What is Court Reporting?

What is a Court Reporter?

At Fortz Legal, we work closely with court reporters every day. A court reporter is a trained professional who provides a verbatim record of legal proceedings. Often called "the guardian of the records," they create the official record of everything said in courtrooms, depositions, and hearings. Their work in the judicial system is vital, as transcripts serve as the official record of what took place. These records protect the integrity of the process by providing unbiased, certified documentation that can be relied upon in appeals, reviews, and historical archives.

Our court reporters leverages tools like stenography machines, voice writing technology, and digital recording systems to capture speech at speed of more than 200 words per minute, making them indispensable in fast-paced legal environments.

Looking for court reporting services? Contact Fortz Legal today to learn more

What Do Court Reporters Do?

Court reporters perform tasks that go beyond transcription:

• Record oral testimony word-for-word in trials, hearings, depositions, and arbitrations.

• Producing verbatim transcripts that form the official case record.

• Ensure accuracy and neutrality, document testimony and rulings without bias.

• Provide Realtime captioning for accessibility and enabling participants to follow proceedings instantly.

At Fortz Legal, these services translate into faster turnaround, greater precision, and peace of mind for legal teams.

What is Realtime Reporting?

Realtime reporting is a specialized skill where court reporters use leading-edge technology to instantly translate spoken words into text. The resulting feed of proceedings may be displayed on monitors, laptops, or tablets, thus enabling attorneys, judges, and participants to follow along in real time.

Realtime reporting is especially valuable because it:

• Improves accessibility for individuals with hearing disabilities.

• Enhances efficiency by allowing attorneys to reference testimony immediately.

• Supports collaboration among legal teams during proceedings.

This development has turned court reporting from a behind-the-scenes service into an interactive tool that serves directly in support of the courtroom experience.

Court Reporter Career Paths

The career opportunities in court reporting are many, with different responsibilities:

Freelancer: Independent professionals providing transcripts for depositions and private hearings. Fortz Legal has worked with numerous freelance reporters all over the country to provide precise documentation in a wide variety of cases.

Hearing Reporter: Court reporters who record pretrial and trial proceedings. There are also captioners, who utilize computerized systems to provide captions for live or prerecorded broadcasts, including presentations, conferences, and other events, to make accessible to deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

Legislative Reporter: Legislative court reporters work with the United States Congress and in state legislatures around the country.

Official Reporter: Official court reporters are hired directly by the courts to produce transcripts of trials and hearings.

Scopist: Professionals who review and edit transcripts developed by other court reporters, ensuring accuracy and clarity, with proper formatting before final certification.

Court reporters fill a crucial role within our system of justice, from assuring every word in the legal process is preserved with accuracy and integrity to providing critical contributions to fair trials and hearings and further supporting access through Realtime technology as independent freelancers, legislative reporters, and official court reporters.

For an in-depth overview of the profession, visit the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).

If you're a court reporter, consider submitting a form for work opportunities.