What is the role of court reporters in the U.S. justice system?

Court reporters play a critical role in the U.S. justice system by creating accurate and complete transcripts of legal proceedings. They use stenography machines to capture everything that is said in the courtroom, and then transcribe those recordings into official transcripts. These transcripts serve as the official record of legal proceedings and are used by judges, attorneys, and other legal professionals.

In addition to creating transcripts, court reporters may also provide real-time captioning for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. This allows those individuals to follow along with the proceedings in real-time.

Court reporters are also responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of the transcripts they create. They may be required to swear an oath of confidentiality and to adhere to strict security protocols to protect the integrity of the legal record.

Overall, court reporters are essential to ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the U.S. justice system. Without them, legal proceedings would not have an official record, and the administration of justice would be significantly impacted.