Court Reporter

Superior Court of California, County of Butte; Oroville (CA); On-site; USD 73,000 - 88,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hiring incentive

Loan forgiveness program

Job summary

The Superior Court of California, County of Butte is seeking a Court Reporter to stenotype or voice write verbatim records of courtroom proceedings and support the assigned judge. The ideal candidate will have experience transcribing proceedings, real-time reporting familiarity, and strong written and verbal communication skills.

The position offers full-time hours with competitive salary and benefits; licensure is required in California, and the court notes incentives and long-term loan

Qualifications

• Must possess a computer aided transcription system.
• Must possess a California License to practice as a certified shorthand reporter issued by the Certified Shorthand Reporters Board.
• May be required to possess or obtain by appointment date a valid California operator's license issued by the State Department of Motor Vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Attends Superior Court sessions and provides computer aided reporting and transcription of proceedings through stenography machines or voice writing systems.
• Reads back testimony to courts and juries.
• Prepares transcripts within prescribed deadlines.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Education

Certified Shorthand Reporter license (CA)

Tools

Stenography machines

Voice writing systems

Job description

Position Description

The Superior Court of California, County of Butte

Is Now Accepting Applications For

Court Reporter

• Open Until Filled**

About The Community

Butte County Superior Court is located in beautiful Northern California, where the valley floor meets the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains, approximately 1.5 hours north of Sacramento. At over 1,600 square miles and with a population of approximately 225,000, Butte County is full of natural beauty and provides endless recreational opportunities. It is home to one of the largest municipal parks in the country, Bidwell Park, which boasts over 3,600 acres of hiking and mountain bike trails, swimming holes, picnic areas, golf and disc golf courses, and more! Outdoor adventures also await in places like Lake Oroville, Feather Falls, Table Mountain, and Lassen and Plumas National Forests which border the county to the east. In the county’s urban center of Chico, you’ll find a vibrant downtown, art, culture, unique restaurants, music, and weekly farmers’ markets. Right in the center of it all is the CSU, Chico campus, which provides a stunning backdrop and a variety of events and activities throughout the year.

About The Court

Butte County Superior Court is a unified superior court operating two facilities, one courthouse in Chico, and another courthouse in the county seat of Oroville. All legal, operational, and administrative functions of the court are governed by the Presiding Judge and the Court Executive Officer. The court has thirteen judicial officers, or eleven judges and two commissioners, and approximately 135 support staff. Despite its size, Butte is recognized throughout the state as a leader in many court collaborations, including self-help services, case management system consortiums, our highly acclaimed and model civic outreach program, and numerous multi-court employee education events. Butte County is home to a community with diverse needs, and the court continually adapts to provide effective and reliable access to justice.

About The Position

Court Reporters stenotype or voice write a verbatim record of courtroom proceedings and provide general support to the assigned judge related to the official record. The ideal candidate for the Court Reporter position has experience transcribing proceedings, is familiar with real time reporting, and possesses excellent written and verbal communication skills.

SALARY

Full-Time: $80,974.40 to $98,425.60 per year

Part-Time: $38.93 to $47.32 per hour

Daily (Pro Tem)*: $500 per day

• Daily (Pro Tem) Court Reporters are considered extra-help employees and paid as an employee of the Court rather than as an independent contractor.

Essential Job Functions

The following duties are typical of those performed by the incumbent in this classification; however, other duties may also be required.

• Attends Superior Court sessions and provides computer aided reporting and transcription of proceedings through the use of specialized equipment including stenography machines or voice writing systems.
• Reads back testimony to courts and juries.
• Prepares transcripts within prescribed deadlines.

Knowledge Of

• Computer aided transcription systems
• Legal procedures and specific rules and precedents
• Legal terminology, phraseology, documents, forms, and procedures
• Medical terminology
• Business English including vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation
• Common office machines and their operation

Ability To

• Operate a computer aided transcription system
• Perform difficult, responsible, and complex legal court reporting duties with speed and accuracy and within deadlines
• Identify, use, and correct a wide variety of legal forms, documents, and terminology
• Make verbatim records of court proceedings
• Interpret and apply laws, rules, and written and oral directions to specific situations requiring the use of good judgment and minimal supervision
• Use good judgment in recognizing the scope and limit of authority delegated
• Follow oral and written directions
• Work cooperatively with those contacted in the course of work

Typical Qualifications

Any combination of education, training and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

• Must possess a computer aided transcription system
• Must possess a California License to practice as a certified shorthand reporter issued by the Certified Shorthand Reporters Board.
• May be required to possess or obtain by appointment date a valid California operator's license issued by the State Department of Motor Vehicles.

Supplemental Information

Criminal History Requirement: Candidates are required to pass a criminal history background check.

License Requirement: Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license may be required or the ability to provide alternate transportation that meets job requirements.

Physical Requirements: The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of this classification. Reasonable accommodations may be available to a qualified individual with a disability that will enable him/her to perform the essential functions of the Court Reporter classification. Ability to sit for extended periods of time; dexterity and coordination to handle files and single pieces of paper; frequent lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling of objects weighing up to 50 pounds; strength, dexterity and coordination and/or ability to use a computer keyboard and read a video display terminal on a daily basis; vision which can be corrected to a level sufficient to read handwritten, typed and computer generated information and data; hearing and speech ability sufficient to enable communication by telephone and in-person; ability to frequently reach for and/or twist for items above and below desk level, sometimes with the assistance of a ladder or stepstool; frequently moves from place to place within the office; frequently walks short distances; and vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision and the ability to adjust focus to enable incumbent to decipher color coded files, forms, complete data entry and read operating instructions and procedures.

Work Environment: While performing the responsibilities of the Court Reporter, these work environment characteristics are representative of the environment an employee will encounter. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Work is performed in an office environment with little exposure to outdoor temperatures, dirt, or dust. The incumbent's working conditions are typically quiet, but may be loud at times at some locations. The noise level and traffic level in the work environment are similar to a busy office. This role routinely uses standard office equipment. Travel to visit other branches within the county and travel to attend professional meetings and trainings in and outside of the county may be required on a frequent basis. Normal court business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. This position may require occasional long hours or weekend work, however. Alternate work shifts may occur.

Disclaimer: This document is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by an incumbent assigned to this job classification. It is not intended to provide an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities of incumbents so classified.

New Hire Incentives - Court Reporters

• Each full-time Court Reporter that is hired by Butte Superior Court will be eligible to receive up to a $5,000.00 hiring incentive to be paid in increments of $1,250.00 for every three months of continuous employment for a maximum of $5,000.00 after 12 months of employment.
• Each part-time Court Reporter, employed in a half-time or greater capacity, that is hired by Butte Superior Court will be eligible to receive up to a $2,500.00 hiring incentive to be paid in increments of $650.00 for every three months of continuous employment for a maximum of $5,000.00 after 12 months of employment.

Court Reporter School Student Loan Forgiveness

• Eligible new hires will receive loan repayments until the maximum amount of $25,000.00 is distributed to the employee or the loan reaches maturity, whichever comes first.
• Maximum annual loan repayment will be $5,000.00, which will be distributed evenly across twenty-six pay periods and only issued for each full pay period the employee is on payroll as an official court reporter. Loan repayments are subject to applicable taxes and withholdings.

Salary

Full-Time: $72,716.80 to $88,400 per year

Part-Time: $34.96 to $42.50 per hour

Daily (Pro Tem)*: $500 per day

Longevity Pay

The Court adds a 3% pay differential above base salary at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of service.

Holidays

Employees receive 14 paid Court holidays, including one floating holiday per year.

Sick Leave

Employees accrue paid sick leave based on hours worked. Accrual at full-time is 12 days per year.

Vacation Leave

Employees accrue paid vacation leave based on hours worked and years of service. Accrual at full-time starts at 15 days per year.

Retirement System

Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). The benefit formula is determined by CalPERS regulations and is 2% at age 55 for classic members and 2% at age 62 for new members. Employees pay 100% of the employee contribution and the Court pays 100% of the employer contribution.

Insurance Plans

The Court makes available multiple health insurance plans (HMO and PPO plans), including options for employees and their dependents that are 100% employer-paid under current court contributions, or a cash-in-lieu benefit for opting out. The Court also makes available dental and vision insurance plans, which may also be 100% employer-paid for the employee under current Court contributions.

Life Insurance

The Court provides a group term life insurance policy of $25,000. Additional coverage for the employee, the employee's spouse, and/or the employee's dependents may be elected at the employee's cost.

Deferred Compensation Plan

The Court makes available a tax-deferred long-term savings plan (457) that employees may elect to make contributions to.

Employee Assistance Program

The Court makes available a no-cost employee assistance program that offers a wide range of confidential services to employees.

Flexible Spending Accounts

The Court makes available a flexible spending account that allows employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for out-of-pocket medical and/or dependent care expenses to reduce taxable gross wages.