Like all industries, court reporting is changing extensively as technology evolves. More and more depositions and proceedings are held remotely, requiring the use of extensive technical devices and systems. There is also the advancement of voice recognition software and systems that are used in court proceedings, in some cases, replacing a human court reporter. In the best scenarios, a skilled court reporter is combined with the latest technology to create the most accurate transcription and depiction of legal proceedings.
Advanced Court Reporting Technology
There have been many advancements made in court reporting technology that improves the accuracy and expediency of legal transcription. Long gone are the days of shorthand or stenography machines printing in shorthand. Court reporters have access to many different options that can allow them to record every word and create legal transcriptions faster than ever before. Some of the technology used by today’s court reporters include:
- Computerized stenography machines
- Cutting-edge audio recordings with annotations by the court reporter
- Stenomask technology
- Computer-aided transcription (CAT)
With so many recording options available, some courts have considered transferring to automated court reporting. While the new technology can help improve the precision and efficiency of legal transcription, it does not replace the need for skilled court reporters.
Limits of Automated Court Reporting
Anyone who has used voice-recognition technology knows there are limits to its accuracy. For one-on-one interactions, it is useful, but in a court proceeding with many different speakers and conversations occurring at once, it is unreliable. Some of the concerns with automated court reporting using voice-recognition software connected to computer-aided transcription versus a human court reporter include:
- Court reporters can swear in witnesses
- Identifying and notating different speakers – voice recognition software is limited in this capacity
- Clarifying conversations – a court reporter may ask to stop proceedings for clarification
- Audio equipment can fail and lose the recording of legal proceedings
- Multiple people speaking at one time can be lost in audio recordings
- Outside noise can affect the quality or clarity of audio recordings.
- Non-verbal communication is not recorded accurately in electronic court recording
- Court reporters can create quick, customized transcripts on demand
The best solution for precise and accurate court reporting is the combination of advanced technology with a skilled and experienced court reporter. Combining the best of both worlds can ensure every legal proceeding is perfectly recorded and transcribed for future use.
Cutting-Edge Advanced Court Reporting Technology
Our court reporters at EcoScribe utilize the latest technology while providing their expertise in producing accurate and precise legal transcriptions. When you need a court reporter to virtually host a remote deposition for your firm or your organization is looking for a highly experienced reporter for upcoming proceedings, contact us at EcoScribe. Call 888.651.0505 to speak to one of our representatives for more information on our court reporting technology and other services.
