Court Reporting—Voice Writing

Are you looking for a career that puts you in the middle of dramatic courtroom proceedings? Court reporters play a critical role in the judicial system by taking down a verbatim record of courtroom testimony using steno or voice writing. In voice writing, the court reporter speaks into a mask-like device which contains a microphone that feeds the reporter’s voice into specialized voice recognition and translation software on the reporter’s laptop computer. The mask silences the reporter’s voice so as not to disturb courtroom proceedings, while the  reporter’s software translates the reporter’s carefully spoken words into text. To achieve the high speeds and accuracy required, voice writers learn to speak in a kind of shorthand which their software then translates. This text can be read back from the computer screen or printed as a transcript of the proceedings. 

The US Department of Labor projects the demand for court reporters to increase by 18 percent through 2018. Many of our graduates have found fulfilling, professional careers in the courtroom but that’s not the only place our graduates work. Others are hired by attorneys, companies, associations and other organizations to accurately document pretrial testimony, depositions, business meetings and much more.

Our students master this skill at 225 words per minute with 95 percent accuracy.

To learn more about the opportunities a career in court reporting can provide, contact our Admissions Office. Your future career is waiting.

Curriculum

Court Reporting Certificate Program
(Realtime Voice Writing Track)

Total Quarter Credit Hours For Certificate Program: 163

Program Mission

The Court Reporting Program at Brown College is designed to prepare students to take the national certification exam and to prepare the students for an entry-level position in the court reporting field.

Academics

Voice Theory I Voice Theory II Introduction to Realtime Reporting Punctuation and Usage Vocabulary Development Proofreading Civil and Criminal Law Legal Terminology Court Reporting Procedures Medical Terminology and lab Medical Anatomy/Physiology and lab

Keyboarding I and II Introduction to Computers Voice Writing Technology II, III, and IV Multi-Voice Dictation for 160, 180, 200, 225 Reporter Dictation 180 and 200 Professional Development Current Events Court Externship Freelance Externship Technical Dictation-Transcription (180)

Speed-Building Classes

140 WPM 160 WPM 180 WPM

200 WPM 225 WPM

Electives

• Beginning Drill Class
• Intermediate Drill Class
• Advanced Drill Class

Students must pass speed tests at the required speed and accuracy percentage (see catalog) in order to progress to the next level. Length of time to complete the program is based on the individuals' ability to learn the skill.

Practicing outside of class time is a crucial element for success with this program.

Did you know?

• Author Charles Dickens was a court reporter.
• Chef Julia Child’s television show was the first television program in history to use closed captioning for the hearing impaired in August 1972.
• Before becoming a famous actor, Harvey Keitel was a freelance court reporter in New York City.

“My experience with Brown College has been wonderful. The instructors are helpful and insightful. I work full time in a prison environment and my ambition to leave that environment kept me motivated to complete the voice program as quickly as possible; which I did in record time as well as passed state certification on my first attempt. I would recommend Brown College to anyone who is serious about making a career change.”
—Natalie Prentiss, Student

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