession. Your record. Your voice. Stand with us. Join CCRA. Donate today.
Why Transcript Correction Disputes Are Rising — And Where the Problem Originated
Certified court reporters are seeing a rise in large-scale transcript correction requests, but the issue is not declining reporter skill. It stems from the increased use of digital audio and ASR-generated transcripts being treated as equivalent to stenographic reporting. Once attorneys began comparing transcripts with software tools, the inconsistencies became clear. Accuracy starts at the point of capture, and the method matters.
When a Video Is Played in Court – How to Handle, Certify, and Communicate It Professionally
When an attorney asks you to “take down” a video played in court, your authority comes from Rule 2.1040(d)—not the attorney. Always obtain a court order, mark the playback as a “transcription of an electronic recording,” and certify it separately. This protects your license, the record’s integrity, and your professional credibility while keeping the attorneys—and the judge—happy.
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 Rebirth of Steno – How a New Generation of Reporters Is Reclaiming the Record
After years of “steno is dying” headlines, the data tells a different story. Enrollment is climbing, schools are reopening, and the profession has grown by 231% in just two years. A new generation of reporters is reclaiming the record—proving that integrity, accuracy, and human intelligence can’t be replaced by algorithms. This is the rebirth of steno.
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.
🎃 The Ghost of the Record – A Halloween Costume for the Court Reporting Industry
This Halloween, the scariest thing in court reporting isn’t a ghost or vampire — it’s the empty reflection of automation, profit, and lost authorship floating where truth once lived. Don’t be haunted by hollow promises. Protect the record. Defend your craft. Keep the soul in stenography. Happy Halloween!
The Endgame Nobody Sees Coming – Reporters, Not Agencies, Will Control the Future
Big agencies believe consolidation is their final victory. In reality, they’re setting the stage for their own disruption. Reporters hold the licenses, the legal authority, and now — thanks to modern tech — the tools to bypass the middle layer entirely. When the market flips, it won’t be agencies in control. It will be the reporters.
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 Secret Trick That Builds a Cult – How Charisma Can Capture an Entire Industry
When loyalty to a personality replaces loyalty to principle, the cult has already begun.
The court-reporting industry, like many others facing disruption, must guard against emotional capture disguised as empowerment.
Movements built on belonging can uplift — or quietly control.
Charisma isn’t leadership; unity without dissent isn’t strength.
The future of this profession depends on discernment.
When the DRA Ignores Its Own Backyard – Why California’s Court Reporting Schools Deserve Defense, Not Displacement
California’s only NCRA-approved court reporting school has faced relentless audits while producing more CSRs than any other in the state. Yet the DRA features out-of-state speakers poaching students into unproven “write shorter” programs instead of honoring educators using proven speed-building methods like RWG theory. If the DRA truly supports the profession, advocacy must start at home — with California’s own schools.
AI Transcripts Gone Wild – The Day a Transcription Company Asked a Court Reporter to “Certify” Their Robot
A transcription company actually asked a certified court reporter to “sign off” on an AI-generated deposition—no oath, no saved audio, no chain of custody. When the attorney demanded a lawful certification, they tried to hire a reporter to legitimize their robot record. This isn’t innovation; it’s impersonation—and it threatens the integrity of every legal transcript in America.
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.
Where the Record Is Really Being Written – A Quiet Transformation Hidden in Plain Sight
Courtrooms across America are quietly shifting from certified verbatim reporting to AI transcripts, digital recordings, and agency-controlled “roughs.” The result? Hearsay masquerading as the official record — with no clear custodian, no accountability, and enormous power flowing to private platforms. This isn’t just a professional issue; it’s a constitutional one. If we lose control of the record, we lose control of justice itself.
Top Court Reporting Trends to Watch in 2025 – Real Innovation, Legal Integrity, and the Return to Verbatim
The future of court reporting isn’t automated—it’s live, verbatim, and unstoppable. In 2025, certified stenographers and voice writers are shattering the shortage myth, expanding remote coverage, and using cutting-edge tools to uphold the integrity of the record. “Record now, transcribe later” isn’t innovation—it’s regression. The real revolution is happening in real time, with reporters leading the charge.
“No Such Thing as a Job Nobody Wants” – Debunking a Convenient Myth in the Court Reporting Industry
Agencies claim they use digital recorders only for the “jobs no one wants.” But reporters know better. Short PI and workers’ comp depos aren’t unwanted—they’re flexible, essential, and often preferred. Labeling them “undesirable” masks profit motives, undercuts opportunities for new talent, and devalues critical legal proceedings. There’s no such thing as a job nobody wants—only work that deserves respect and fair pay.
When the Horse Is Dead – Lessons for the Court Reporting Profession
The “Dead Horse Theory” warns against clinging to what no longer works. In court reporting, denial looks like endless committees, reshuffled leadership, or shiny tech distractions. We can’t revive failed strategies. The courage to dismount—naming what’s broken and moving toward real solutions—is the only path forward. Our future depends on choosing life over illusion.
Small Agencies in Crisis – Competing Fairly in an Unfair Market
Small, reporter-owned agencies are being squeezed by Big Box firms offering lavish gifts, delayed payment schemes, digital reporters, and AI summaries. Competing on those terms is impossible — and unethical. But survival is still possible. By flipping their business model upside down — paying reporters faster, networking instead of consolidating, and selling ethics instead of perks — small agencies can thrive again.
Agencies Exploit Reporters Twice – Once for Their Labor, Once for Their Marketing
Court reporting agencies profit twice: first from our labor, then by conscripting us as unpaid sales reps. Some agencies do better, but one is too many. Reporters are not brand ambassadors, cookie pushers, or mock jurors. We are officers of the court, and when neutrality is compromised, justice itself is at risk. Agencies must change — or be called out.
Martyrs and Pretenders – The Cost of False Narratives in Court Reporting
True martyrdom cannot be faked. Charlie Kirk’s assassination proved it — millions honored his memory without manufactured drama. In our field, however, certain personalities wrap themselves in a cloak of victimhood to shield self-interest. Reporters must see through that illusion. The real martyrs are the students, schools, and working reporters who quietly sacrifice every day to protect the record.
The Stars That Sing – Hearing the Truth in Court Reporting
The Bushmen pitied Laurens van der Post when he admitted he could not hear the stars sing. Today, I feel the same grief for our profession. The truth rings out—schools reporting poaching, leaders failing in accountability—yet so many refuse to hear it. Our poverty is not material, but in losing the ability to hear the song of truth itself.
When Recruitment Crosses the Line – Court Reporting Schools Push Back After DRA Event
California court reporting schools are pushing back after the last DRA conference, where a speaker allegedly recruited students directly out of their programs—even inside private Teams accounts. One 200-wpm student on the verge of the CSR was lost. School leaders say enough is enough: associations must protect students from solicitation if they want them in the room.
How Zoom Depositions, Consent Laws, and Competing Recordings Are a Growing Dilemma for Court Reporters
In the age of Zoom depositions, competing recordings raise more than technical concerns — they strike at the integrity of the record. When attorneys attempt to capture their own audio, they risk violating consent laws, breaching confidentiality, and undermining the court reporter’s role. Protecting the official record sometimes means halting proceedings, even when it costs time and money.
Technology and Workplace Efficiency – The Court Reporter’s Competitive Edge
Court reporters ranked technology and workplace efficiency as their #1 priority in the latest NCRA poll (37.2%). From realtime integration to secure tools like Eclipse Boost, technology is not a threat but an amplifier—when it’s reporter-controlled. Efficiency means more accuracy, faster turnaround, less stress, and stronger client loyalty. The future of steno is in our hands.
The Language of CCP 2093(a) & Why Notaries Are Not Deposition Officers
California Code of Civil Procedure § 2093(a) names notaries and deposition officers as able to administer oaths—but only certified shorthand reporters are authorized to take testimony and certify transcripts. The “notary loophole” misleads attorneys into believing oaths alone make a deposition valid. Without a CSR, the record collapses. Learn why due process demands stenographers—not shortcuts.
Who’s Really Swearing in Your Witness?
Attorneys can stipulate to many things, but not to override law. Only a judge can validate agreements that alter statutory or constitutional requirements. The 5th and 14th Amendments guarantee due process: no person can be deprived of rights without it. When a deposition officer asks parties to “stipulate” to a remote oath, that shortcut risks invalidating the entire proceeding.
The Moment the Notary Loophole Was Unleashed in a Firestorm
On July 21, 2018, CalDRA President Cheryl Haab led a pivotal town hall in Huntington Beach where Kimberly D’Urso pressed the issue of reporter-free depositions and Ed Howard advanced a flawed interpretation of California law. This “notary loophole” allowed videographers with notary commissions to bypass court reporters—fracturing the chain of oath, taking, and certification, and putting the admissibility of testimony at risk.
Saving Steno – A Strategic Roadmap to Protect the Profession
Court reporters are not “typists” — we are guardians of the record. If it isn’t verbatim, it isn’t the record. Transcripts created after-the-fact are out-of-court hearsay. Our value lies in accuracy, accountability, and professionalism — from the transcripts we produce to how we present ourselves in court. Excellence in every detail is our strongest defense against replacement.
STENOIMPERIUM 