Colorado Court Reporter School Now Open

Colorado Tech To Offer Court Reporter Degree

People worried about their jobs in this tight economy may want to bring their resumes to the judge's chambers. Courtrooms across country are scrambling to fill openings as court reporters.

Colorado Technical University will soon offer classes to those interested in the field. Court reporters have a front row seat to the legal system. They put every word spoken in court onto the printed page as part of the official transcript. It's a demanding job that's in more demand than ever before.

"They're taking several hundred words a minute and they have to take it 100-percent accurately and obviously they have to be totally focused on what is at hand," Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court David Gilbertson said.Many schools quit teaching court reporting thinking technology would eventually replace the position.

But recording legal proceedings electronically runs the risk of technical glitches, so the human touch will always be needed. "I would compare it to an auto mechanic. Fifty years ago, auto mechanics fixed your car, even though technology changed the way cars are repaired.

Today, you still need that auto mechanic, you can't have a machine fix your car," Gilbertson said.

Court reporters can earn $35,000 a year just starting out. Plus, thousands more in transcript fees. But job security might be the biggest perk of all.

"Right now, we have economic problems, but there's no court reporters being laid off. They're still getting paid," Gilbertson said.Until now, the closest schools offering court reporting classes is in Anoka, Minnesota and Green River Community College in Auburn, Washington with classes beginning January 2009. Colorado Tech in Sioux Falls begins its classes in January 2009 for two- and four-year degrees.