Technology is Solving the Court Reporter Shortage

May 2, 2018


With each leap forward in technology,  there are two extremes in reaction – the early adopter and the stubborn resistor. We all know someone who still has a flip phone, right? That is, if they even have a mobile phone at all.


In the field of court reporting,  there are few early adopters for a couple of reasons. Fear of being replaced by a new technology keeps some people from even looking into the benefits it might bring. And if there is a flaw in the new technology, the early adopters are the ones who have to deal with the ramifications.


Court reporting is overrepresented at the other end of the spectrum, too, with firms and reporters who stubbornly, and sometimes irrationally, resist researching or implementing new technology.


At Legal Media Experts, we’ve always been cautious early adopters. We seek out new technologies that can help us streamline the transcript production process or add value for our clients, but only implement them company-wide after successful trials and a process of “working out the kinks.”


Because of this mindset, we have a full staff of qualified reporters despite a shortage of stenographic court reporters. Instead of clinging to traditional methods of capturing the record, we led the way in implementing electronic reporting, developing training modules and procedures to ensure that each transcript our firm produces meets our standards – regardless of the court reporter’s method.


Electronic reporting won’t reduce court reporting to a profession where one simply hits the “record” button, as some had feared. A complete, accurate transcript still needs to be prepared, and a qualified, professional reporter is still a necessary part of deposition proceedings. The technology, however, severely decreases the time it takes a new court reporter to be “deposition ready,” thereby alleviating a massive shortage of qualified, professional reporters.

We are proud to be at the forefront of implementing new technologies and perfecting their use in the court reporting industry. To schedule a deposition with Legal Media Experts, click here or call 800-446-1387