Court reporting regulations in New York are very different from those in many other states. In New York, a certification exam is not necessary, although there is an optional test. However, various categories of reporting have their own unique requirements. Provided here is a guide to the regulations that are involved in court reporting in New York.
Freelance Reporting
To become a freelance court reporter in New York State, it is necessary to pass a course in court reporting at a speed of 225 wpm. Court reporters must be notary publics in order to swear in witnesses, but it is often possible to complete this requirement after being hired.
Hearing/Verbatim Reporting
To become a hearing/verbatim reporter, an applicant must hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. He or she must have completed a course in reporting or have two years experience in verbatim reporting.
Court Reporter (Lower Level Courts)
A court reporter must have a high school diploma or the equivalent and three years recent verbatim reporting experience or a course in court reporting and two years verbatim reporting experience.
Senior Court Reporter (High Courts and Extremely Busy Lower Courts)
A senior court reporter must have one year experience as a court reporter; four years recent verbatim reporting experience; or a course in general verbatim reporting and three years full-time verbatim reporting experience.
Federal Official Court Reporter
This is the only court reporter position in the New York system that requires a certification test, in the form of either the CSR or the RPR. The position also requires listing on the Registry of Professional Reporters or the National Court Reporters Association. In addition, four years of CAT court reporting experience is required. Realtime certification is preferred but not required.
Voluntary Testing
Although certification is required only for the Federal Official Court Reporter position, many court reporters choose to become certified. Certification can be obtained by taking the Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) examination. The exam consists of two parts: written knowledge and transcription skills.
Court reporters may also take any or all of a wide variety of exams that are administered by the National Court Reporters Association. None of these tests are required for employment in New York, but may make applicants more competitive within the field.
Prerequisites to Certification
In order to take the CSR certification exam, potential applicants must be at least 21 years of age. They must be United States citizens or permanent residents and of good moral character. They must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent. They must also demonstrate either completion of a court reporting course or three years of full-time work experience in the field of court reporting.
The National Court Reporters Association sets its own standards and prerequisites for its exams. More information can be found on the Association’s website.
Becoming a court reporter in New York can be complicated due to the differing requirements for each position. Many court reporters complete a course of study in court reporting and then begin a career in freelance reporting. As they gain experience, they then move their way up through the ranks.