How to Become a Court Reporter in Michigan

Should I Become a Court Reporter in Michigan?

If you want to become a court reporter in Michigan, read the following details for more information.

Featured Programs and Schools

Steps to Become a Court Reporter in Michigan

Court reporters perform one of the most important duties in Michigan’s judicial system. They create word-for-word transcriptions of murder trials, produce a transcript for a deposition hearing or document a corporate scandal. In short, court reporters in Michigan are as important as judges, attorneys, witnesses and juries.

In 2020, the state of Michigan employed approximately 590 court reporters and paid them the mean annual wage of $60,040.
If you want to work as a court reporter in the state of Michigan, you will have to go through the following steps.

If you want to work as a court reporter in the state of Michigan, you will have to go through the following steps.

Step 1: Obtain the Required Education

Normally, court reporters only need a high school diploma or a GED to start working in the US. Having said that, more and more aspiring court reporters are now turning to a college degree like an Associate’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree to enhance their knowledge and career prospects.

Step 2: Be Certified

Once you have completed the educational requirements, you will need to get certified from a professional body like the NCRA (National Court Reporters Association) or the NVRA (National Verbatim Reporters Association). Furthermore, you will also have to clear the Michigan State Assessment administered by the Court Reporting and Recording Board of Review.

Step 3: Maintain Certifications

In order to keep working as a certified court reporter in the state of Michigan, you will have to renew your certifications. In order to do that, you will have to complete certain requirements laid out by the certifying body, like take continuing education, etc.

Requirements to Become a Court Reporter in Michigan

In order to become a court reporter in Michigan, fulfill the following requirements. In addition, do check with your local courthouse if they have any additional requirements.

Meet Educational Requirements

You can either enroll in a diploma program or an associate degree program in court reporting. If you chose to go down the diploma route then you may finish earlier than those who are pursuing an associate degree in court reporting. However, your employment prospects may not be as bright as those who have an associate degree in court reporting. This is because associate degree holders have a more wholesome and in-depth knowledge of the court reporting field.

Take the Exam

Once you complete the abovementioned step, you will know about various types of court reporters. If you decide to become a stenographer or shorthand reporter then obtain the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification by passing the relevant exam offered by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA). However if you are interested in becoming a voice reporter then become the Certified Verbatim Reporter (CVR) by passing the relevant exam offered by the National Verbatim Reporters Association (NVRA).

Testing and Certification

Michigan Court Rule 8.108(G) demands that only certified reporters and recorders can work as court reporters in the state of Michigan. You must therefore get certified. For that you will have to pass exams administered by the Court Reporting and Recording Board of Review through the assistance of the State Court Administrative Office.

Find a Job

Once you are certified, it is time to look for a job. If you are interested in working in legal settings then look for job vacancies at Michigan Trial Courts, Michigan Court of Appeals, Michigan Supreme Court, Michigan Court of Claims, etc.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Court Reporter in Michigan?

Meeting post high school educational requirements will take you roughly two years. Then getting certified will take you a few months, if not years. And if you pass these stages successfully and in first attempt then finding a job may be a time consuming process too. Court reporter’s jobs are growing at a steady rate all across the US and therefore it takes some time before you can become a court reporter.

How Much Does a Court Reporter Make in Michigan

In May 2020, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that court reporters earned an mean annual wage of $60,040 in Michigan. How much you would actually end up earning would depend on your employer, location, areas of specialization, level of certification achieved and level of training. Furthermore, be mindful of the fact that if you work in a legal setting then you would be paid a salary and per-page fee for transcription. However, if you work as a freelancer then your salary would depend upon your contract; however, you would be paid per-page fee for preparing transcripts.

Career Outlook for Court Reporters in Michigan

As per O*Net Online, court reporters and simultaneous captioners will experience 2% increase in job opportunities between 2018 and 2028.

Education	Postsecondary education is mandatory.
Area of Study	Court reporting, Stenography, etc.
License/Certification	Mandatory
Experience/Training	Needed
Key Skills	Detailed oriented, Good listening skills, Strong concentration, etc.
Annual Mean Salary – US (2020)	$66,710 (Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners)
Annual Mean Salary – Michigan (2020)	$60,040 (Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners)
Job Outlook – Michigan (2018-2028)	2% (Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners)

Court Reporter Jobs and Training Opportunities in Michigan