The Illinois Supreme Court is recognizing Court Reporting and Captioning Week to highlight the vital role court reporters and captioners play in the justice system. The following features Lorie Kennedy, Illinois Court Reporters Association President, and her thoughts on the industry, access to justice, and more.
Tell us about your career and your work with the Illinois Court Reporters Association (ILCRA).
I started reporting 28 years ago as a deposition reporter in downtown Chicago. I worked with a very large agency, so I reported depositions in a wide variety of cases from car accidents to patent litigation and everything in between. I very much enjoyed the variety of subject matter and different locations of depositions; but when the state lifted its hiring freeze on court reporters, I was drawn to the idea of being part of the courthouse staff. I signed on as an Official Court Reporter in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit but eventually made my way back to Cook County, landing at Twenty-Sixth and California (Leighton Criminal Courthouse) for the bulk of my time as a state official. Two years ago, I accepted a Federal Official Court Reporter spot, and that’s where I’m at now.
My involvement with ILCRA came about when I was a Cook County Official. I quickly made my presence known to the organization by competing, placing, and eventually winning ILCRA’s annual speed competition – and three times now. Sharing knowledge and experience is one of the benefits of membership in our state organization, so I was thereafter approached about board service. I came on as secretary and have worked my way up to now president.
How would you describe a typical day for a court reporter? What are their responsibilities?
A court reporter’s ultimate responsibility is making an accurate, verbatim record of the proceedings being reported, so a typical day for a court reporter starts with trying to be prepared for anything and everything that could get in the way of that happening – checking equipment, gathering case or docket information, responding to emails and phone calls, checking traffic and weather reports for timely arrival and setup, even having a backup plan if proceedings go later than expected and you have personal obligations. During the proceedings, we’re verifying we are hearing everything accurately and seeking clarification on case-specific information, again, to ensure accuracy. If a transcript is needed right away, transcription will start immediately, or the notes will be stored for future production for an appeal or otherwise.
What is the importance of court reporting and captioning, especially as it relates to access to justice?
Court reporters and captioners have long been referred to as “guardians of the record,” charged with recording and preserving the spoken word in legal proceedings. As a neutral participant, the unbiased work of the court reporter in preparing those transcripts ensures that justice is delivered to litigants impartially, fairly, and equally. The accurate, certified transcripts prepared by the certified court reporter are the foundational building blocks for what ultimately becomes case law, which ensures the scales of justice remain balanced and equitable for all.
As AI technology continues to impact the legal field, how are court reporters adapting? What challenges and/or opportunities does this present?
As the court reporting industry has in the past with any new technology offered to enhance our work, we embrace the idea, we test the offerings, and we vet the accuracy of the claimed benefits. One of the best examples of this was integrating real-time translation into our transcription software. We are able to instantly turn the spoken word into the written word anywhere and have successfully brought full access for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community to courtrooms, schools, television programming, the arts, sporting events, and beyond. For now, AI still presents as an opportunity to elevate the industry – and all industries - to new heights, but the challenge is we’re not at the point of AI proving itself to be left unmonitored or unchecked, or if it can even do the things AI companies are claiming it can do. This may prove to be a case of here today, gone tomorrow, at least in legal proceedings. We just don’t know.
What advice would you share with someone interested in pursuing this profession?
I’d say go for it!! History has been captured in steno since the late 1880s. Steno has proven itself to be the gold standard for capturing the spoken word for over a hundred years. The next hundred years will fly by.
Is there anything else you’d like to share on this topic?
Court reporting has always been very much a word-of-mouth career. The profession has not been marketed enough to keep school enrollment high, which has landed us currently in an industry shortage of reporters. But ILCRA, our national organization, and each reporter I know has been working diligently on getting the word out about this great career. I think I received ten emails in the last two weeks from people looking for machine rentals for an intro-to-steno course that is offered by our national organization. The court reporting industry in Illinois is strong, but we’re working to be stronger in the future, and interest in the career is showing to be there.