Court reporters are an important part of the legal process. They are highly trained stenographers who transcribe court proceedings verbatim. This includes depositions, arbitrations and jury trials. Their records are relied upon during a case as a true and accurate portrayal of the proceedings, and can be entered into evidence—so it’s important to not only pick a skilled court reporter, but also make sure that you’ve chosen a reporter with the right kind of court reporting certification in Phoenix, AZ for your needs.
Education and Training
The training requirements for a court reporter vary, depending on their specialization. On average, it takes about 33 months (two years, 9 months) for a person to become a real time stenographic court reporter. Court reporters attend a vocational or technical school—the National Court Reporters Association has certified about 60 programs across the country, and require students to capture 225 words per minute, which is also the national standard for federal employment.
Certifications and Licensing
Licensure requirements vary by state. Some (but not all) states require that a court reporter pass a licensing exam before working in that territory. However, there are several national court reporting certification exams that act as a substitute for applicable state licensing exams, offered by the National Verbatim Reporters Association.
The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) offers several different kinds of certifications. Certifications indicate a particular specialization or a high level of achievement, making certified reporters especially suited for particular types of cases or environments. Certifications generally require continuing education credits in order to maintain the designation:
- Registered Professional Reporter (RPR): The RPR certification is the basic level of court reporting certification. The test covers literary phrases, question and response and jury charge material. The standard for passing is transcribing 225 words per minute or better. In addition, court reporters pass a general knowledge test that covers their understanding of court procedure and best practices.
- Registered Merit Reporter (RMR): This certification is for those who qualify for the RPR, but can transcribe 240 words per minute.
- Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR): CRRs are trained to use real time voice-to-text transcription. They’re required to pass a test demonstrating that they can transcribe spoken words at 200 words per minute or better.
- Certified CART Provider (CCP): CART, which stands for Communication Access Real Time, is a technology designed to allow hearing impaired individuals to read spoken words in real time. The CCP must be able to transcribe 180 to 225 words per minute.
Do you want to find out more about the different types of court reporting certifications in Phoenix, AZ? Need help deciding which type of court reporting best suits your needs? Contact the professionals at Bartelt | Nix Reporting, LLC. Since 1972, we’ve been specializing in court reporting, video conferencing, videography and virtual depositions. We record testimony and other legal proceedings in the most thorough and precise manner possible. You can count on our staff to make sure you have the right kind of court reporter for your case.