Certified Shorthand Reporter

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How to Become a Certified Shorthand Reporter
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• Whether you are interested in becoming a court
  reporter or a stenographer, you will want to
  become a certified shorthand reporter. If you do
  not become certified, you may face serious
  penalties.

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Certification Requirements

• Applicants for certification as a Certified
  Shorthand Reporter must meet specific
  requirements. These requirements vary depending
  on the type of certification.
• For example, to become certified as a Registered
  Diplomate Reporter, an applicant must pass a
  knowledge test on the use of technology and
  industry practices. This is followed by a skills
  test. This test requires the applicant to
  transcribe the best dictation they can produce.
  The speed of the exam is 3.5 words per second or
  faster.

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• Another type of certification is the Registered
  Professional Reporter, which is given by the
  National Court Reporters Association.
• To become certified, an
  applicant must pass both the written
  knowledge and skills tests. The
  written test is given twice a year.
  This exam is designed to test an
  applicant's knowledge of the court reporting
  industry and practices.

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• An applicant must be at least 18 years old. They
  must have graduated from high school and have
  been enrolled in an approved accredited or
  recognized course of study. They must also have
  at least two years of experience in the shorthand
  reporting industry. A license from another state
  is acceptable as long as it is accompanied by a
  notarized letter indicating that the applicant
  has been certified in that state.

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• A Certified Shorthand Reporter is a person who
  perform court reporting, transcribes passages
  from dictated records, and performs other
  freelance reporting. To become a certified
  shorthand reporter, the applicant must pass an
  examination. In addition, the person must provide
  their name, residence address, and other
  information the commissioner deems necessary.

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Penalties for not being certified

• Having a valid certificate may not be enough for
  you to practice as a certified shorthand
  reporter. Under the new law, you'll have to prove
  you are a bona fide professional shorthand
  reporter and that you have the skills to do it.
• The new law will help consumers recognize a
  licensed shorthand reporter. The bill prohibits
  the practice of shorthand reporting for
  compensation without a valid certificate.

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• The new law will also allow you to hold an entity
  (such as an attorney) personally liable for
  payment of shorthand reporting services. This is
  a good thing for consumers, as it will eliminate
  the deception associated with uncertified
  shorthand reporters.
• There are several other laws governing the
  practice of shorthand reporting in California.
  They are found in the Evidence Code and the
  California Code of Regulation. You'll also find
  the rules governing the practice of shorthand
  reporting in the California Business and
  Professions Code.

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• If you're interested in becoming a certified
  shorthand reporter, you'll need to submit an
  application to the Commissioner of the Department
  of Consumer Protection. The application must
  include your name, residence address, business
  address, and other pertinent information. It must
  also include a nonrefundable application fee of
  100 and a certification fee of 190.
• In addition to certifying you as a shorthand
  reporter, the new law will also require you to
  participate in continuing education (CE). In
  addition to the new rule, you'll need to complete
  at least 10 CE hours before your certification is
  renewed.

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Court reporting vs stenography

• Several legal professionals often confuse the
  word steno with court reporting. While both may
  be a necessary component to the legal system,
  there are many differences.
• Stenographers, also known as court reporters, are
  experts at recording verbatim proceedings. They
  do this by using a special machine that generates
  a written verbatim record. This type of recording
  can be helpful for hard of hearing people and
  deaf individuals. They also take advantage of
  videoconferencing tools, which enable them to
  work several depositions on a single day.

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• Stenographers must also know how to type at
  speeds greater than 225 words per minute. This
  requires a bit of training. Generally, it takes
  at least a few years of schooling and continuing
  education courses to become an official court
  reporter.
• Court reporting is a lucrative profession. A
  typical court reporter earns more than a
  stenographer. They also have the advantage of
  having a working knowledge of court procedures
  and legal terminology.

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• While stenographers are responsible for recording
  verbatim proceedings, a professional court
  reporter will have redundancies and other
  features in their recording to ensure that the
  transcript is accurate. The technology used to
  produce court transcripts has come a long way in
  recent years. However, artificial intelligence
  still has a ways to go before it can produce a
  perfect transcript.