Most postsecondary vocational schools and colleges offer Court Reporting training programs Online. All court reporters require the same basic academic training, but the amount of training you will require will depend on the type of reporting method you choose. There are several methods of court reporting. Some of them include stenographic, voice writing, electronic and real time. This is where the skills track of court reporting methods varies. A paralegal or secretary pursuing the voice writing method of court reporting can obtain certification in anywhere between six and nine months, while a paralegal or secretary can become real time certified in under 12-months.

About the Online Court Reporting Programs

Online Training Programs in Court Reporting teaches the fundamentals of court reporting in both theory and practice. The theoretical phase entails teaching students English, Business Law, Legal and Medical Terminology. The practical phase focuses on helping them develop the skills sets and experience via stenography, Computer-Aided Transcription software (CAT) and voice writing equipment to transcribe spoken or recorded speech into written form. Students will also become familiar with other software application programs including Speech Recognition Engines. In addition to obtaining formal training, there are certain traits a court reporter must possess in order to become proficient within the field. Some of these traits include:

• Attention to detail
• Excellent command of the English Language, both in spoken and written form
• Speed and accuracy
• Knowledge of business principles and practices
• Computer Skills
• Legal and Medical Language
• The ability to work for extended periods at a time

Some of the courses you may cover include Medical Terminology, Touch Shorthand Theory, Court Reporting Computer Applications and Real time Reporting.

Schools that Offer Online Court Reporting Programs

Bryan College Online
Court Reporting Institute Online
Colorado Technical University Online
Court Reporting Institute of Louisiana
The Court Reporting Institute

Court Reporting Careers

There are several career options available for trained court reporters. Some of these employment opportunities exist in Judicial Transcription, Court Reporting, Real time Broadcast Captioning and Webcast. Many court reporters work as freelancers or independent contractors and the more experienced and highly trained court reporters often find lucrative opportunities via caption reporting (transcribing live events for the hearing-impaired). Court reporters that take the state licensing exam through the National Court Association (NCRA) will find they have a distinct edge when seeking employment.

Salary for Court Reporters

The median salary for a court reporter will vary depending on factors such as the type of court reporting, level of certification acquired, experience, industry and location. The average salary for court reporters is around $45, 330 to $60,000, with the higher paid ones earning upto $100,000 per year.