Court Reporter (Stenographer or Voice Writer)

The Court Reporter plays a vital part in the judicial process. Accuracy is imperative, as transcripts produced by court reporters are utilized as the official record, by court users and justice partners alike.  As a Court Reporter with Placer Superior Court, you will be part of a fantastic team of reporters and enjoy competitive pay, in addition to Real Time and CART differential pay, as well as amazing benefits.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES 

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Attends court sessions as assigned and makes verbatim official records of the proceedings, often of a technical nature and at a high rate of speed.
• Provides real-time reporting.
• Reads back all or portions of the official court proceedings upon instruction from the judicial officer.
• Identify speakers properly, and note the introduction of exhibits or evidence.
• Prepares, or has prepared, transcripts of proceedings upon request; certifies the accuracy of court transcripts; files official transcripts. Preparation of transcripts are governed by statutes, rules, regulations, and court policy.
• Meet court-fixed and statutory deadlines for transcriptions, obtain extensions when necessary.
• Report proceedings as directed by the court or judicial officer.
• Researches as necessary to verify case citations, spellings of legal, medical, and other specialized terms used in the case.
• Prepares indices of witnesses and exhibits.
• Attend staff and other work-related meetings, workshops, seminars, and other continuing education opportunities
• Serve as a representative of the Court, displaying courtesy, tact, consideration and discretion in all interactions with other members of the Court community and with the public.
• Operates a variety of office equipment, including transcription machines, computer terminals, printers and related equipment.
• Responds to requests and inquiries from courtroom proceedings participants.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

• Principles and practices of court reporting;
• Legal, medical and administrative terminology, phraseology, documents, forms and procedures;
• Proper English usage, correct grammar, spelling, vocabulary and punctuation;
• Court reporting and transcription equipment, including real-time equipment;
• Courtroom procedures and protocol;
• California statutes relating to court reporting services such as, Code of Civil Procedure, Probate Code, Welfare and Institutions Code, California Rules of Court;
• Modern office methods and practices;
• Current trends and developments in court reporting technology; and
• Clerical and legal record keeping practices and procedures.

• Take dictation at a speed of 200 words per minute;
• Type at a speed of 50 words per minute;
• Effectively communicate orally and in writing using correct English, and proofread accurately;
• Record and transcribe court proceedings verbatim, accurately, continuously for several hours and provide real-time reporting;
• Follow verbal and written instructions;
• Listen to and understand conversations of the court in order to prepare a verbatim record of the proceedings;
• Adjust to changes in workloads and work under the constraints of meetings deadlines;
• Prioritize work to meet courtroom deadlines;
• Operate a transcriber, computer, stenotype machine and other related office equipment;
• Punctually arrive at work and in courtroom to prepare for court proceedings;
• Adapt to changing court reporting technology, including, but not limited to, real time reporting;
• Understand, explain, and apply legal terminology, codes and procedures;
• Exercise judgment in applying policies and procedures;
• Establish and maintain effective working relations with judicial officers, attorneys, and court staff; respond professionally and courteously to the bar and the public;
• Maintain confidential information where standards require; and
• Work independently in a courtroom environment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

Possession of a valid certification by the State of California, Department of Consumer Affairs as a Certified Shorthand Reporter. License must be in good standing and fees must be current at all times. Must provide copy of current license to Court Reporter Supervisor each time it is renewed.
 
Prior experience in a courtroom as a certified court reporter is preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT 

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Occasional lifting and moving of objects weighting up to 25 pounds;
• Ability to sit, stand, and/or walk for long periods of time;
• Ability to move from one place to another place within a facility;
• Periodically required travel to other locations; 
• Some reaching for items above and below desk level;
• Speak and hear;
• Use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls;
• Perform repetitive movements of hands or wrists;
• Specific vision abilities required for this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus; and
• The incumbent may be required to work hours beyond their regularly scheduled shift.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Normal business hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Overtime may occur on an occasional basis.