Court Reporter (Stenography and Voice Writer)

About the role

The Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma invites applications for the position of Official Superior Court Reporter. This position involves reporting and transcribing the verbatim record of official court proceedings, preparing and certifying transcripts, and providing real-time services as needed.

Responsibilities

• Attends sessions of the Superior Court as assigned and makes an official verbatim record of the proceedings by use of stenograph or voice writing equipment.
• Promptly read back the record in open court and prepare transcripts utilizing CAT software in a timely fashion.
• Maintain accurate records and files of work performed.
• Adapt to changing court reporting technology.
• Provide real-time/CART services to assist the hearing-impaired or any other special cases as directed by the Court.
• Perform basic legal and office file research to ensure appropriate cases documentation of names, quotations, and similar information.
• Perform additional duties as directed by Court Management, including providing back-up reporter coverage for other judicial officers as directed.

Requirements

• Must be certified by the State of California as a Certified Shorthand Reporter or Voice Writer.
• For Court Reporter Real Time 3%, must be able to pass the Courts real-time proficiency test and have capability to provide CART services.
• For Court Reporter Real Time 8%, must be certified by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) as a Certified Real Time Reporter (CRR) and have capability to provide CART services.

Qualifications

All Court Reporter classifications must be certified by the State of California as a Certified Shorthand Reporter or Voice Writer. Positions in this class accurately record and produce the official verbatim record of all testimony and proceedings, including transcripts, in cases heard before the Superior Court and other agencies as directed. Reporters provide their own equipment and supplies; maintain their own records and tapes; and are paid separately for transcripts. Preparation of transcripts is accomplished outside of regular working hours.

Skills

Knowledge of California statutes relating to court reporting services, CART and ADA; Legal, medical and other technical terminology utilized during the course of court proceedings; Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary and punctuation; Current trends, practices and developments in court reporting, real time and CART technology; Use, adjustment and minor maintenance of stenographic, voice writing, computer and similar equipment related to work.

Benefits

Includes participation in the Sonoma County Employee’s Retirement Association (SCERA), a 1937 Act Retirement Plan based on PEPRA. The 2026/27 mandatory contribution is 7.7% for employees and 30.28% for the Court. This is a defined benefit plan fully integrated with Social Security. Vacation Leave: Regular, full-time employees in benefit unit 02 on paid status accrue vacation at a rate of 3.5 hours per pay period for the first two years (a little over 2 weeks and 1 day each year), with incremental increases to the accrual rate each year through year 5 and additional increases every 5 years thereafter, to year 20. Maximum accrual balance is 376 hours. Sick Leave: 12 days per year with no limit on accumulation. Holidays: 14 paid fixed holidays per year, plus 24 miscellaneous floating holiday hours, granted via compensatory time off. Insurance: Family vision care, family Dental care as well as employee short and long term disability plans, are fully paid by the Court. Choice of three health plans: Health Net PPO, Health Net HMO, and a Kaiser Permanente HMO plan. The Court's contribution is currently 92% of the premium for the health plan selected. Life Insurance: $50,000 Term Life Insurance is provided by the Court; additional life insurance may be purchased by the employee. Deferred Compensation: Employees may contribute a portion of their salary into a 457 Deferred Compensation account (up to the IRS annual maximum). Dependent and Medical Care Assistance Programs: Employees may participate in these tax exempt programs which allow certain personal expenses to be paid from pre-tax salary. Employee Assistance Program: Provides access to confidential counseling and support services.

Pay

Flat Rate Court Reporter: $59.20
Court Reporter - Real Time/CART: $60.96
Court Reporter - National Certification: $63.91

Schedule

On-call schedule with occasional evening and weekend work.

Other Requirements

A valid Class C California driver's license may be required to be eligible for consideration for certain assignments. Working Conditions/Physical Requirements: On a continuous basis, sit at a desk for long periods of time using specialized equipment; intermittently twist to reach equipment or supplies surrounding desk; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; strength to lift files weighing up to 25 pounds; use telephone and computer keyboard on a daily basis.

Process to Apply

To apply, please visit: http://sonoma.courts.ca.gov/info/jobs. Please list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of the application and be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions. You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position. Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, and knowledge and abilities which relate to the position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be invited to an interview.