How to Become a Court Reporter in Wisconsin

A court reporter, referred to interchangeably as a court stenographer, real-time writer, or certified shorthand reporter (CSR), plays an indispensable role in legal proceedings.

They meticulously transcribe every spoken word during trials and other legal processes, making them an integral part of the justice system.

For those aspiring to pursue a career as a court reporter in Wisconsin, I will guide you through the essential steps to obtain licensure, so please continue reading.

Complete Your Education as a Court Reporter in Wisconsin

Becoming a licensed court reporter requires the successful completion of a recognized training program.

It’s imperative that the program you choose is approved by the Wisconsin Board of Court Reporting.

To be eligible for enrollment, you should:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent (GED).

These training programs typically specialize in areas such as:

• CART/Captioning
• Judicial Reporting
• Scoping/Proofreading
• Professional Transcription
• Office Assistant
• Court and Realtime Reporting

Prospective students must ensure that the program’s curriculum is approved by the Council on Approved Student Education (CASE).

The curriculum often covers subjects like:

• Applied Writing I
• Medical Terminology
• Legal Terminology
• Civil and Criminal Law Terminology
• Realtime Reporting I
• Realtime Reporting II

Training programs are generally offered at the postsecondary level and provide various options, including certificate programs, diploma programs, as well as associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs—all recognized for licensure.

Several reputable schools in Wisconsin offer court reporting training that you can learn a bit about, below.

Charles A. Jones Career and Education Center

The Charles A. Jones Career and Education Center (CAJ) provides a comprehensive Court Reporting certification program that spans a duration of 99 weeks.

Upon successful completion of this certification, graduates become eligible to take the licensure exam.

Once they pass the exam, they gain the qualification to embark on their journey as court reporters.

Founded in 1967, the Charles A. Jones Career and Education Center (CAJ) has a rich history of offering education and training.

It operates under the collaborative governance of the State of California Department of Education (CDE) and the Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD).

Attain Your Court Reporter License in Wisconsin

Following the completion of your education, the next step is to pass an examination to secure your court reporter license.

Two nationally recognized certifications are available:

• NCRA’s Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification
• NVRA’s (National Verbatim Reporters Association) Certified Verbatim Reporter (CVR)

To obtain a license in Wisconsin, you must also pass a skills examination administered by one of these organizations:

• NCRA
• NVRA
• ACRA

This process involves:

• Payment of the required fees, typically including a $200 license fee and a $50 application fee.
• Submission of proof of graduation from your training program.
• Completion of the application form.

The ACRA test closely mirrors the NCRA and NVRA exams. While the NCRA skills test is available online, the other two exams must be taken in person.

Fees for becoming a registered professional reporter are as follows:

• $120 for non-NCRA members
• $95 for NCRA members
• $77 for student members of NCRA

The fee for the NVRA exam is $125.

For those aiming to become certified verbatim reporters, a $50 transfer fee applies if you’re already a registered professional reporter.

The Certified Court Reporter (CCR) skills exam costs $75 and comprises three sections, each lasting five minutes:

• Literary at 180 words per minute
• Jury charge at 200 words per minute
• Testimony/Q&A at 225 words per minute

Candidates have 75 minutes to transcribe their notes, and the minimum passing score in Wisconsin is 95% accuracy.

Additionally, a knowledge written exam is required for the registered professional reporter, consisting of 120 questions covering technology, professional practices, ethics, and reporting practices.

The minimum passing score is 70.

Fees for this exam are as follows:

• $220 for non-NCRA members
• $195 for NCRA members
• $160 for student members of NCRA

The NVRA exam costs $125.

License Renewal for Court Reporters in Wisconsin

Similar to most licenses, a court reporter’s license requires periodic renewal.

In Wisconsin, license renewal is mandated annually by September 30th.

A reminder email is typically sent around August 1st.

A grace period is available until the end of November 30th, after which unrenewed licenses will expire.

Renewal fees vary depending on timing:

• $200 for on-time renewals
• $240 for renewals submitted by September 31st
• $280 for renewals submitted by November 30th

To complete the renewal process, individuals must also fulfill a requirement of 5 hours of continuing education annually.

Any extra hours completed can be carried over to the following year.

Continuing education hours must be obtained through organizations like NCRA, NVRA, and ACRA, as personal development classes are typically not accepted.

Court Reporter Salary in Wisconsin

For those who have followed along, your interest likely extends to the earning potential of a court reporter in Wisconsin.

In the state, court reporters can expect a median salary of $60,894 per year.

The table below illustrates cities in Wisconsin with the highest median salaries for this occupation:

Court Reporter by State