To learn about the trade we spoke withCassandra Caldarella, a court reporter in Orange County.
Tell us about your current position, and how long youve been at it.
I am an official court reporter at The Superior Court of California, County of Orange.
Ive been there for only four months.
Prior to that, I was a pro tempore reporter for that court and for Los Angeles Superior Court.
I was also an official court reporter for Los Angeles Superior Court for four years.
I started court reporting school in 2003 and qualified to take the state exam in 2005.
What drove you to choose your career path?
I started out as an account executive in the technology industry.
I decided to make a career change where I would be paid what I deserved with no glass ceilings.
How did you go about getting your job as a court reporter?
What kind of education and experience did you need?
I applied for Los Angeles Superior Court along with 350 other applicants.
They narrowed the field to 125 after a proofreading test.
And from the interviews, they selected eight new hires, one of which was me.
Although I had a Bachelors Degree, it was not needed for my position as an official.
I did the work that other reporters didnt like doing, the harder stuff.
Did you need any licenses or certifications?
National Court Reporters Association is the national organization.
They have certifications, including the RPR, RMR, RDR, CRR, and many more.
All of the testing is now done online as of this coming fall.
These require experience and training and a lot of time working on perfecting our writing.
When you have these certifications, you might get pay increases at the Superior and District Court levels.
There is a growing demand for realtime reporters and the pay is higher.
you’re free to also qualify for International jobs by having these realtime credentials.
What misconceptions do people often have about your job?
The major misconception about court reporting is that it will be extinct in the near future.
People have been predicting that for the last 20 or so years.
The truth is that a computer or electronic recording will never be able to replace us.
Live court reporters are there to protect the record.
They know they are getting the testimony and are in control of it.
Live reporters are able to ask for proper spellings of names.
Without a transcript on appeal, a case may get dismissed.
What are your average work hours?
It can be almost a 24/7 punch in of job.
Transcripts are considered independent contractor work and must be done on my time.
We can basically do about 36 hours of work in a 24-hour period.
When Im not in trial, I get to relax at home like regular 9-to-5ers.
What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?
I stay current on all technology.
I have the latest software, hardware, tech gadgets, and gizmos.
I am a regular beta tester for my CAT software and attend a lot of trainings.
Backing up is key to protecting the record.
I have two SD cards in my writers.
I write to my laptop, so that is another backup.
My software creates a backup file.
I also save out to Dropbox to send to my scopists.
I use a USB flash drive to copy out every file.
you might never have too many backups.
The most important thing in court reporting is to stay organized.
Weve got to manage work thats out to scopists and proofreaders.
And we have to keep our accounting organized to constantly manage the accounts payables and receivables.
Our profession is deadline driven and organization is crucial.
What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?
What do they do instead?
Im constantly taking certification tests.
I attend conventions and seminars.
Im a member of several court reporting associations and also lawyer associations.
I accept volunteer leadership roles in my community and associations.
I push myself harder.
I practice speed tapes in my down time to get better and faster.
I also keep up to date on legal industry news and court reporting news.
When Im at a job, I attempt to be as unobtrusive as possible.
The attorneys in trial are focused on winning their case.
I write down spellings to get later and wait for them to ask me if I need anything.
That time always comes.
I dont have to bother them when theyre preoccupied.
Also, I set up all of my realtime equipment without bothering the attorneys.
I thought that was very obtrusive while they were concentrating on the trial at hand.
Whats the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?
Sometimes we will work straight through without a break (judges will forget that we need breaks).
Other times well work through lunch.
Its definitely rough to miss seeing friends and family while working long hours.
Whats the most enjoyable part of the job?
I love that I can provide a valuable service to others.
I am there at a very difficult and stressful time in peoples lives.
And its great when I get requested again and again.
I also love my internet of court reporters and the opportunity to meet other reporters.
I can always spot them in the hall with their brand name steno equipment and bags.
And I always introduce myself and venture to get to know a little bit about them.
Theres a ton of Facebook groups for court reporters.
Court reporters are the most interesting people, when they finally get a chance to talk.
Theyre some of the most intelligent, articulate, and humorous people in the world.
I love bumping into court reporters in the most unexpected places.
Do you have any advice for people who need to enlist your services?
It can help the judge make rulings on objections in the case.
How do you move up in your field?
There are several ways you could be considered to be moving up in our field.
The other way you’re free to consider moving up in court reporting is by position.
A position at the Superior Court level is a step up from doing freelance depositions.
A position in District Court is a step above Superior Court.
I know international reporters who travel all over the world reporting depositions and hearings and conventions and meetings.
There are so many opportunities as a court reporter.
What do people under or over value about what you do?
People often take court reporters for granted.
People want our product but dont want to pay for it.
Same thing is happening in court reporting.
Attorneys dont understand everything that happens to prepare for their proceeding or trial.
And after the trial is over for the day, my work on their transcript is just beginning.
When they ask for transcripts, they expect us to magically produce them right that instant.
What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?
There are a lot of court reporting Facebook groups out there as well.
Reading is also a prerequisite.
Have a passion for and love what you do.
The court reporting industry is a very small, close-knit community.
Get to know someone in the industry and make them your mentor.
What kind of money can one expect to make at your job?
Our pay scale is publicly available and can be found in an internet search.
Pay varies significantly based on geographical location, certifications, and years of experience.
Most people live comfortably, but few people get rich.
Im proud to be in the same compensation range as many lawyers, judges, and doctors.
The salary range for someone starting out in court reporting full-time in California is $45,000 - $95,000.
The salary for officials in Los Angeles and Orange County, California is $97,000, plus transcript income.
I know several reporters who made that doing what I did.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
