182-191 Credits

Court Reporters record the verbatim proceedings of a courtroom, deposition, hearing, arbitration, or meeting and provide an accurate transcript of the proceedings. Students learn how to prepare the transcript with the use of a computer. Additionally, students are trained in realtime writing and captioning for the hearing-impaired and nonhearing community. This skill affords new job opportunities.

Official court reporters record the proceedings in a court or hearing room. Freelance reporters may work in various offices or locations as the job necessitates and may be employed by a reporting firm.

The Green River Court Reporting program is accredited by the National Court Reporters Association. All students entering the Court Reporting program must be high school graduates or have earned a GED certificate. An appropriate spelling test score of 90 percent accuracy or above or ENGL 090  is required prior to entry into the Computer Reporting Technologies Program.

Upon completion of the required classes, students qualify for the Associate in Applied Arts degree in Court Reporting. They must have completed 60 hours of internship of which 50 hours is actual writing time during internship training; passed three 5-minute tests with 96 percent accuracy or above on literary at 180 wpm and jury charge at 200 wpm; and passed three 5-minute tests on Q and A (two-voice) at 225 wpm, two with 95 percent accuracy and two with 96 percent accuracy or above.

In addition to the course work, there are state and/or national examinations that a student should pass to become a court reporter. Reporters must pass the Washington State Licensing examination in order to be certified to work in the state of Washington.

Contacts: Lori Rapozo, ext. 4219 - lrapozo@greenriver.edu, Sidney Weldele-Wallace, ext. 4705 - sweldele@greenriver.edu