Realtime reporting has changed the game for both court reporters and attorneys. While recent technological advances have some skeptics declaring the profession of court reporters outdated, and dismissing the role in favor of digital audio and video recording systems, the truth is far more interesting. The technology involved in realtime reporting has wrought exciting new changes to the profession of courtroom lawyers as well, and court reporters are intimately involved with these changes.
Essentially, a court reporter has the job of typing out transcripts for court cases on a stenotype machine, often while recording the proceedings on a digital audio system as well, in order to later compare the two and double-check the record for complete accuracy. It used to be the case that a court reporter on a complex case might work through the night to get an accurate transcription finished by the next day. Today, however, an attorney might need the transcription even sooner. This is where the technology of realtime reporting comes in.
With realtime reporting, the court reporter’s stenotype is connected to a laptop in use by an attorney or judge. The court reporter’s typing is instantly available to them on the screen the second the court reporter takes it down. A skilled court reporter can type at least 200 words a minute, and is capable of quickly recording the often dense language of court cases, which can include not only the obvious legal jargon, but medical or scientific information as well, depending on the case. A realtime feed allows a judge or an attorney to quickly scroll back to important information and to have instant access to everything that’s been done and said so far in the case. This is an invaluable tool for an attorney or a judge to have at their fingertips.
Realtime reporting requires all the skill of a trained court reporter in order to achieve accurate and efficient records within seconds. Realtime reporting is also one of the interesting and exciting new technologies available to court reporters. At a time when many states are attempting to replace court reporters with digital audio or video recordings, realtime recordings shows that there are some things that machines simply cannot do. The incredible flexibility of realtime reporting is only possible through the skill of trained human beings. While court reporters have embraced a number of possibilities with new technology, such as transmitting transcriptions over the internet, or utilizing digital audio recording to double-check records, realtime reporting represents the biggest advantage of court reporters over electronic record-keeping, and an exciting development for legal record-keeping.
If you’re looking for court reporting and realtime reporting services across the nation, contact AcuScribe. Since 1984, AcuScribe Court Reporters have provided trusted court reporting services throughout the US. Based in Texas, we’ve made it our goal to provide the best quality service in the court reporter industry. We deliver the fastest, most responsive court reporting and litigation services, personalized to meet your needs. We offer the perfect blend of modern technology and human skill to ensure the most accurate records available. http://www.acuscribe.com/
