4 Innovative Solutions That Have Evolved in Court Reporting

By: Colleen Jilio-Ryan | Posted in: court reporting

Court reporters perform innovative work as they use technology to help document events. It’s important for them to keep up with the new technology to make transcription more efficient.

The following are the areas in which innovation has played a role in shaping the work of court reporting.

Laptops and Notebooks
Prior to the popular wave of mobile devices in the past few decades, it was very difficult to take electronic notes without the use of a desktop computer. Most notes were scribbled by hand on paper. The fact that mobile devices are portable has been a big help to court reporters, who now have several ways of recording events without bringing the cumbersome equipment.

Accelerated Turnaround Time
Last century’s turnaround time for court reporters was about 2 to 3 weeks. Today’s court reporters can generate an error-free rough draft within 24 hours. Digital office tools and word processors have helped in speeding up assignments. Spellcheck has also accelerated the work of court reporting.

Related Post: Court Reporters: 7 Tricks to Manage Time Better

Searchable Electronic Files
The computer revolution has helped reduce the need for hard copy reports as transcriptions can be stored as electronic files. Not only can these files be organized more easily than in the past, they can also be indexed so that any word within the file is searchable. Another huge advantage with programs, such as Microsoft Word, is that four pages can be viewed on one screen or printed on one sheet of paper.

Videoconferencing Has Replaced Phone Depositions
One of the many ways that has increased productivity at law firms is the use of videoconferencing instead of telephonic depositions. By seeing the deponent on the screen, the deposition simulates a personal experience, allowing a sense of being in the same room. Today’s videoconferencing technology has much better audio quality than recording phone calls.