How do steno-machine keyboards work?

Steno-machines or stenographs are small, laptop-like devices that court reporters use to record everything said in a deposition or court room as it is being said. They don’t use the standard QWERTY keyboard layout, however. These machines were designed to type phonentic sounds instead of letters to maximize typing speeds. Court reporters must press more than one key at a time to ensure the proper sound and inflection is corrected notated.

How many words can court reporters write per minute?

To become a certified, legal court reporter, these professionals must have a typing speed of 225 words or more per minute, with an overall accuracy of 97.5%.

How do you become a certified court reporter?

You must receive certification from a state-recognized court reporting program. Some states require you pass the state examination, or the National Court Reporting Association’s (NCRA) Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) examination. In some states, you must be liscened in that particular state to practice. Many court reporting professionals receive additional, realtime reporting and higher speed accreditations.

Will court reporters be replaced by recording devices?

Recording devices have been around since the late 1800s, but court reporters are still utilized to accurately read a room and record what is said, how it is said, and to format the proceedings properly. Because recording devices need the same amount of manual operation a stenograph does, court reporters are not going anywhere.

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