Official Court Reporter

District of Columbia Courts

Court Reporting Division

Summary

The Official Court Reporter position is located in the District of Columbia Superior Court, Court Reporting Division. The Court Reporting Division is responsible for processing customers' transcript requests and preparing verbatim written transcripts of court proceedings held in Superior Court. The Official Court Reporter is responsible for the verbatim reporting of judicial and administrative proceedings.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens or individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residency or authorized by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service to work in the United States.

Duties

Brief Duties of the Position:

Provides real-time reporting to a judge that can be utilized by a judge and/or staff to aid in ruling on motions, verifying testimony, etc.
Uploads the Daily Worksheet and Rich Text Format (RTF) file to the Web Transcript Tracking System (WTTS).
Safeguards RTF files (stenographic or voice writer) and backup audio files of proceedings reported and, when directed, will surrender such RTF files (stenographic or voice writer) and backup files for storage as court records. Properly identifies RTF files by identifying the date, judge, case title, and location.
Ensures the availability and operational readiness of all primary and backup court reporting equipment, including stenographic or voice writing equipment, laptops, microphones, Computer-Aided Transcription (CAT) software, and backup audio recording systems, to ensure the efficient and uninterrupted performance of duties during court proceedings.
Complies with all applicable rules, policies, procedures, and standards governing court reporting and transcript production, including the rules of the Superior Court, Court of Appeals, and directives issued by the Division Director.
Completes and maintains a Reassignment of Work form in accordance with established court procedures, providing instructions for the timely reassignment and completion of transcript orders during periods of planned or unplanned absence to ensure continuity of court reporting services.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

A background and security investigation is required.
A probationary period of one (1) year must be completed.
Candidates must furnish their own equipment and software to provide real-time reporting to the judiciary and produce their own transcripts.
Must be able to lift up to 40 pounds.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications for Grade 11 ($87,036-$111,868): A high school diploma or GED and seven (7) years of court reporting experience in a court or similar jurisdiction, or in private industry.

Minimum Qualifications for Grade 12 ($103,470- $133,241): A high school diploma or GED and eight (8) years of experience in a court or similar jurisdiction or private industry.

The ability to conduct verbatim reporting at a minimum rate of 225 words per minute is required. Candidates must furnish their own equipment and software to provide real-time reporting to the judiciary and produce their own transcripts. Candidates must also be able to lift materials of up to forty (40) pounds.

A degree from a court reporting program plus two (2) years of court reporting experience in a similar jurisdiction or in the private industry, and a Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification is preferred.

Certified Realtime reporters are compensated at a high salary. Upload a copy of your certification with your application for consideration. The salary ranges are below:

Grade 11: $91,301 to $116,135
Grade 12: $107,737 to $137,505

The incumbent should be an enthusiastic and engaged professional who enjoys working with a diverse group of Court personnel and customers and lives the DC Courts' values of Accountability, Excellence, Fairness, Integrity, Respect, and Transparency.

Education

You must upload a copy of your high school diploma, college transcript or degree for consideration. The transcript must show the name of the college or university, your name, degree conferred date, a list of courses with credit hours, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking.

Foreign Education: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must upload a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript at the time of application to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Additional information

This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive Federal civil service.

Please note there is a mandatory one-year probationary period for all new court employees.

All required information must be received by the vacancy announcement closing date.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

This is not a federal position.

The District of Columbia Courts is an independent branch of the District of Columbia Government and is not under the authority of the City Mayor or the D. C. Council. DC Courts' appropriation comes directly from Congress. All DC Courts non-judicial employees receive federal benefits for the following programs: Life Insurance, Retirement Benefits, Health Insurance and Workers Compensation.

Please click on the following for more information about these benefits: http://www.opm.gov/Insure/health/enrollment/new_employees.asp

The DC Courts leave policy is as follows:

Annual Leave: New full-time employees earn four (4) hours of annual leave biweekly. After three years of service this increases to six (6) hours biweekly, and at 15 years it increases to eight (8) hours biweekly. Most military, federal and District of Columbia government service counts toward the time required to go into the next higher annual leave category. Employees can carry over no more than 240 hours of annual leave into the next leave year.

Sick Leave is used for personal medical needs, care of a family member, or adoption related purposes. Full-time employees earn four (4) hours of sick leave biweekly. This leave can be accrued without limit.

In addition to the federal health plans, the DC Courts offer employees supplemental vision and dental plans as well as a commuter transit benefit subsidy, for a maximum of $150 a month. There are 26 pay periods in the year.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Upon receipt of your complete application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure that you meet the basic qualification requirements. Answers submitted in the questionnaire must be supported by your resume. Your resume must reflect the relevant experience and demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualifications, or your application will not be considered.

You may preview the assessment questionnaire by clicking here:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13062214

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted with your application:

Resume
Completed Vacancy Questionnaire
Documentation /Proof of Education (e.g. copy of high school diploma, GED certificate, college transcript, or degree)
Three (3) professional references
Certified Realtime Reporter Certification (if applicable)

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin the application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires and assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. Click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button before 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Agency contact information

DC Courts Human Resources

Email: jobs@dccsystem.gov

Address: District of Columbia Courts
500 Indiana Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001
US

Next steps

Once your completed application is received, the qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. All applicants will be notified of the final outcome.

Official Court Reporter Job in Washington, DC