PSLEGREP3002 - Digital Court Reporting with Legal Transcription

What you will learn

How to create an accurate legal transcript
Transcript formatting, focusing on federal court systems
Parts of speech, proper legal punctuation, and spelling
Legal, medical, and industry terminology
Fundamentals of the United States legal system
Professionalism, ethics, and confidentiality
Legal, medical, and industry terminology
Digital reporting hardware and software, including practice using digital recording software
Transcript formatting, focusing on federal court systems

How you will benefit

Develop the skills you need to become a successful digital reporter and legal transcriber who can work in the field and at home.
Be in a position to sit for and pass the AAERT's (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers) Certified Electronic Reporter (CER) and Certified Electronic Transcriber (CET) exams.
AAERT certification vastly improves your marketability when applying for work at freelance agencies or court systems, some of which require the certification by law or because of government contracts.

How the course is taught

Self-paced, online course
6 Months to complete
Open enrollment, begin anytime
120 course hours
 

Prerequisites:

To complete this course, you will need the following:

High school diploma or equivalent
Basic computer skills, for example:
Create folders (aka directories) and save files
Locate files saved on a computer and upload them to a webpage
Use a web browser and search the Internet
Familiarity with a word processing program
Ability to use videoconferencing software, like Zoom
Eligible for notary public commissions in your state
Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

This course must be taken on a PC. Macs are not compatible.
A microphone.
A reliable Internet connection.
Software Requirements:

PC: Windows 10 or later.
Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome is preferred. Mozilla Firefox and Safari are also compatible.
Microsoft Word: Preferably Microsoft Word 2016, 2019, or Office 365.
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Free Express Scribe software. You will be provided with download instructions upon enrollment.
A free trial of digital reporting software will be provided in the Software module of the course.
Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins, except for the Express Scribe and digital reporting software.
Other:

Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Instructional Material Requirements:

The supplies required for this course are included in enrollment. The following will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:

AltoEdge USB foot pedal
Transcriber Headphones
 

Financial assistance information can be found on Rice Financial Aid's Visiting and Continuing Education Students page.
The estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) is $XX.

Registrations are considered final as of 10 working days before class starts. No refunds will be issued after these dates and credits will not be given for future classes. No refunds will be granted for participants who miss a portion of a program. Refund requests before the deadline are subject to a 10% processing fee and must be made in writing to gscs@rice.edu

Does this course prepare you for a certification?

Yes. You will be prepared to sit for the CER (Certified Electronic Reporter), CDR (Certified Deposition Reporter), and CET (Certified Electronic Transcriber) exams through AAERT (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers).

What are the certification exam requirements?

Preparing for an AAERT Certification Exam
In order to sit for the exam(s), testers must:
1.    be eligible for a notary public commission AND
2.    have obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent.
For a greater likelihood of passing the exam, the following is recommended (not required) for testers:
1.    have one year of experience as a reporter or transcriber; OR
2.    have completed a course of study in court reporting.

What is a Digital Reporter?

Digital reporters play a key role in the legal system by capturing and maintaining a verbatim record of court proceedings. Within the legal industry, digital reporters might also be known as electronic reporters. Digital reporters must obtain their Notary license in order to swear in witnesses. To create an accurate and detailed record of case events, digital reporters operate digital recording software to record, annotate, and submit court proceedings. Some digital reporters also create the official transcript of the court proceedings they cover.

What is a legal Transcriptionist?  

The legal industry relies on legal transcriptionists to transcribe audio recordings of depositions, hearings, trials, and other legal proceedings. They will transcribe, format, proof, and certify official transcripts.

How much do digital reporters make?

According to Ziprecruiter.com, the annual salary for a digital reporter in the United States is $41,484 a year.

How much do legal transcriptionist make?   

According to Ziprecruiter.com, the annual salary for a legal transcriptionist in the United States is $34,544 a year. Many transcriptionists work as independent contractors, so pay is dependent on how much a transcriptionist works.

What skills do you need for this career?  

This career requires excellent English written and verbal skills, professionalism, visual and tactile acuity, and being comfortable with technology.

What happens when I complete the course?

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.

Am I guaranteed a job?

This course will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.