Over the years, court reporters — often referred to as legal stenographers — have been the protector of the record. They have always been the professionals solely responsible for producing an accurate record, both in court and at pre-trial depositions. More recently, there’s a seismic shift within the legal field with the way legal proceedings are being taken. It started with courts that are installing sophisticated electronic recording equipment in lieu of human court reporters. This is occurring across the country, in fact the world, because there is a severe shortage of certified court reporters. To make matters worse, the number of schools teaching machine shorthand has diminished as well. While the electronic equipment is capable of recording even the most sophisticated multi-dimensional court proceedings, the audio still needs to be transcribed into a finished document. Up until now, typists are producing the majority of this transcription work. Typists are not trained specifically to handle legal proceedings with legal terminology and processes. Not surprisingly, working court reporters have looked upon the installation of electronic recording equipment with fear and disdain.

Enter LegalTran Transcription Services. We recognize that the way in which a legal record is currently produced is changing right before our eyes, yet quality and fast turnaround time, hallmarks of the legal industry, must be maintained. As our industry continues to get more comfortable with greater reliance on sophisticated digital recording systems, both in and out of court, the need for accurate transcription services with a better understanding of legal formats, terminology, and procedures has become crucial. LegalTran is the very first transcription firm in the country to meet this need by utilizing legal court reporters exclusively to transcribe the audio files we receive. We call our staff of legal reporter-transcribers “legal transporters™,” and they are literally preserving the integrity of the record one transcript at a time.

LegalTran is fast becoming a haven for court reporters displaced by automated recording equipment, court reporting students nearing the end of their training, not to mention court reporters that simply want to work from the convenience of their home. That’s why, if you are a court reporter in transition, we encourage you to contact us. You may just fall in love with us!