Court reporters (also called stenographers) are a vital link in the Québec justice system. Self-employed, their clients consist of private law firms, local, provincial and federal government agencies, and courts.

A court reporter takes stenographic notes of live testimony both in and out of court, then transcribes their spoken/recorded speech into written form to produce official transcripts of out-of-court depositions, court hearings, arbitrations, disciplinary boards or demarcation inquiries.

While the stenographic notes are taken at locations determined by the clients of the court reporter (the courthouse or in a law firm’s conference room), the transcription of stenographic or digital recordings is done by court reporters at their business or residential offices.

Computer-assisted stenomask method

If you’re exploring career opportunities in court reporting, consider the computer-assisted stenomask, a method that has rapidly gained traction in the industry.

The computer-assisted stenomask method uses voice writing with speech recognition technology to instantly translate the spoken word to text. Court reporters speak into a mask-like soundproof device which allows them to record a legal proceeding without being heard by others and keeps background noise away from the microphone.

To become a court reporter, you must obtain a certificate in court reporting from the Court Reporting Academy of Québec and pass the examination of the Comité sur la sténographie of the Québec Bar.