Should I Use a Digital Court Reporter or a Stenographer?

There is often a debate within the legal industry about what type of court reporting service to use, Digital or Stenography.
While ultimately, both can provide a transcript of legal proceedings that is admissible as legal court documents, there are several considerations that should be taken into account.

Is it required?

While the global COVID-19 Pandemic made digital court reporting far more acceptable, there are still some circumstances where a judge may require that a live stenographer be present.

How accurate does the written transcript need to be?

As we’ve discussed in a previous article, “Do I need a Stenographer” Stenographers are often preferred because they can discern subtle differences in accents and other variables that can be lost in recordings.
However, digital transcripts do come with the added benefit of multiple recordings, usually with high-quality audio files. So even if the digital court reporter made a mistake, the original audio can be referenced.

What’s the budget?

Because Stenography is a specific skill that requires professional certification, hiring a stenographer for court reporting will always come at a premium.

Real-Time Stenographer cost even more.

What’s your timeline?

Stenographers are becoming harder and harder to come by.
There was already a rising shortage due to the simple fact that more stenographers are retiring than entering the field.
Because stenographers, in general, were older, there was also a major resistance to proceedings returning to in-person after the global COVID-19 pandemic. Finding reporters that were willing to go in person has become challenging for many firms.
If you need a reporter on short notice, a digital court reporter may be your best option.

We Can Help.

Regardless of whether you need a Stenographer or Digital Court Reporter, you an rely on DLE Legal for all your Court Reporting needs.