The Case For Stenotype Machines And Court Reporters
With new technologies being introduced literally all of the time, many people around the world are beginning to question the old way of doing things — and whether there isn’t a better and more efficient way of doing them now. That, of course, means that court reporters and the tried and true art of stenography has (like anything else) come under scrutiny. Is it truly necessary? Is there a better or more accurate way of professional court reporting?
First, Let’s Set The Record Straight
First, there have been advances when it comes to legal transcription. In addition to the 21,200 American court reporters (20,000 of them represented by The National Court Reporters Association), there are also thousands of legal videographers who make an appearance in the courtroom. More often than not, court reporters or stenographers use any video taken during the proceedings to review their transcripts and make any changes as necessary.
A Case For Ongoing Court Reporting Services
That being said, there is a very strong case for using both court reporters and legal videographers — and not just one or the other. Stenography continues to be necessary for a number of different reasons. First, anyone present may ask the court reporter to read back recent testimony. Reading back a statement can be used for emphasis or clarity, and — in some cases — may change the direction that the case is going. Repeating accounts word-for-word is not possible through video alone. Moreover, voice-to-text technology just isn’t advanced enough to accomplish the same feats as a human. (Just think about the ways people talk to Siri; it’s not the same way they speak in everyday conversation.) Lastly, a written transcript is much simpler to refer back to or analyze; people can search for key terms and phrases — something that cannot be done with video.
Court reporters aren’t going anywhere. In fact, the Bureau Of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the profession will grow by 10% by 2022 — and with good reason. Court reporters make it possible to easily refer back to court documents and to re-read recent testimony and statements aloud, a simple thing that can make a big difference in court.
