Court reporters have a very critical role to play in court proceedings and they are considered the custodians of courtroom record. To work as a court reporter, it is important to be impartial and perform duties with great responsibility. It is the job of a court reporter to transcribe the judicial process, capturing all the words carefully that are spoken during a deposition or court proceeding.
To become a court reporter in New Hampshire or any other state in the US, the basic requirement is either 18 months training in real-time reporting, stenography machine, and understanding of legal procedure, or a two-year associate degree program. There is also an option of a four-year bachelor’s degree program that offers more detailed and comprehensive education.
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New Hampshire Court Reporters – The Detailed Information
| Educational Requirements | Post-secondary education or an Associate’s degree |
| Experience/Training | Certification and License |
| Key Skills | Assertiveness, Good Concentration, Confidentiality, Communication Skills, Morality, Impartial, Courage, Grammar, Punctuation and Proofreading, Listening Skills, Proficiency with Voice & Typing equipment |
| Annual Mean Salary – US (2021) | $ 65,240 |
| Annual Mean Salary – New Hampshire (2021) | NA |
| Job Outlook – New Hampshire (2018-2028) | 0% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2021) and O*Net Online
Court Reporters in New Hampshire – The Requirements
- Meet the age limit of 18 years.
- Should have US citizenship.
- Should have a high school diploma or GED.
- Should have great character.
- Should be able to pay the license fee.
- Should have an NCRA or an NVRA certification.
Steps to Become a Court Reporter in the State of New Hampshire
Due to the nature of the job, it is important for courtroom reporters to obtain formal education and training from accredited schools. Most court reporting jobs require only an associate’s degree but there are some universities that also offer bachelor’s degree programs. If you are looking to become a court reporter in the State of New Hampshire, then below are some of the basic steps.
- Before deciding on any career, it is important to carry out thorough research and learn about the job responsibilities. If you are convinced the job is right for you, then the next step is to find the right degree program.
- Depending on how far you want to grow in your career, choose between Associate of Applied Science in Court Reporting or a Court Reporting Bachelor’s Degree.
- There is also an option of 18 months court reporting training programs that ends in a diploma.
- When choosing a university to obtain your court reporter degree, make sure that their curriculum meets the requirements set by the National Court Reporters Association.
- During the program, students learn about courtroom behavior, legal procedures and terminologies, broadcast closed captioning, Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) method, and using stenograph machine.
- At the time of graduation, students must have the minimum skills standard for machine shorthand set by the National Court Reporters Association. This includes achieving transcribing speeds literary at 180 wpm, jury charge at 200 wpm, and testimony/Q&A at 225 wpm
- Just like many other states, New Hampshire also requires court reporters to have state-issued license.
- All certifications are obtained through the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) as they offer many certifications that will help you distinguish as a court reporter.
- Initially, all court reporters have to work a junior level and practice the trade in a professional environment.
- Court reporters typically work for government courts or private reporting agencies. There are many career options for court reporters as they can work as hearing court reporters, legislative court reporters, official court reporter, and scopist.
Salary Outlook & Job Prospects
There is a lot of scope and career growth opportunity for court reporters in New Hampshire. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2021, the nationwide annual mean wage for the same occupation is $ 65,240. O*NET Online has projected 3% growth for court reporters in the USA between 2020-2030.
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