How Boca Raton Court Reporting is Evolving
Are you curious about Boca Raton court reporting? People also call this profession court stenography. After all, it entails transcribing spoken speeches or recorded audio and videos.
This can happen during hearings, depositions, and other official meetings. Sometimes, a written transcription of the speech is required as a reference or for validation. Through the years, this practice evolved with the changing of times and technological devices with getting help from https://www.dittotranscripts.com/transcription-services/legal/
Tracing Back to History
A Boca Raton court reporting firm shares that its services are a critical component of any courtroom process. Though it stays relevant until this day, the craft actually began thousands of years ago. In fact, court reporting hails back to the time of 63BC (before Christ).
These deep roots started with a slave called Marcus Tullius Tiro. This intelligent man, owned by a Roman lawyer, orator, and philosopher, became in charge of transcription.
His owner dictated many things, and Tiro wrote everything down swiftly. On top of that, the Roman put him in charge of the estate’s financial affairs.
Evolving With the Passage of Time
In the good old days, scribes had to use a pen to write every detail down without a typewriter or computer. If you want to dabble in a Boca Raton court reporting career, you must know its rich history.
As a result, you can appreciate the hard work that goes on into the craft. Take a look back on this timeline to see just how far things have grown from the traditional ink and quill.
- Old School Quill or Pen
In the good old days, shorthand writing with a quill was the only option. You can see court reporters holding a feather and dipping it in ink. They wrote down quickly in scrolls. Think of Julius Caesar when he sent Roman officials to dungeons for beheading.
Back then, there was no other choice for transcribing. When the ballpoint pen came around, court reporters changed to this. Olden scribes used the Gregg shorthand method with a paper notebook.
Noteworthy, the last official pen-to-steno pad court reporting professional retired in the early 1970s. The person practiced in Jackson County, Missouri.
- Steno Machine
Thankfully, in the late 1870s, Miles Bartholomew invented the very 1st stenotype machine. This device punched holes into the paper itself. Later on, in the 1920s, the stenograph machine came into the picture after the typewriter was invented.
This device made use of ink to paper, making it more convenient. This allowed court reporters to work more efficiently and accurately. After all, typing works faster than writing.
By the time the 1940s came, a steno machine became a courtroom staple. The shorthand paper notes are then transcribed into basic, readable English.
Scribes typed on non-erasable onion skin paper with three carbon papers to create four-sheet copies. Later on, everything was separated then bound for distribution to all parties involved. If there are mistakes, reporters correct each individual sheet.
- Computer Age
In the 1980s, the invention of the photocopying machine transformed everything. Making extra copies became easier. Moreover, another game-changer came when the computer was introduced in the same era.
Typing and editing became a breeze. Everything could be encoded and saved on a hard drive. Erasures can be done swiftly. Most of all, you can print many copies with a dot-matrix and then via laser inkjet.
However, early computers came in big sizes that no person could carry. Back in the day, you also spent on large hard disks.
You insert this into the computer cavity to save the work. Above all, old computers come at a very steep price. Since $30,000 was too much, most reporters leased their devices. Thankfully, as time went by, computers became more affordable and portable.
- Advancement in Voice Writing
With the invention of voice recorders, Boca Raton court reporting professionals could now take advantage of voice writing. After all, some people talk faster than others, making it difficult to keep up with typing.
However, in this voice writing technique, the spoken words during the proceedings are recorded. Later on, during the polishing of the written transcript, the court reporter can play it back for a more accurate written transcript. This works well because:
- Reporters can pause the machine.
- Words can be verified.
- It offers a safety net in case of emotional proceedings where it is too loud.
- Voice Recognition Software
Today, thanks to technological advancements, producing written records through software is now a possibility. The system performs speech-to-text translation in real-time. Moreover, voice-to-text accuracy clocks in at 96% accuracy. It becomes even more convenient thanks to wireless devices.
Though court reporting professionals in Florida feel grateful for this machine, it can never truly compensate for the human touch. After all, machines cannot think on the spot.
They have no judgment and analytical skills. Hence they cannot interpret tone or other non-verbal cues. All of these elements matter a great deal in giving a fully accurate picture of court trials or other official proceedings.
Acquiring The Necessary Skills
Each evolution made the practice of court reporting simpler and easier to perform. Though how transcription occurs now varies depending on the machine involved, a Boca Raton court reporting veteran said that the skills remain the same. Court reporters need to understand the steno theory. This also comes in handy if they need to take down notes fast in case of a machine breakdown. Moreover, they must have a keen attention to detail to ensure accurate reports.
Ample knowledge of current affairs, legal jargon, and understanding of medical terms prove helpful for accurate transcriptions. An aspiring court reporter must type at least 225 words per minute and pass the state certification requirements to practice.
People who feel interested in embarking on a career in court reporting must study. It takes two to four years with online or in-school education. To practice, you can try the following options:
- A specialized certificate program online
- Do a course in a business school
- Another option is earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at an accredited university.
If you are thinking of joining this field, you will not regret it. Boca Raton court reporting provides excellent salary packages. Furthermore, practitioners are in demand and highly respected by other professionals in the community. Most of all, court reporters carry out justice. Thus, it assures you can have a fulfilling career where you can help out many people.
