May Marks NCRA’s Celebrate Certification Month
RESTON, Va., May 1, 2020 — Members of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), the country’s leading organization representing stenographic court reporters, captioners, and legal videographers, are participating in Celebrate Certification Month during May. The 2020 celebration marks the third year NCRA has hosted this event.
During the monthlong event, members are encouraged to share with customers, clients, and potential clients the importance of working with professionals who hold national certifications. The campaign is also designed to encourage NCRA members and nonmembers to earn a certification or to add to any they already hold. In addition to showing proficiency in various skills, numerous NCRA membership surveys have found that court reporters, captioners, and legal videographers who hold NCRA certifications make more money and are often in higher demand than their competitors.
“NCRA members are proud of their professional accomplishments, especially their certifications. I know I am of mine,” said NCRA President Max Curry, RPR, CRI, a court reporter and firm owner from Franklin, Tenn.
“Professional certification reflects a deep commitment to our unique skills and to keeping them polished to guarantee that we provide the highest quality of service and product to our clients. Professional certifications are the highest investments we can make in ourselves, and NCRA is proud to recognize May as Celebrate Certification Month for the third consecutive year,” Curry added.
“Certification Month provides NCRA members nationwide and abroad a platform from which they can celebrate themselves, each other, and share with the legal community, the deaf and hard of hearing community, and all communities they serve, why professional certification matters. It is also the perfect time to encourage others who do not hold professional certification to make the investment in their careers and obtain them,” Curry added.
NCRA offers the following nationally recognized professional certifications:
Registered Skilled Reporter (RSR): NCRA's newest designation, the RSR recognizes those stenographic professionals who are looking to validate their beginning level of competency. Created as a stepping-stone credential to ultimately achieving the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) designation, the RSR certification will offer the prestige of an NCRA certification for those early in their careers. Candidates do not need to be members of NCRA in order to take the RSR Exam. Candidates must pass three five-minute Skills Tests (SKT) that evaluate their skills in literary at 160 words per minute, jury charge at 180 words per minute, and testimony/Q&A at 200 words per minute, with a 95 percent accuracy rate on each leg to pass.
Registered Professional Reporter (RPR): RPR stenographic court reporters are among the top contributors to the profession in terms of technology, reporting skills, and professional practices. The RPR has been offered since 1937, and many states currently accept or use the certification testing in place of a state certification or licensing exams. RPRs have passed tests requiring them to write up to 225 words per minute with a 95 percent accuracy rate.
Registered Merit Reporter (RMR): RMRs must hold the RPR and have shown the ability to write at speeds of up to 260 words per minute with a 95 percent accuracy rate.
Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR): The RDR designates the highest level of certification available to court reporters and distinguishes high-level, seasoned reporters as members of the profession’s elite.
Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR): The CRR recognizes a realtime reporter’s knowledge of current technologies and a high proficiency of at least a 96 percent accuracy rate at speeds up to 200 words per minute. Realtime reporting instantly translates the spoken word to text, allowing for an immediate transcription of proceedings.
Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC): CRCs have passed a skills test, a written exam, and attended an educational workshop. The CRC tests for competence and provides quality education to those who are interested in entering the captioning field.
Certified Legal Video Specialist (CLVS): CLVSs hold a high level of skill and understanding of all aspects of video deposition recording, court proceedings, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and deposition best practices.