Reader comments
Machines to do court reporting

First, let me just say...WOW. I agree that there seems to be a lot of hostility towards court reporters here. I'm currently in school in Texas, studying to become a court reporter. It's extremely difficult, but I love it. My sister has been a computer programmer for 25 years. She is brilliant. When I talk to her about the "digital age" replacing court reporters, she laughs. Ridiculous was the word she used. Yes, technology is amazing today, but nothing compares to the human brain. Yes, they used to use quill pens back in the day, but I honestly think you have NO idea of the capabilities found in the CR equipment today. Let me ask you this - can a digital recording produce a record in realtime? Let me answer for you: NO. Realtime is the CR's answer to digital recording. As a student, realtime is our focus. The judge can sit and read the words as they are being spoken! Digital recording was defeated in Collin Cnty because those judges just LOVE realtime. Thank you for trying to take our jobs in TX. It gives us the opportunity to show what we can do. ;)

okay, let me tell you what happens with video/audio recordings in a court room. When a transcript is needed of a proceeding the DVD is then sent to a court reporter or a court reporting firm...and then we have to hope the audio was accurate enough and clear enough for the court reporter watching it to accurately take it down. Maybe we should post all the ways one can represent ones-self on the web and then the attorneys can be obsolete..and all of the frivolous motions that clog the courts, most of which is what realy costs the client not the stenographer taking down the windbag asking questions that have no bearing on the case...I'm sorry..I have listened to the punishment by deposition tactic by attorneys..yes the client pays the attorney by the hour to sit there and ask questions ..not just the stenographer taking it down. Maybe you can cut client costs and tax payer costs by getting to the point of the case and not worrying about racking up billable hours.

I have read many of the comments and I must say, I think the price to pay is reasonable for a certified court reporter. As a student it is not easy to learn and complete this task. We fail more than we pass. And if a doctor or lawyer or judge has to go through the many frustrations, as a student, that we go through I don't think they would make it. Learning to certifiably write 225 wpm, verbatim on a machine that has only 23 keys and no letters on it is not easy.

So if the cost is high, just remember what the reporter had to go through to get certified.
Lawyers and doctors "Practice". Judges implement the law. Court Reports write EVERYTHING.