subject: The Significance Of The Court Reporter Role [print this page] Movies and most TV shows don't correctly show all the things court reporters do. They aren't just in court, but they are also found making precise transcripts of legal proceedings, speeches, conversations, and whenever a written record of verbal exchanges is needed. Sometimes they use these records as legal proof. Reporters are often an important piece for legal proceedings and make sure documentation is exact and accurate. They organize records and sometimes help the attorneys and they judges by searching to find the desired information. They sometimes suggest things related to either procedure or administration to the attorneys and the judges. More and more they have been the ones who help with services for those who need translation or even closed captioning. In addition to being known traditionally as the stenographer, the court reporter role has become much greater than in years past.
There are a few different ways court reporting happens. The most often seen is the stenographic method where stenographers record all statements given during proceedings. This is also the kind seen in TV and the movies.
Real time court reporting is another method. This is where the stenotype machines that can be utilized for captioning link to a computer. The keys typed by the stenotypist is automatically displayed in the process Communications Access Realtime Translation (CART) which is used wherever the hearing-impaired needs it. The impaired can be a witness, as jury member, or even in the audience.
While there a various ways of record keeping, different areas need court reporters besides court. When there a hearings and the public attends, they are often in use. They help in documenting the thoughts and opinions that the people have about specific decisions and possibly legislation affect.
Court reporters are sometimes used to keep records of verbal statements at conventions. This is helpful to the people who didn't attend, ultimately giving them a written account of what happened. The conventions can be for many reasons including seminars, business meetings, or award ceremonies.
Sometimes insurance companies decide to look into a person who has filed a claim. Usually they send an investigator to interrogate them. Stenographers can produce a transcript of all of the questions and answers given. These transcripts can affect the state of a claim and whether it's approved or denied.
It is not uncommon for corporations to have transcripts of every meeting professionally done. Corporations can be either banks, or sometimes condo associations. Most corporations that need this type of service go through stenographer companies.
With a lot of previously unknown responsibilities, the importance of court reporters goes unrecognized. They make precise transcripts that are easily legible for the court, but in addition they organize all the records making them easy to find the desired information from, which is especially important during the appeals process. Not just that, but they arrange so that those that are handicapped, or even hard of hearing are able to know what is going on and be a participant in court, if need be. With the increase in the responsibilities of the court reporter role, their knowledge and significance in the judicial process should be recognized.
