How Does Court Reporting Work?

If you watch any legal shows on television, you’ve likely come across the idea of court reporting before. While their presence is ubiquitous in courtrooms across the country, many people don’t fully understand what court reporters truly due. In fact, according to the National Court Reporters Association, as of February of 2019, there were over 10,000 court reporters operating in the country. Clearly, court reporters are an important part of the courtroom, but how exactly does court reporting work?

What are a court reporters responsibilities?

A court reporter has myriad responsibilities throughout a court case’s legal proceedings. Because of this, court reporters can be found at both depositions and hearings, as well as any other proceedings that are a component of a court case. At these events, a court reporter’s main function is to take down all spoken dialogue that occurs in the courtroom. This could be witness testimony, opening statements, and any other words that are spoken by the judge, lawyers, or bailiff. They use a variety of technologies to record this dialogue, from stenographer’s equipment to recording devices that record audio and video. All of this is used to create an accurate record that can be later used as a reference during court proceedings.

How are the documents court reporters create used?

The documents that a court reporter creates are incredibly useful during a case. In some situations, a judge will ask the court reporter to read back or replay part of the testimony. The court reporter’s record is also useful as both legal teams start to build their case. For example, a medical malpractice attorney may look to a court reporter’s documentation as they prepare their closing statements, particularly if the defendant or plaintiff said something during the trial that would best be reiterated as a direct quote. Especially when members of a court case are under oath, a court reporter serves as another deterrent from lying on the stand, as that statement can later be thrown back in a witness’ face if they contradict it. Court reporters may also use their technology to help mitigate accessibility issues during a court hearing. For example, a court reporter could help provide transcripts or subtitles to video evidence if anyone involved in a court case was deaf or hard of hearing.

Where do you find court reporters?

Depending on what their needs are, many courtrooms find their courtrooms from agencies that serve a variety of courts across the state. For example, if you were looking to get a court reporter to handle a case somewhere in Florida, you may want to look into hiring from a team of well-respected Fort Lauderdale court reporters who are known for their attention to detail and affordable pricing. Many court reporting agencies offer a host of useful services beyond traditional court reporting, including videotaped depositions. In fact, most court reporters have found ways to harness technology to greatly improve their speed and efficiency, not to mention provide legal documents that are able to be digitized and searched at a later date. When you’re looking for a court reporter, selecting an agency with a history of providing great service across a broad spectrum of cases and technologies is always a surefire route to success.

Court reporters play a crucial role during a variety of legal proceedings. Especially in trials that run for multiple weeks or even months, having accurate records of every witness’ testimony and cross examination can be the difference between winning and losing the case. A court reporter provides an accurate record of all dialogue, helping to avoid instances of witnesses or legal teams paraphrasing others’ words later in a case. By avoiding situations of "he said/she said," a court reporter thus helps make courts much more just, offering greater objectivity and impartiality.

Freelance writer with BA in English from Binghamton.