Court Reporters - Certifications
Court reporter firms need a staff of court reporters to report all different level of depositions, hearings, meetings, et cetera. There are various certificates given by both government and professional organizations acknowledging reaching a certain level of competence in the court reporting field.
Each state has what is called a Certified Shorthand Reporter test which when passed you will be certified as a CSR in that state. Many states, such as California, has very strict CSR laws. These laws govern the type of court reporting assignments you are able to take with and without being a certified CSR. The California CSR exam has always been known to be difficult to pass. California is very strict what you can report with or without a California CSR. New York State, on the other hand, has a much more relaxed CSR law. You can court report any type of proceeding in New York without being a New York Certified Court Reporter. However, having the ability to pass a CSR exam will give a court reporter a certain level of status. As court reporters pass more and more difficult examinations, the type of work which will come their way will increase.