Regularly able to crank out roughly 300 words per minute, the official court reporters at Missoula County District Court make sure every word of every hearing is perfectly preserved. To graduate from school and be certified, court reporters need to pass a test that includes keeping up a pace of at least 225 words per minute while taking a transcript, with an added accuracy component. “For tests, including punctuation and everything, you have to pass with 95 percent accuracy,” said Stephanie Morrow, Judge Robert “Dusty” Deschamps’ court reporter who has been in the role for 15 years. The tool of the trade for court reporters is the stenotype, which features a specialized keyboard that allows them to.....MORE
