Why Court Reporters Are Needed

If you’re working in the legal system, chances are you know exactly why a court reporter is necessary. For those who are new to the process, or just curious about what the people at the front of the room typing furiously are doing, they might not seem all that important. However, a court reporting agency in Phoenix, AZ plays a bigger role in the system than you might initially believe.

Getting a transcript

In some states, it’s actually illegal to proceed without a court reporter present—they’re responsible for keeping a clear and accurate transcript of what happens during any procedure so that judges, juries and attorneys can refer back to it later.

You might be surprised at the amount of training that goes into producing a simple transcript. Think about it, though—how fast do you talk normally? Imagine trying to record your family’s interactions in real time, with a high degree of accuracy. It’s probably a lot harder than you’d think, which is why court reporters have to achieve a specialized degree in court reporting before they ever step into a courtroom.

Court reporters are trained not only in how to use a special stenography machine, but also take classes in courtroom procedure, legal and medical terminology, vocabulary, dictation, transcription, ethics and more. Court reporters need to have a broad understanding of what’s happening in front of them so that they can take more accurate transcripts.

An ethical reminder

If you’ve ever been a witness or juror in a trial, you know that everyone is sworn to uphold high legal and ethical standards—and that includes court reporters. However, in addition to the oaths everyone swears, sometimes their presence alone is a good reminder that witnesses and attorneys are under oath. There’s nothing like someone taking down every single thing you say to remind you that it could be used against you later.

What about digital recordings?

Plenty of people decry the cost of court reporting, especially when it’s state sponsored. Somehow, a written record needs to be produced, whether that’s by a human or a computer. Unfortunately, while digital voice-to-text technology is good, it doesn’t return nearly the level of accuracy needed to meet the standards of a legal record. This is especially true when multiple people are talking at once—it can be difficult for recordings to distinguish between who’s talking, let alone what they said. Paired with the rapid obsolescence of digital technology today, and the cost of upgrading can be far more than hiring skilled court reporters.

Court reporting agency in Phoenix, AZ

Bartelt | Nix Reporting, LLC has been Phoenix’s premier court reporting agency since our founding in 1972. When you need clear, accurate and concise court reporting, our team of highly skilled and trained reporters is happy to assist. We take care to hire only the best court reporters, and our standards for accuracy and professionalism are unparalleled. Whether you need a reporter for your courtroom proceedings, video conferencing or deposition transcription, we can help you. Call us today to get started.

Categorised in: Court Reporting

This post was written by Writer