Unlike the business world, the legal industry has stayed relatively unchanged over the past half century. Of course, there are new laws, and the caseload has grown as our country has become more litigious, but the procedure and much of the rule-of-law is still playing out in a similar manner as the last century.

Another aspect of law that is still going strong is the court reporter. Court reporting is still an essential part of getting things done at the legal level, and these skilled professionals are in more demand than ever.

But why is this true? Certainly the advent of new technologies should have rendered the human element in transcription somewhat meaningless by now? One would think that a computer-based technology would have allowed the position to go the way of the dodo.

The reasons why this has not occurred shine a light on why court reporting remains as relevant as it did in the 19th century when the practice first became a fixture in the American judicial system.

Why is court reporting still so important?

There is a human element to every court case or deposition that makes court reporters such an essential part of the process. There are several points within a court case or hearing where the court reporter may be called upon to answer to the court. They made need to read back a portion of the record, or perhaps will need to note the emphasis on a particular word or phrase. Regardless of the reason, the presence of a court reporter signals that this is a serious legal matter, and one that will be officially recorded for historical use.

At a deposition, the court reporter provides a presence that says to those being deposed "be careful with your words, because they are now an official part of this case and you will be held accountable for them." The court reporter who works a deposition is creating a piece of legal evidence, the importance of which can be significant to the outcome of the proceedings.

The importance of a court reporters finished product

Court reporters deliver an official written transcript of what it is spoken at trial, during motions or in depositions. These transcripts are filed for future use, or in the case of the deposition, can even be entered into trial as evidence. The point here is that there is no room for error or "hiccups" in the work of a court reporter. They must not only be fast, but extremely accurate as well.

Court reporters outside of the court room

In order to stay competitive, court reporters have adapted to the business climate. If fact, the value of court reporters has increased because of all the things they do outside of the legal realm. Now, you are likely to find court reporters engaged in translation services, work for the hearing impaired (including closed-captioning) and more. Their skill set - which requires high levels of speed and accuracy - lends itself to a number of business and media applications.