By Vicki Hartmetz, RPR, CMRS
Court reporting is a fast-changing field with cutting edge technology used in broadcast, university, court, and deposition settings. Realtime is seen as the panacea for all reporters and is technology which sets the live reporter apart from less efficient methods of translation of the spoken word to written text. Even in the courtroom, realtime is taking hold as attorneys expect what is available privately to be available for their public trials. Court administrators see this form of record keeping as a way to save money in the long run, often without considering the true cost.
So, where in this menagerie do the reporters who work in the trenches and must make decisions regarding their future record-making capabilities fit? Much time is spent in reporters' journals and publications across the nation about being high-tech and cutting edge -- realtime, captioning, multiple users viewing immediate copies of what's being written in court proceedings, and high translations rates. What about starting on the road to high-tech? What is the minimum of equipment you need to upgrade to realtime? What are the advantages to upgrading to even a minimal level of realtime? Is even a minimal level of realtime better (for the reporter) than no realtime? What are the benefits to the reporter?
The No-Tech Reporter
Of course, in both freelance and official reporter settings, there are places for every kind of technology. There's even a place for mechanical recording in administrative meetings and courts where there is little or no need for a transcript to be prepared. In those areas use of a live reporter is a waste of resources.
In general courtroom settings demanding transcript preparation, we might find a reporter with no use for technology. The no-tech reporter may be a long-time official who may not have upgraded to more efficient writing and transcript preparation methods as time has been marching on. In court, this vintage reporter writes on a steno machine that may be electronic, but may also be manual. When a transcript is ordered, she retrieves the notes, along with typewriter and transcript paper, and types the transcript. At one time our vintage official dictated notes onto a tape for transcription by a typist, but returned to typing because good typists are hard to find these days. There is one saving grace: she does not use carbon paper for the file copy. In an effort to be somewhat progressive, she finally invested in a wordprocessor.
As reporting technology developed, the vintage official reporter, who we'll refer to by the acronym VOR, watched with interest computer-assisted transcription. While it looked like a good way to produce a transcript, it was so expensive, and since reporters in her district were responsible for all of their own transcription equipment, the investment was something that had to be worked toward gradually.
The Low-Tech Reporter
Luckily, the personal computer was invented and the cost of CAT software began to approach a reasonable rate. It was time for a decision to be made and step into the warm glow of technology. The drawback was when the VOR learned theory, computer compatible theory meant merely writing long vowels. Talk about conflicts! Regardless, VOR signed on for a stand alone PC CAT system with a brand new Smartwriter included. VOR learned the CAT software fairly well, although she wasn't a computer whiz. The rest of the PC and its function remained a mystery, but her transcripts looked good. Granted, those nasty conflicts made the editing process slow sometimes, but it certainly was faster than the more archaic process VOR used as a no-tech reporter.
VOR became comfortable with the use of reporter technology and CAT software continued to develop. Soon, realtime writing broke onto the scene. Another monumental decision loomed for VOR. Should the bandwagon be jumped on or was following along enough?
First, VOR would have to take care of those writing conflicts to become proficient in realtime. Being an official reporter, sometimes she didn't see how her writing affected the instant translation output for months. The only answer was to set up realtime and write for herself, resolving her writing problems as she went.
What equipment would VOR need? Of course, she already had a computerized writer that she had been using for her CAT system. Certainly, she would need to set up a computer in the courtroom or maybe even get a laptop. A realtime cable would be necessary to hook her steno machine to the computer. She was already on a CAT software, but she consulted her vendor and other reporters about how best to achieve realtime capability.
After plugging the cable into the laptop, VOR began to see the benefits of writing realtime, if only for her eyes. There was a lot to learn, and the process was slow. While her judge wasn't a tech wizard, he was amazed at what his reporter could achieve. She could look up requested testimony on his whim and also seemed to have a new bounce in her step. The direct benefits to VOR resulted in less transcription time and a new sense of enthusiasm for her work. Seeing her conflicts and untranslates quickly improved her writing skills.
The High-Tech Reporter
VOR is now completely involved in reporter technology. She has the newest CAT software, a new laptop with all the bells and whistles, and even a new writer. She writes realtime for her judge and has even tried hooking up to an attorney's laptop during a jury trial. She has a new confidence in her writing skill and is a technician to others in the courthouse. Just last month, one of the parties in a trial was deaf, and VOR provided instant translation so that the party could truly be a participant in her own case. When a disagreement arose over the testimony of an expert witness, VOR was able to provide contemporaneous information to resolve the dispute. What's more, VOR is preparing to take the Certified Realtime Reporter examination, which is a good thing, since the new state court administrator and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court have decided that all reporters in the court system in VOA's state should be realtime certified in three years!
And the Point Is?
So what is the moral of this tale? Indeed, a vintage official reporter can learn new tricks and new technology. It does benefit the reporter in time management, cutting transcription time, and making the reporter even more essential to the court system, if that is possible. Equipment for realtime is easily assembled at a reasonable cost and the latest CAT software can even be leased one year at a time.
There are choices to be made for all reporters regarding realtime, even for those who haven't embraced technology to date. Now is the best time to get on the road to realtime. Better get going!
Vicki Hartmetz, RPR, CMRS, is from Centennial, Colo.