Court Reporter

ALWAYS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS   

FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME POSITIONS AVAILABLE

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR VOICE WRITERS

The Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin is accepting applications for full-time and part-time Court Reporter. The Court Reporter performs court reporting services for all business of the Superior Court; receives general supervision from the Court Reporter Supervisor, and exercises no direct supervision over staff.

This class is responsible for providing a verbatim record of court proceedings using machine shorthand or voice writing technology, and providing readback of all or portions of the record upon request. Incumbents in this classification are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to court reporting, while working with a high degree of independent judgment, tact, and initiative.  This class is distinguished from the Court Reporter Supervisor in that the latter provides supervision to a group of Court Reporters, and it  requires additional court reporting experience.

VOICE WRITERS:
Now accepting applications for voice writers.

SIGNING INCENTIVE:
Full-time positions: $10,000: ($5,000 upon hire and $5,000 after 1st year).
Part-time positions: $5,000: ($2,500 upon hire and $2,500 after 1st year). 

REAL TIME REPORTING DIFFERENTIAL:
10% for national certification, or for passing the Certified Real time Generalist exam.
3% for non-certified Court Reporters who pass a state readability exam or other court sanctioned exam.

ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE:
Full time Positions: 80 hours per fiscal year.
Part-time Positions: 40 hours per fiscal year  Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.
 

• Attends sessions of the Court; creates verbatim official records of court proceedings using machine shorthand or voice writing technology; provides readback of portions of the record at the request of the Court.
• Qualified incumbents may process court information/proceedings by use of realtime technology. 
• Utilizes computer aided transcription tools in order to prepare transcripts in all cases.
• Organizes, files, stores, preserves, and delivers reporting notes as official records of the Court in accordance with Government Code 69955; prepares certified transcripts as requested by judicial officers, attorneys, and the public in a timely manner.
• Provides reporting services to the District Attorney's office as needed.
• Researches and verifies case citations, spelling of legal, medical, and other specialized terms used in cases as needed.
• Operates a variety of standard office equipment, including job-related computer hardware and software applications, printers, facsimile machines, and transcription equipment.
• Stays abreast of current trends, technology, and legislation in the field of court reporting.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
 
Equivalent to the completion of an accredited course in court reporting, no prior experience required.
 
Licenses and Certifications:

• Possession of a valid Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) license issued by the California Department of Consumer Affairs Court Reporters Board of California for either shorthand reporting or voice writing.  
• Realtime reporting is highly desirable. In order to receive the differential, incumbents must be Realtime-certified by either the National Court Reporters Association, or the Deposition Reporters Association, or have successfully passed a Realtime test administered by the Court.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of court reporting.
• General policies and procedures of Court operations.
• Sufficient legal terminology necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Procedures, methods, and practices involved in creating, processing, typing, formatting, and filing court transcripts. 
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, and organizational policies and procedures relevant to court reporting and/or voice writing and transcription. 
• Record-keeping principles and procedures.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public and Court staff.

Ability to:

• Operate a stenotype machine or voice writing equipment.
• Perform court reporting work with accuracy and speed.
• Respond to and effectively prioritize multiple deadlines and transcript requests.
• Provide a realtime feed of court proceedings at the request of the Court.
• Report at speeds at a minimum of 200 WPM. 
• Establish and maintain a variety of filing, record-keeping, and tracking systems. 
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions. 
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines. 
• Operate office equipment and computer applications related to the work. Travel to various Court sites.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, discretion, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and legal guidelines in politically sensitive situations.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Physical Demands
Must possess mobility to work in an indoor setting, operate and maintain stenotype machine or voice writing equipment as well as standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read and proofread printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to distinguish words of various tones and volumes and to communicate in person and over the telephone.  This is primarily a sedentary classification with requirements to sit and record verbatim testimony with competing background noise and frequent distractions and interactions; standing and walking between work areas is required.  Fine hand coordination and finger dexterity utilizing a continuous repetitive motion for extended periods of time on a daily basis is needed to enter and retrieve data using a stenotype machine and a computer keyboard.  Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information.  Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds with the use of proper equipment.
 
Environmental Elements
Employees work in an indoor environment with varying noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances.  Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in executing their duties.