Official Court Reporter

About the role

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas is a public service organization focused on providing exceptional customer service to the court, members of the legal community and the general public. Currently, we are seeking an innovative and experienced individual to serve as an Official Court Reporter in the Sherman division.

There are seven offices within the Eastern District of Texas: Beaumont, Lufkin, Marshall, Plano, Sherman, Texarkana, and Tyler.

What you will do

• Official Court Reporters are responsible for recording court proceedings in court and in chambers, for producing requested transcripts, and for filing required copies of transcripts with the Clerk of Court.
• More details will be provided during interviews.
• Duties include: Attend and record verbatim reporting of proceedings held before the judicial officers and for the transcription of those proceedings upon request.
• Ability to read back all or any portions of the court record, to perform well under pressure, to produce transcripts within strict time limitations, and to work as part of a team of reporters for the judges of this court.
• Knowledge, skill and ability to produce accurate, simultaneous real time transcription utilizing computer-aided translation.
• Familiarity with and adherence to all requirements of the Court Reporter Management Plan for the district.
• Determine billing and formats which comply with the Judicial Conference requirements.
• Deliver and/or mail official transcripts prepared.
• Certify and file with the Clerk of Court original records and a copy of transcripts prepared.
• Maintain accurate and legible records which are subject to audits.
• Prepare and file all reports required by the Administrative Office.
• Respond timely to official correspondence.
• Compliance with all administrative duties assigned by his or her manager and the court.
• Responsible for providing and maintaining his or her own court compatible equipment.
• Travel will be required to cover court proceedings at other divisional offices within the district.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Official court reporters are placed on a regular tour of duty that requires their presence in the courthouse during core working hours of a minimum of eighty (80) hours per period.
• This position requires the ability to work extended court hours.

Requirements

• Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States.
• All application information is subject to verification.
• The selected candidate will be subject to a background check as a condition of employment and will be hired provisionally pending successful completion of the background check.
• Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of employment.
• Court employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Federal Judicial Employees.
• This position is subject to mandatory electronic funds transfer for payroll direct deposit.

How you will be evaluated

Required minimum qualifications for level 1: Candidate must possess at least four years of prime court reporting experience in the freelance field of service or in other courts, or a combination thereof; must have passed the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) Examination administered by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) or passed an equivalent qualifying examination.

For pay levels above level 1, the candidate must meet qualifications for level 1 and the following: Level 2- Must possess a Registered Merit Reporter Certificate from the NCRA. Level 3- Must have successfully completed the Certified Realtime Reporter exam offered by the NCRA or an equivalent exam.

Level 4- Must (1) possess a Registered Merit Reporter Certificate from the NCRA and (2) have successfully completed the Certified Realtime Reporter exam offered by the NCRA or equivalent exam. Realtime certification is preferred, however, candidates capable of providing simultaneous reporting who are actively working toward Realtime certification will also be considered.

Documents you must provide

• Qualified applicants should send a cover letter (including a narrative statement of your background), a Judicial Branch Federal Employment (AO 78) application with Optional Background Information (questions 19, 20, and 21 completed), and a resume.

What to expect next

Applications will be screened for qualifications and only the most qualified applicants will be contacted and selected for a personal interview. Skill and knowledge testing may be administered to candidates who progress beyond the initial interview process.