In a 2013-2014 study, Ducker Worldwide predicted a court reporter shortage. This proved to be true. The National Court Reporter Association commissioned this study.

This shortage is expected to continue growing and could cause delays in justice delivery. The average age of a court reporter at the moment is 57. According to some estimates, 13,000 court reporters are needed in the industry. To address the shortage, 130,000 students are required to obtain 13,000 certified reporters. The average time it takes to become certified is three years. It is estimated that another 5,100 reporters will leave the market by the time the 13,000 new reporters have entered the market.

What Are Some Causes of the Stenographer Shortage

Although it is impossible to pinpoint a single event that led to the shortage, several events in the past 30 years contributed to the decline. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the following may have contributed to the decline in students entering court-reporting schools:

  • Skewed image of income potential and career growth path.
  • The rise of “PC Technology” and Microsoft Windows in the late 1990s and early 2000s and the demand for technology specialists made it possible for potential students to enroll in short-term programs with perceived higher income potential than court reporting.
  • Court reporting schools experiencing a decline in enrollment due to their inability to offer a successful path to certification.
  • Possible trade association missteps may have resulted in students requiring a more rigorous path to certification.
  • Baby Boomers are retiring faster than new court reporters enter the workforce. The aging workforce is getting ready to retire. Many of these court reporters have been in the business for decades.

How Is Technology Changing the World of Court Reporting

The court reporter crisis is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. The prospect of 130,000 students entering the market is rather grim. This article will focus on alternate technologies that will augment the existing population of court reporters to meet the market’s needs.

  • The rise of teleconferencing technology allows lawyers and judges to conduct hearings (i.e., depositions, court appearances, ADA compliance) remotely in a virtual room via the web. A Session Manager (digital reporter) will maintain the proper decorum.
  • Digital audio recording systems under the control of a trained operator certified by a national organization will provide an equally accurate transcript for in-person hearings or hybrid settings.

The above technologies will address the shortage when implemented in a thoughtful environment that performs to long-established court reporting standards and procedures.  More importantly, the time required to properly train and certify a digital court reporter to fill the void is less than traditional stenographic training.

The DepoDash Solution

In the Ducker Report, it is mentioned that alternative technologies, such as voice writing and digital reports, may negatively affect the job of stenographic court reporters. Conversely, the availability of these technologies could also be increased by using them in conjunction with other technologies. Both the industry and the consumers would benefit from this situation, as it will be a win-win situation for both parties.

The cloud-based service DepoDash offers a step-by-step solution that replicates the process of creating a verbatim recording during an in-person deposition conducted by a court reporter.

As is currently done by court reporting companies, consumers can reserve a virtual room and be invited for a similar appearance to that of court reporting firms.

To access the room, participants must have a computer with a webcam and a popular web browser. The “Session Manager/Digital Judge Reporter,” generally hired by a court reporting company, will be responsible for opening the room and welcoming the guests on the event day. Depositions are managed by the Session Manager, who is in charge of the whole process.

Upon the session declaration on the record by the session manager, the witnesses are examined similarly to how they would be examined in a regular deposition.

Legal counsels can introduce exhibits, screen share, hold-and-off-the-record conversation, and annotate the record within a secure environment. The session manager can also “read back” testimony if requested. A transcriber can edit the transcript simultaneously and share corrections with participants to improve accuracy. All sessions are recorded, including audio and video. The testimony is synchronized with the actual time. The entire transcript and exhibits will remain in the cloud server and may be accessed later if permitted.

Conclusion

Using DepoDash can help fill the void in so many instances. It is your dashboard for the new normal. It allows you to meet customers where they are. Whether in person, remote or hybrid settings. If you’re looking for some help meeting the demand for court reporters, DepoDash could be just what you need. It’s easy to use, and it’s not expensive. Why not give it a try?