court
transcription services
History | Court
Reporters | Audio
Recording Branch | Management and
Administration | Transcript storage | Circuits |
Learning machine shorthand | Career
opportunities | Contact details
The
primary function of Court Transcription Services (CTS) is to ensure the timely
production and provision of transcript from court proceedings to the judiciary,
members of the legal profession and self-represented people.
The transcript of a court hearing is the written record of what is spoken
in a courtroom.
Work is undertaken in the Supreme and District Courts, Magistrates Court,
Youth Court, Environment Resources and Development Court, Coroners Court and in
all related courts and tribunals.
A brief history regarding court reporting in South Australia
Until
the 1920s, judges relied upon their own notes made during court proceedings.
Transcript then began to be produced on ‘silent’ typewriters by typists who
sat in the courtroom. These were
the first court reporters and, in those days, it was a male-dominated
profession. In-court use of
typewriters was phased out in the early 1970s (at least in judges’ courts,
although they survived until the1980s in magistrates’ courts for some matters)
and shorthand became the primary method of reporting.
During the late 1970s, handwritten shorthand began to be replaced by
machine shorthand using specialised stenography machines.
Computer Aided Transcription (CAT) was introduced in the 1980s to
translate shorthand notes. The 1990s brought improved CAT software and useful enhancements to
the shorthand machine.
Audiotape recording was introduced into courts in the 1960s. Since then, CTS (formerly called the Court Reporting Division) has had an integrated service of shorthand reporting and tape recording.
An overview of operations
There
are approximately 45 court reporters; all highly competent shorthand writers
with minimum machine shorthand speeds of 170 words per minute (wpm). The stenography machine is keyboard operated and produces
shorthand notes to computer disk and/or via direct cabling to a remote computer.
Since 1999, on-line reporting has been the core method of reporting and
transcribing court proceedings. Using
this method, reporters work in teams of two, with one in court taking down what
is said, the notes being sent via cable to their computer in the court reporter
office area, where they are translated by CAT software.
The other team member edits the turn.
At the end of a turn, generally 40 minutes, the reporters change places
and the person who was in court then becomes the person scoping and editing and
vice versa.
The
end product is a record in standard English, which can then be made available in
hard (paper) copy and/or electronic format.
Reporters who do not report on-line work in teams of two or three, with each reporter doing a turn in court (generally 20 or 30 minutes), removing the disk from the shorthand machine at the end of the turn, returning to the office area to finalise the turn using the CAT software.
Audio
staff monitor and record court proceedings on analogue audio equipment and, when
out of court, transcribe from those tapes. During proceedings, the
monitor must identify speakers for the benefit of the transcribing process, and
make notes of names and terms used. When
transcribing the audiotapes, out-of-court staff use these notes.
Transcribing
is carried out via a conventional computer keyboard with a variation of the
standard Microsoft Word program.
As with the court reporters’ end product, both hard-copy and disk versions of transcript can be produced from audio recordings. In this unit there are approximately 25 people, who are able to perform both in-court monitoring and out-of-court transcribing components.
This
unit is responsible for ensuring the proper management of resources and the
appropriate provision of services to the judiciary and clients of the branch.
Managers oversee the allocation of resources to courts, the timely
production of quality transcript, the ongoing recruitment, training and
development of staff, and the ongoing management of equipment. Three
administration staff provide support for the management team and provide a
service for clients via telephone or at the public counter. This area of the
branch has six staff.
Transcript
storage
Transcript is electronically stored using an in-house
purpose-designed program called ‘Electronic Transcript Management System’ (ETMS).
Circuits
Judicial officers, support
staff and members of CTS travel to various country locations on a regular basis
as part of circuit court sittings. The same level of service is provided at
these locations as is provided to city courts.
Machine shorthand is
taught in South Australia at the National College of Court Reporting. The course
is two years part-time and can be studied by attendance or externally (through
the use of audio tapes and telephone contact.) The first year of the course
covers the theory of machine shorthand and a speed of between 60 and 90 wpm is
generally achieved. The second year is devoted to speed building. Full details
of the course can be obtained from Paula Roberts on (08) 8523 5517.
In the early part of the course, a visit to the courts is scheduled where staff from CTS speak to students about their profession and career opportunities.
Persons wishing to gain
employment as a court reporter or audio recorder must have essential
skills/abilities/knowledge and experience to undertake the key responsibilities
of the positions.
Information regarding the essential requirements and other relevant information regarding career opportunities can be obtained from the Manager, Court Transcription Services.
Contact details
Further
information on court reporting can be obtained from:
Manager, Court Transcription Services
(08) 8204 0172
The National College of Court Reporting
(08) 8523 5517
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