Court Reporter Duties & Responsibilities

The role and function of a Court Reporter includes the following duties and responsibilities:

  • Ensuring that records can be easily read and understood;
  • Using traditional shorthand, stenograph/palantype machines or ‘real-time’ computerised systems to make accurate records of the proceedings;
  • Reading back transcripts to lawyers while in court as required;
  • Preserving the original sense of what was said;
  • Editing text;
  • Producing final transcripts;
  • Using machine shorthand to type phrases and/or whole words in single keyboard strokes;
  • Attending court sessions;
  • Listening carefully to everything said;
  • Correcting grammatical mistakes;
  • Transcribing speech into written records after court sessions;

Note that this is not an exhaustive list of Court Reporter duties and responsibilities. Job functions for specific Court Reporter roles may vary, depending on the industry and type of employer.