NCRA Offers
Additional Credentials for Court Reporters
©
COPYRIGHT HUSEBY, INC. 2008
Each
state has its own requirements to satisfy before an aspiring
court reporter becomes a certified
court reporter and is allowed to offer services.
These requirements vary by state but most often involve
passing an examination. Some
states have more rigorous requirements.
For example,
California
court reporters must also pass a test on English proficiency
and another on legal and medical terminology.
Many certified court reporters have found it advantageous to
pursue additional certifications.
These credentials establish the reporter’s special
expertise or exceptional proficiency and open up new career
opportunities.
The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) offers three
court reporting examinations that may be of interest to anyone
in the profession:
Registered
Professional Reporter (RPR)
is the first step for certified court reporters who wish to
pursue most other certifications.
All NCRA members may attempt the RPR regardless of
experience. There
are two parts of the examination: a written test and dictation
exercises. The
90-minute test is a comprehensive evaluation of the
applicant’s knowledge of fundamental reporting concepts.
After this is complete, three dictation and transcription
exercises must be completed at speeds of 180 to 225 wpm and at
least 95% accuracy.
Registered
Merit Reporter (RMR)
is the next level of certification for certified court reporters
and approximately 20% of RPRs take this step.
It is available to reporters who have their RPR and have
been NCRA members for at least three years.
The written portion covers more advanced reporting
concepts and the exercises are more challenging.
The dictation exercises are given at 200-260 wpm and must
be complete with at least 95% accuracy.
The profession has not remained static and there are many court
reporting services available today that were not around during
NCRA’s inception. The
organization has kept pace and offered specialized
certifications including:
·
Certified
Broadcast Captioner (CBC)
·
Certified
Realtime Reporter (CRR)
·
Certified
CART Provider (CCP)
·
Certified
Legal Video Specialist (CLVS)
As in any profession, experienced practitioners are needed to
teach the next generation. Reporters
interested in teaching court reporting can acquire the Certified
Reporting Instructor (CRI) and Master Certified Reporting
Instructor (MCRI) designations.
The Certified Program Evaluator (CPE) is available to
people who design and evaluate court reporter education
programs.
An owner of a court reporting
agency might consider the Certified Manager of Reporting
Services (CMRS). With
its focus on business needs unique to the profession, it helps
the owner direct the business toward success.
A certified court reporter cannot afford to remain static.
Professional development is part of the job and
opportunities abound for the ambitious professional, and NCRA
certifications are a great place to start.
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