Court reporting veteran describes how the profession has changed
When Karen Morris, a certified court reporter, is asked about her job, she has replied with "It's the only job I know of where you can get sent to jail and still have to work." Not only does her work take place in a court room, but if a reporter doesn't meet his or her filing deadlines, they could be jailed, and would still be required to finish their work.
Morris, a resident of Pampa, Texas, has worked as a court reporter for 30 years, first for the 108th District Court, and for the past five years as a freelancer. She has also served as the president for the Texas Court Reporters Association, and liaison from the association to the Court Reporters Certification Board.
When Morris began her career, she told the Pampa News that one of the reporters she replaced once took notes by hand. Since then, Morris has moved from working on Stenotype machine that records onto a roll of paper, to her recently acquired $6,000 machine, not including the software, that records onto a flash drive. Considering Morris recorded 8,000 pages for a case earlier this month, having the most up-to-date technology is vital.
Morris also said that even as she upgrades her machines, she collects tools from all over the world, including a 100-year-old Stenotype machine.
In a profession where every word is required to be 100 percent precise, having the best technology and certified court reporters can make all the difference. Even for court reporting veterans, like Morris, staying up-to-date on all possible resources can help provide the most accurate transcript.
