Court reporter
Controller Job Description
Court reporters – also referred to as shorthand reporters – are responsible for keeping written records of legal proceedings, whether in government, court, or private settings. The verbatim documentation in criminal, civil and other court proceedings require professionals who are highly skilled and trained in court reporting, which usually involves stenography.
A court reporter produces official written transcripts of legal proceedings, for example, trials, hearings, and legislative meetings. Also called a court stenographer, he or she provides an accurate, word-for-word, complete record of these events so that interested parties like lawyers, judges, plaintiffs, defendants, and the jury, can reference them as needed.
Some people who are trained as court reporters don’t work in a legal setting. They may caption live or recorded television broadcasts and public events for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Someone who does this is called a broadcast captioner, caption writer, closed caption editor or, simply, a captioner.
Typical duties of a Controller
Roles and Responsibilities:
• Attend hearings, depositions, proceedings, and other types of events that need a written transcript
• In addition to spoken words, they must report the speaker’s identification, actions, and gestures
• Use specialized stenography machines, microphones, recording devices, audio, and video equipment
• Play back or read back any part of the proceedings at the judge’s request
• Ask speakers for clarification on any unclear or inaudible testimony or statements
• Provide the courts, legal counsels, and involved parties with copies of their transcriptions
• Transcribe the dialogue of movies or television programs for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals
Essential skills:
• Listening Skills: To record what transpires during proceedings, you must be able to understand everything you hear.
• Writing Skills: Court reporters must be good writers; you will need to have extensive knowledge of grammar and an excellent vocabulary.
• Reading Comprehension: You must be able to understand written documents
• Concentration: It is essential to maintain focus for long stretches of time.
• Attention to Detail: Accuracy is crucial; missing anything can be detrimental.
Qualifications: Degree or post-secondary certificate upon course’s completion.