how to become a court reporter

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Administration & Office Support

Court Reporter

Court reporters or stenographers transcribe the proceedings at trials, dispositions, tribunals and hearings.

Entry-level education

Private training course
Job outlook

1 2 3 4 5

What does a Court Reporter do?

Court reporters or stenographers transcribe the proceedings at trials, dispositions, tribunals and hearings.

Work activities

As a court reporter you would:

record legal proceedings verbatim using either stenography or computerised recording devices
use shorthand to take notes
draft and edit transcripts, verifying accuracy against audio recordings
transcribe notes and recorded proceedings, editing grammar as you go
finalise and certify transcripts as official records to agreed deadlines
verify spelling, references and citations
create and maintain dictionaries, glossaries and databases
file transcribed documents with the court.

Key skills and interests

To become a court reporter, you would need:

good hearing and concentration
excellent oral and written communication skills
a knowledge of legal terms and phrases
a high level of speed and accuracy when taking shorthand or longhand notes
a high level of typing speed and accuracy
computer skills
the ability to work under pressure.

Working hours and conditions

Working Hours

As a court reporters you would work a standard number of hours per week. The roles are generally full time.

Conditions

You would spend your time sitting during trials or other legal proceedings. You would need to concentrate for long period at a time without a break.

How to become an Court Reporter?

Entry Level Education

TAFE and Vocational Courses
University Courses

To become a court reporter, you would need to complete your senior secondary school certificate or equivalent, followed by post-secondary specialised training in court reporting or parliamentary reporting.

The Steno School offers, by external study, a fee-paying program in computer-compatible machine shorthand for realtime court reporting and captioning roles.

thestenoschool.com/home/about-us/

Job outlook

1 2 3 4 5

Employment of court reporters is projected to grow slower than the average for all occupations, and is likely to start to decline.

Demand for court reporters will be influenced by the increased function of the courts, and any additional government regulation regarding the recording of court proceedings.

However, the increased use of digital recording technology and voice recognition software will limit new opportunities. Court reporters may still be needed to verify, check, and supervise the production of transcripts after proceedings have been digitally recorded and transcribed.

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