Court reporters play a crucial role in the legal process as they must ensure accurate documentation of every word spoken during proceedings, from trials to depositions. If you are someone with an eye for detail and the ability to stay calm under pressure then pursuing a career in court reporting may be the perfect fit for you. Let’s explore what it takes to become a court reporter in Ontario. Research and Enroll in Accredited Programs Begin your journey by researching accredited court reporting programs in Ontario. There are post-secondary institutions that offer court reporting courses, recog ..read more

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods, such as mediation and arbitration, have gained prominence in recent years as effective alternatives to traditional courtroom litigation. These methods emphasize collaboration, confidentiality, and efficiency. While the spotlight often shines on the skilled mediators and arbitrators facilitating these processes, the court reporters are playing a crucial role behind the scenes. These professionals ensure accuracy, transparency, and a lasting record of resolution attempts. The Role of Court Reporters in Mediation and Arbitration Mediation is a volunta ..read more

During legal proceedings, court reporters are key players responsible for accuracy and fairness. This blog explores the ethics and professionalism that guide their work, focusing on key principles they must uphold to protect the integrity of their work. Remaining Impartial Court reporters must remain impartial during court proceedings. Allowing personal biases or opinions affect the transcription or giving partial treatment to a certain party can affect the outcome of the proceedings. The NCRA’s code of Professional Ethics states: “Be fair and impartial toward each participant in all aspects o ..read more

The world of court reporting offers unique advantages and disadvantages that should be considered before pursuing the career. Some benefits include positive job growth projections, less extensive academic requirements, and flexible opportunities to freelance. [1] With these benefits come challenges, both mental and physical, that many are unable to avoid. Physically and Mentally Exhausting Sessions Court proceedings can often last for hours without a break, and court reporters are meant to be sitting down and looking at a screen for the entire duration, and remain alert in order to capture an ..read more

Court reporting and stenography have origins that date back to 63 B.C. when a man named Marcus Tullius Tiro, who worked as a personal secretary, would take shorthand notes for the Roman philosopher Cicero. [1][2][3] He developed a system that used a combination of 4000 abbreviated Latin letters, Greek symbols, and other signs, that would help to quickly transcribe speeches made by Cicero. [2] This system became known as Tironian Notes and it was taught and expanded throughout the Medieval period where it grew to over 13,000 signs before its use declined around 1100 A.D. [2] In the mid-1500s, B ..read more

Court reporting is a specialized field that requires a unique set of skills and a keen attention to detail. In the digital era, technological advancements have significantly impacted court reporting practices, offering both opportunities and challenges. To excel in court reporting, individuals should possess excellent listening and concentration skills, exceptional typing speed and accuracy, and a strong command of grammar and punctuation. They should also be comfortable working with technology and adapting to new software and tools used in the field. Attention to detail, confidentiality, and ..read more

The court reporting industry in Canada is a challenging and rewarding profession that requires continuous learning and development of skills. One of the critical success factors in this industry is building and maintaining professional relationships through networking. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of networking and building relationships in the court reporting industry in Canada. Networking is defined as the act of making contact and exchanging information with other people, groups, or organizations to develop mutually beneficial relationships. In the court reporting indus ..read more

Court reporting demands much from those who choose this as a career. The stress of large workloads makes burnout a common occurrence among court reporters so here is a list of things court reporters can do to prevent burnout from happening: Prioritize Go over your tasks and arrange them in such a way that you can progress through your list with minimal resistance. This can look like sorting your tasks by the ease of completion or arranging them by urgency and importance. The main idea, however, is to schedule your work in a way that relieves anxiety around getting everything done. Prioritizin ..read more

The career of a court reporter is not one that demands strength and athleticism so one can easily fall into the trap of living an over-sedentary lifestyle. Spending your day sitting in courtrooms and typing at a desk can deteriorate one’s health by causing poor blood circulation, poor posture, tight muscles, and other undesirable physical effects. Not only does the low degree of physical movement come with drawbacks but if you are not regimented, you might work endless hours and rely on a diet of convenient, low-nutrient food. In this article, we hope to convey some ways a court reporter can m ..read more

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods, such as mediation and arbitration, have gained prominence in recent years as effective alternatives to traditional courtroom litigation. These methods emphasize collaboration, confidentiality, and efficiency. While the spotlight often shines on the skilled mediators and arbitrators facilitating these processes, the court reporters are playing a crucial role behind the scenes. These professionals ensure accuracy, transparency, and a lasting record of resolution attempts. The Role of Court Reporters in Mediation and Arbitration Mediation is a volunta ..read more