What's on your mind? What topics would you like to read about in the JCR or on this Web page, or hear a presentation about at the NCRA Convention or Midyear Conference? Send your ideas to Official@NCRAhq.org.

NCRA's Officials Reporters Community is committed to serving the various needs of officials reporters by providing up-to-date news and information on technology and the reporting profession, developing quality continuing education, and facilitating networking opportunities that support and promote official court reporters.

Officials Roundtable

Seven members of the Officials Community of Interest Committee participated in a roundtable discussion of issues facing reporters. Results of the discussion appear as a two-part article in the February and March JCRs. Topics discussed include demand for realtime, alternative technologies, online transcripts, and more.

Working in the Courthouse

The February JCR also has two articles about working successfully with the various and occasionally challenging personalities one often finds in a courthouse. Florida reporters Michael Scire and Richard Scire offer guidelines and tips.

Sessions for Officials at Midyear Conference

NCRA's Midyear Conference April 4-6 in Boston offers a range of learning opportunities, including several specifically for official reporters. These include a session on how to deal with ER threats; an inside look at the trial of terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui; working in a multimedia trial; and an information exchange. The conference offers 42 seminars total, including several focused on technology in court and deposition settings.

Officials Survey Results

NCRA sent a survey to official court reporters to receive feedback on current programs and hear what officials are concerned about. Here are some results:

• 52.1 percent work in state court; 26.7 percent in county court; 14.4 percent in federal court; and 6.8 percent in other courts
• 51.7 percent have been reporting 21 or more years, and 33.9 percent have reported for 11-20 years
• 72.2 percent report that no court reporter positions in their court systems have been lost due to electronic recording
• 7.7 percent report that their court has removed audio or video equipment and replaced it with a court reporter
• 71.6 percent are assigned to a judge, 25.1 percent work in a pool arrangement, and 3.4 percent are assigned to a courtroom
• 51.6 percent of those who work in a pool always stay with a lengthy case until it is finished
• 28.8 percent write realtime for their judge, 35.5 percent write realtime for themselves, and 20.2 percent write realtime for anyone who wants to hook up to it.  47.9 percent can or do charge counsel for a realtime hookup

Here is what respondents say they are very or somewhat concerned about:

• 73.7 percent -- the lack of regard by attorneys for an accurate record
• 70.5 percent -- obtaining a salary increase
• 70 percent -- obtaining a page rate increase
• 66.6 percent -- loss of transcript income due to copy sharing
• 61.8 percent -- being replaced by alternative technology
• 51.2 percent -- requirements to redact transcripts prior to electronic filing
• 44.2 percent -- the amount of workload negatively affecting their personal lives
• 35.7 percent -- coping with an increasing backlog of transcript orders
• 25.4 percent -- losing their jobs if the judge they work for is not re-elected

The Business of Being an Official

Do you think of yourself as a business? In this JCR article, a veteran reporter explains why you should and how you can. Read the article…