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Court Reporter & Captioner

Law

Use verbatim methods and equipment to capture, store, retrieve, and transcribe pretrial and trial proceedings or other information. Includes stenocaptioners who operate computerized stenographic captioning equipment to provide captions of live or prerecorded broadcasts for hearing-impaired viewers.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

LawGeneral

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks.
  2. 2Proofread transcripts for correct spelling of words.
  3. 3Ask speakers to clarify inaudible statements.
  4. 4Take notes in shorthand or use a stenotype or shorthand machine that prints letters on a paper tape.
  5. 5Record symbols on computer storage media and use computer aided transcription to translate and display them as text.
  6. 6Provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.
  7. 7Transcribe recorded proceedings in accordance with established formats.
  8. 8Log and store exhibits from court proceedings.
  9. 9File a legible transcript of records of a court case with the court clerk's office.
  10. 10File and store shorthand notes of court session.
  11. 11Type court orders for judges.
  12. 12Respond to requests during court sessions to read portions of the proceedings already recorded.
  13. 13Verify accuracy of transcripts by checking copies against original records of proceedings and accuracy of rulings by checking with judges.
  14. 14Record depositions and other proceedings for attorneys.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • CSR
  • Recorder
  • Stenographer
  • Court Monitor
  • Court Recorder
  • Court Reporter
  • Stenocaptioner
  • Digital Reporter
  • Text Transcriber
  • Transcript Clerk

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationPost-secondary certificate

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administrative — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on Law and Government — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • English Language96%

    English

  • Administrative92%

    Business

  • Computers and Electronics83%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Law and Government78%

    History (Sejarah)

  • Customer and Personal Service70%
  • Administration and Management62%

    BusinessEconomics

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • File exhibits.
  • Perform secretarial tasks for the court.
  • Swear in witnesses.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

13%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Broadcast Journalist / Media Producer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

International Pre-U

A-Levels, AUSMAT, IB and more. The flexible premium route, local or overseas.

1–2 years

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org