Judicial Reporters, also known as court reporters, play a crucial role in the legal process using cutting-edge technology and phonetic language skills to bring the spoken word to text accurately, in real-time.
Anoka Technical College's Judicial Reporting program prepares students to work as official reporters employed by the state or freelance reporters who typically work as independent contractors with law offices.
Only program in Minnesota
Courses delivered in person and online
Versatile career pathways
Potential Jobs:
- Court Reporter
- Court Stenographer
- Freelance Reporting/Deposition Reporter
Salary Information:
Median Wage: $35.20 per hour
Information provided is for Minnesota. See current data at careerwise.minnstate.edu.
“This is a great place to receive an education. You will meet like-minded individuals, and you will find that all of your instructors care about your success.”
Program Details
The Anoka Technical College Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Judicial Reporting is a 68-credit program designed to get graduates working as soon as possible. The academics are designed to be completed in two years. The speed requirement may be completed in two years or may take additional time. Coursework includes English, Legal and Medical Terminology, Business Law, Computer Technology and Machine Shorthand Theory.
Students learn a conflict-free realtime theory that enables them to write efficiently on a realtime system starting in the first semester. Students learn theory in their first year of classes, then work to increase their speed and accuracy until they can capture literary material at 180 wpm, Jury Charge material at 200 wpm, and question-and-answer material at 225 wpm. Summer sessions are mandatory for Judicial Reporting students.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to write a realtime theory.
- Students will be able to demonstrate competency in court reporting technology, including the use of customized computer-aided software.
- Students will be able to write two-voice at 225 wpm with 97% accuracy; jury charge at 200 wpm with 97% accuracy; and literary at 180 wpm with 97% accuracy.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of business and professional ethics that are essential to success.
- Students will participate in an internship consisting of 40 hours of actual writing time with a professional reporter and/or captioner. Student will demonstrate entry-level industry proficiency by producing a 40-page manuscript.
Judicial Reporters can work in courtrooms as official reporters, creating accurate verbatim written records of all the proceedings. Official reporters are employed by the state. Deposition reporting (also known as freelance reporting) is a popular field because it is interesting and allows for flexible scheduling. Freelance reporters typically work on an independent contractor basis taking depositions at law offices.
Wage information is available from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
All curricula were created to meet or exceed the National Court Reporters Association’s (NCRA) standards set out by the Council on Approved Student Education (CASE).
The Judicial Reporting/Broadcast Captioning/CART programs are approved by NCRA Upon graduation, students will be ready to take the NCRA's Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification exam. The RPR exam is offered twice per year April and November.
Laptop, steno machine, Case CATalyst student software. Please see instructor for specific requirements before purchasing any equipment. See Tuition and Fees for more information.
Take a virtual tour and review the list below to get an idea of what it's like to be an Judicial Reporting student at Anoka Tech.
Some courses in this program may require a prerequisite. Please see course descriptions for more details.
MnTC General Education Requirements
This program requires completion of the following fifteen credits of general education from at least three goal areas of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC). Refer to the MnTC course list for elective courses:
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 1107 | Composition I (Goal 1&2) | 4 |
| MnTC Electives | 11 |
Program Sequence
| Fall Semester | 15 | |
|---|---|---|
| ADSC 1006 | Business Law | 4 |
| ENGL 1107 | Composition I | 4 |
| JRBC 1005 | Realtime Reporting I* |
4
|
| JRBC 1031 | Foundations of Law |
3
|
| Spring Semester | 14 | |
| HLTH 1040 | Medical Terminology | 2 |
| JRBC 1000 | Realtime Reporting Orientation | 1 |
| JRBC 1105 | Realtime Reporting II* |
4
|
| JRBC 2011 | Transcription and English I | 3 |
| MnTC Elective | 4 | |
| Summer Semester |
Please see your advisor for summer schedule. | 7 |
| JRBC 1120 | Realtime Reporting Technology | 3 |
| JRBC 1200 | Realtime Reporting III* | 4 |
| Fall Semester | 12 | |
| JRBC 2000 | Realtime Reporting IV* |
4
|
| JRBC 2030 | Judicial Reporting Procedures | 3 |
| JRBC 2040 | Business Success for Realtime Careers | 2 |
| MnTC Elective | 3 | |
| Spring Semester | 14 | |
| JRBC 2016 | Transcription & English II | 4 |
| JRBC 2036 | Word Enrichment | 3 |
| JRBC 2100 | Realtime Reporting V* |
4
|
| MnTC Elective | 4 | |
| Summer Semester | 6 | |
| JRBC 2120 | Realtime Reporting VI* | 4 |
| JRBC 2140 | Judicial Reporting Internships | 2 |
*Students must complete the Realtime Reporting classes in sequence. Additional speedbuilding courses available upon instructor approval.
The Judicial Reporting program degree and related certificates can all be completed in person or online.
Students can choose to complete this program part-time. Part-time students will take longer to complete their program than students who follow the full-time sequence listed on the official program guide. Because every course may not be offered each semester, it is important for part-time students to reach out to their faculty advisors for help in planning their long-term, part-time course sequence.
If you need help picking out your first semester courses, reach out to your faculty advisor or enrollment services.
All Realtime Reporting courses must be completed with a B or higher. All other courses required for this program must be completed with a C or higher. In addition, students shall pass three five-minute speed tests with 97% accuracy at the following speeds: 225 wpm testimony (two-voice), 200 wpm jury charage, and 180 wpm literary. The student shall successfully complete an internship with no less than 40 hours of verified actual writing time.
The Anoka Technical College Judicial Reporting program offers awards in two related certificates:
CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) and Broadcast Captioning
Current Students
All Realtime Reporting courses must be completed with a B or higher. All other courses required for this program must be completed with a C or higher. In addition, students shall pass three five-minute speed tests with 97% accuracy at the following speeds: 225 wpm testimony (two-voice), 200 wpm jury charage, and 180 wpm literary.
The student shall successfully complete an internship with no less than 40 hours of
verified actual writing time.
Successful completion of the Judicial Reporting AAS degree program at Anoka Technical College will meet the requirements for certification by the National Court Reporters Association’s (NCRA). Certification by National Court Reporters Association’s (NCRA) is required by Minnesota as well as by some states to acquire a state license to practice the profession of Judicial Reporting or for employment as a certified/licensed Judicial Reporter.
For those states where a determination cannot be made they have additional exams or requirements specific to their state for which we cannot determine if our program would prepare students to receive licensure in those states. See link below for state certification requirements.
State Certification Requirements
In Minnesota, stenographic court reporters must meet the following minimum qualifications:
- Graduation from high school or equivalent; and
- Graduation from a court reporting school approved by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) within the past two years; or
- Compliance with one of the following:
a. Received a Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) designation from the NCRA; or
b. Received an equivalent certification from another state or territory of the United States, or professional court reporter association; oR
c. Have been practicing proficiently as a professional stenographic reporter for the past two (2) years and within one (1) month of hire, accurately take a minimum of 20 minutes of court proceedings alongside a stenographic court reporter who has an RPR designation or certification as provided in clauses (a) or (b) , and then produce a transcript with 95% accuracy as described in (d) below; or
d. Obtain RPR designation from the NCRA within two years of hire. Pending receipt of the RPR designation, must, within one (1) month of hire, accurately take a minimum of 20 minutes of court proceedings alongside a stenographic court reporter who has an RPR designation or certification as provided in clauses (a) or (b), and then produce a transcript. The participating RPR certified stenographer will determine that Ninety-five (95) percent accuracy is achieved to successfully complete this requirement.
For those states where our program meets the licensure requirements that is based on the fact that those states DO NOT require certification. For those states where a determination cannot be made they have additional exams or requirements specific to their state for which we cannot determine if our program would prepare students to receive licensure in those states: https://www.ncra.org/home/professionals_resources/information-center/state-resources/State-Certification-Requirements
Please contact Jennifer Sati with questions.
Start Dates:
Fall semester: August
Spring semester: January
Summer semester: May (mandatory)
Upcoming Events:
Jennifer Sati
jsati@anokatech.edu
Enrollment Services
EnrollmentServices@anokatech.edu
763-576-7710
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