Frequently Asked Questions About Court Reporting 

How many words can court reporters write per minute?

To achieve certification as a certified shorthand reporter (depending on the state the reporter is certified in) a student must write and pass one literary test at 180 words a minute, one jury charge at 200 words a minute, and one Q&A test at 225 words a minute, with an overall accuracy rate of 97.5%.

Will court reporters be replaced by recording devices?

In short, no! Recording devices have existed since the late 1800s, but certified shorthand reporters have been and continue to be the gold standard in the courtroom and deposition suite. Certified shorthand reporters accurately distinguish each person attending the proceeding; and if two or more people speak at once, the certified shorthand reporter will speak up and ask them to not speak over each other, enabling him/her to create an accurate record of the proceeding.

Digital recorders are NOT certified by the court reporting boards in any state. They are not required to be background checked or fingerprinted, as certified shorthand reporters are. This is of utmost importance when handling your clients’ sensitive, confidential, private information. When their recording equipment malfunctions, the integrity of the record is jeopardized.