Court Reporter

Court Reporter Position

Signing Incentive: $20,000 total for a full-time Court Reporter; $10,000 the first pay period after one full month of employment, $5,000 the first pay period after one-year anniversary, and $5,000 after two-year anniversary.

Full-time Court Reporters Start At: Pay step consistent with their experience.

Student Loan and Equipment Allowance: $10,000 for each full-time newly certified and hired court reporter; $5,000 initial payment, payable the first pay period after hire, $5,000 the first pay period after one-year anniversary.

Retention Payment for Current Full-time Court Reporters: $15,000 for each full-time Court Reporter employed as of March 1, 2025, and through the first full pay period of February 1, 2026, in a good standing with the Court and the Court of Appeals; $7,500 first full pay period following September 1, 2025: $7,500 first full pay period following February 1, 2026.

Finders Fee for Court Employees Who Refer Official Court Reporters to the Court: $5,000 total; $2,500 after new hire's orientation; $2,500 at new hire's one-year anniversary.

Additional Benefits:

Pay Differential for Realtime Services: 4% for Court Certified, 7% for Nationally Certified.

Court Reporter State License Fee: Reimbursed at actual cost up to $200 per calendar year, subject to eligibility.

Reimbursement for Annual Association Membership Fee: Reimbursed at actual cost up to $500 for the annual National Court Reporters' Association (NCRA) and/or California Court Reporter's Association (CCRA) membership fee.

Reimbursement for Equipment and Software Expenses: Reimbursed at actual cost up to $600 per calendar year for the purchase of equipment, equipment maintenance, or software required for Court-assigned court reporting or captioning.

Reimbursement for Convention Registration Fee: Reimbursed at actual cost up to $500 per calendar year for member cost of registration for the California Court Reporters Association (CCRA) annual convention.

Educational Assistance Policy: Up to $1000 per year.

This recruitment will remain open until the position has been filled.

Description

Under direction, the official court reporter is responsible for the verbatim official record; provides readback upon request; prepares certified transcripts of the proceedings; and performs other related duties.

Employment Standards/Typical Qualifications

Certification by the California Department of Consumer Affairs Certified Shorthand Reporters Board is required. Incumbents provide and maintain the necessary equipment for the transcription of court proceedings. A valid California Driver's license may be required. Employees in this classification may be required to use their own vehicle to travel between facilities.

Court Reporter Realtime skills and/or certification are desirable. A pay differential is available for Realtime services.

Positions in this class may perform any or all of the below listed duties. These should be interpreted as examples of the work, and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

1. Primary work is to attend court sessions as assigned and make verbatim stenographic records of the proceedings.
2. Provide immediate readback of all or portions of the court proceedings upon instruction of the judge.
3. Prepare printed, electronic or digital media transcripts of court proceedings.
4. Review and certify transcripts for accuracy, and files transcripts of court proceedings as required by statutes and as ordered by the Court.
5. Prioritize requests for transcripts in order to meet legal timelines.
6. Maintain a variety of electronic and paper files of the court record for which the reporter is directly responsible, prepares daily transcripts as needed, and provides transcripts of proceedings on request of parties or by order of the court.
7. Serve as a relief or floater reporter when needed in any court location.
8. Upload court reporter notes monthly to the "Court Reporter notes archival system."
9. Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Abilities

Any combination of education, training and/or experience which substantially demonstrates the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

Knowledge of:

1. California Law, Rules of Court, court forms and procedures that relate to court reporting services.
2. Proper English usage, spelling, grammar, vocabulary and punctuation.
3. Courtroom practices and procedures.
4. Legal terminology, basic medical and other specialized and technical terminology required for court proceedings and protocol.
5. Computer equipment and data processing programs.

Ability to:

1. Hear and distinguish words spoken in varying tones and volumes.
2. Use Computer-Aided Transcription (CAT).
3. Record verbatim testimony at a rate certified to perform the work.
4. Provide read back of all or portions of the record instantaneously upon request as may be required in examination of witnesses or request of the jury.
5. Promptly prepare transcripts of proceedings when appropriate and certify the final transcript.
6. Safely maintain the files and notes of the court record for which court reporters are responsible.
7. Work independently with minimum supervision.
8. Handle more than one task simultaneously, while maintaining a sense of direction.
9. Maintain attention to detail; organize and prioritize work and meet critical time deadlines.
10. Maintain confidential information where legal standards so require.
11. Type accurately and operate a personal computer and other types of office equipment.
12. Use, adjust, move and perform minor maintenance of stenographic and similar equipment related to work.
13. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
14. Provide excellent customer service; establish and maintain effective work relationships with judges, judicial officers, professional and clerical staff, attorneys, and the general public.
15. Be available and have reliable ways to be contacted when needed on assignment in other locations.
16. Keep equipment readily available and be prepared to go to another assignment in a different department or location as needed in little advance notice.

Examples of Experience and Training

The knowledge and skills listed above may be acquired through various types of experience, education, or training, typically:

Education: Equivalent to graduation from the twelfth grade (high school) or GED.

License: Possess and maintain a license as a Certified Shorthand Reporter or a license as a voice writer issued by the State of California.

Other Requirements

1. During the hours court is open for transaction of judicial business, incumbents shall not engage in, or solicit to engage in any other employment in their professional capacity. Other transcriptions not mandatory by statute must be done on own time outside of work hours. The incumbent primary duties are to attend court and transcribe transcripts that are mandatory by statute and/or ordered by the court.
2. Incumbents provide, move/handle and maintain their own equipment and cover the costs of transcribing the record in return for a fee set by statute.

Required Conditions of Employment

1. To possess and maintain an active, valid certified Shorthand Reporter license issued by the State of California.
2. Successfully pass a background investigation.
3. Possess a valid current California class C license, (or) the employee must be able to provide suitable transportation approved by the hiring authority.
4. Applicants must have a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness. Convictions, depending upon the type, number and date, may be disqualifying.
5. Work history: False statements or omission of facts regarding background or employment history may result in disqualification or dismissal.
6. Incumbent provides and maintains, at own expense, all necessary equipment and materials to produce verbatim record, pursuant to California Rules of Court, Rule 10.810(b) (8) 810.
7. Incumbent is prohibited from holding any outside employment which conflicts with providing services to the court.

Physical and Sensory Requirements