Digital Court Reporting with Legal Transcription   

Train for a career in the court reporting industry as a digital court reporter and legal transcriptionist.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• You may use either a PC or a Mac for this course; however, please note that we do not provide support for Mac-specific issues. Additionally, if you intend to use the trial version of the DR (software included), a PC is required, as it is not compatible with Mac systems. (Most software providers in this field primarily support PC platforms.)
• If using a desktop with no internal sound card, it may be necessary to plug in an external microphone.
• A reliable Internet connection.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 11 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome is preferred. Mozilla Firefox and Safari are also compatible.
• MS Word (Microsoft Word 2016, 2019, and Office 365), CAT software, or any other word processor. (Only support for MS Word is provided.)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Free Express Scribe software. You will be provided with download instructions upon enrollment.
• A free trial of digital reporting software will be provided in the Software module of the course. Minimum Requirement: Windows 11 - The trial software is compatible with PCs and will not function with other operating systems commonly used on computers/devices, such as Mac, Android, Chromebooks, or iOS.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins, except for the Express Scribe and digital reporting software.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The supplies required for this course are included in enrollment. The following will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:

• AltoEdge USB foot pedal
• Transcriber Headphones

The Digital Court Reporting with Legal Transcriptionist training course prepares you to enter the in-demand field of legal transcription with the skills and knowledge needed to be successful. Court reporters and legal transcriptionists are required to create detailed, accurate records of legal proceedings. As litigation continues to rise nationwide and the technology used to capture testimony evolves, there is a tremendous need for these professionals. Digital reporters and legal transcriptionists can work in the freelance market for court reporting agencies/transcription companies or as full-time government employees at a courthouse. There are some opportunities to work remotely in this field.

You will be fully prepared to pass the Certified Electronic Reporter (CER) and Certified Electronic Transcriber (CET) exams offered by the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT). The AAERT's nationally recognized certifications are leading credentials required by various court systems and agencies.

This course will teach students about the court system, legal procedure, terminology, ethics, professionalism, and confidentiality. During the digital reporting portion of the course, students will learn how to cover all types of legal proceedings, including how to work with digital reporting software and equipment. There is no hands-on training with DR equipment. During the course's legal transcription portion, students will learn to format, transcribe, edit, and proofread legal transcripts for correct grammar, punctuation, and word usage. In addition to many exercises, quizzes, and self-graded assignments, students will receive personalized feedback on instructor-graded transcription assignments.

Note: If you are taking our court reporter training course to prepare for the certification exam, please research the locations you are interested in working at to determine whether they use digital reporting methods and ask if they recognize AAERT certification.

1. Digital Reporting Course Introduction
2. The Legal System
1. Court System
2. Laws
3. Life Cycle of a Case
4. Types of Proceedings
5. Types of Court Reporters
6. Litigation Support Services
3. Terminology
1. Historic Terminology
2. Legal Terminology
3. Medical Terminology
4. Business Terminology
5. Pop Culture, Media, and Political Terminology
4. Hardware
1. Sound
2. Audio Equipment
3. Additional Equipment
5. Your Software and Annotations
1. Software
2. Annotations
3. Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)
6. On the Job and On the Record
1. Before the Proceeding
2. During the Proceeding
3. After the Proceeding
4. Remote & Hybrid
5. Working with an Interpreter
6. Working with a Legal Videographer
7. Covering EUOs
7. Court Work and Large Proceedings
1. Intro to Courtroom Proceedings
2. Types of Court Proceedings
3. Court Annotations
4. Large Proceedings
8. Annotation Assignments
9. Professionalism in the Legal System
1. Professionalism and Decorum
2. Ethics
3. Maintain Confidentiality
10. Digital Reporting Course Wrap up
1. The Transcript
2. AAERT Certification Information
3. Digital Reporting Final Test
11. Legal Transcription Course Intro
12. English Language
1. Parts of Speech
2. Confusing Words
3. Spelling Rules
13. Grammar and Punctuation
1. Capitalization
2. Numbers
3. Intro to Punctuation
4. Sentence Punctuation
5. More Punctuation and Formatting
14. Word, Text Expansion, and Research
1. MS Word for Transcription
2. Text Expansion
3. Researching
15. Software and Annotations
1. Express Scribe & Foot Pedal Setup
2. DR Software Player
3. Annotations
16. Building the Transcript
1. What Gets Transcribed
2. Formatting
3. Parentheticals
4. Transcription Skills
5. Proofreading
17. TAs and Working Environment
1. Transcription Assignments
2. Working Environment
18. TAs and Professionalism
1. Transcription Assignments
2. Professional and Ethics
3. Maintaining Confidentiality
19. Legal Transcription Course Wrap-Up and Finals
1. AAERT Certification Information
2. Final Transcription Assignments
3. Legal Transcription Final Exam

What you will learn

• Digital court reporting procedure for all types of proceedings, such as depositions, administrative hearings, court hearings, trials, and more
• Digital reporting hardware and software, including practice using digital recording software
• How to create an accurate legal transcript
• Master transcript formatting, focusing on federal court systems
• Discover parts of speech, proper legal punctuation, and spelling
• Increase knowledge of legal, medical, and industry terminology
• Understand professionalism, ethics, and confidentiality
• Gain fundamentals of the United States legal system

How you will benefit

• Develop the in-demand skills you need to become a successful digital reporter and legal transcriptionist who can work in person or at home
• Successfully prepare to sit for and pass the AAERT's (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers) Certified Electronic Reporter (CER) and Certified Electronic Transcriber (CET) exams
• The AAERT certification will help improve your marketability when applying for work at court reporting agencies or court systems, some of which require the certification by law or because of government contracts

Merritt Gilbert

Merritt Gilbert is a legal professional with over 15 years of industry experience. She is a Certified Electronic Reporter (CER), Certified Deposition Reporter (CDR), and holds a Certificate of Voice Writing. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Florida State University.

Natalie Hartsfield

Natalie Hartsfield is a court reporter with more than 20 years of experience in the legal field. She has taught court reporting since 2007. Natalie holds an Occupational Associate Degree in Court Reporting from Stenotype Institute and is a Certified Electronic Reporter (CER) and Certified Electronic Transcriber (CET) through AAERT.