Court Reporter

Under general supervision, provides the verbatim official record of all court testimony and activity and, when necessary, grand jury proceedings; prepares transcripts of court proceedings as directed. 

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is a highly skilled, certified, and experienced class responsible for creating verbatim documentation of court proceedings in criminal, civil, and other settings as assigned.

HIRING INCENTIVE

Each full-time Official Court Reporter hired with the Court will receive a total of up to $15,000 hiring incentive depending on hours status, paid as follows:

• Fulltime: $7,500 the first full pay period following the hire date.
• Fulltime: $7,500 after completion of 2080 hours in paid status and contingent upon subsequent annual appropriations for similar court reporter-related purposes.

Depending on assignment, duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Keep records of appeal notices and work extension requests; oversee maintenance and storage of Court Reporter notes and records; and ensure timely destruction of Court Reporter records in accordance with governing rules and statutes.
• Ensure timely responses to transcript requests; including those related to appeals.
• Attends court and other proceedings and uses appropriate stenographic or voice reporting equipment to make verbatim official records of all proceedings; may record quasi-judicial hearings and formal or informal meetings.
• Upon request, reads back transcript during a trial or other court proceedings.
• Prepares transcripts of court proceedings according to standardized format and within the time limits required by law; reviews and certifies the accuracy of printed transcripts and files them with the court clerk in a timely manner; provides transcripts of court proceedings as required.
• Research as necessary to verify technical, legal, medical, and other specialized terms; may ask a speaker to clarify unclear or inaudible statements.
• Collates and binds transcripts in accordance with established procedures.
• Reviews court calendars and makes arrangements with other court or contract reporters to ensure the Court’s need for court reporter services are met.
• Operates a variety of office equipment, including transcription machines, computer terminals, printers, and related equipment.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Employee must have proficient knowledge of the following:

1. Principles, practices, methods, and techniques of court shorthand reporting.
2. Clerical and legal record keeping practices and procedures.
3. Basic legal, medical, and related technical terminology and processes.
4. Business English, including spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, and grammar.

Employee must have and maintain the following certifications/ licenses: Current license as a Certified Shorthand Reporter issued by the Court Reporters Board of California.

1. Criminal History Background Check-candidates will be subject to fingerprinting
2. Employee must load court reporter notes per statute on a daily basis
3. Effective January 1, 2023, all transcripts are required to be made electronically available.

Court reporters are to work together to see that the Court’s need for court reporter services are met. This may include but not be limited to, scheduling pro tem court reporters and working with the calendar clerk and court manager to minimize the need for additional reporters through scheduling.