What are the responsibilities and job description for the Official Court Reporter position at U.S. Courts?
Duties
Position Overview
This position is organized as a direct report to the Chief Deputy Clerk of the U.S. District Court Clerk's Office, performing court reporting services for judicial proceedings in a fast-paced environment. Some travel between the geographical divisions is necessary to support court operations. Telework may be available per policy at the discretion of the Clerk of Court.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Maintain the courtroom record and produce transcripts of court proceedings according to strict standards.
- Provide highly accurate records and transcripts at the request of a party or by order of the Court, within a prescribed time and at rates set by Judiciary policy.
- Ensure billing and transcript formats comply with Judiciary requirements.
- Adhere to the requirements set out in the Court Reporter Management Plan.
- Maintain accurate, legible records, which are subject to occasional audit.
- Produce, maintain, and safeguard records until they are disposed of according to statutory requirements and Judiciary policy.
- Provide backup coverage for team members, as required.
- Perform other duties, as assigned.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Employees must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States.
- Employees will be hired provisionally pending the results of a background investigation.
- Employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.
- Employees are required to use Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.
- Positions with the United States District Court Clerk's Office are Excepted Service appointments. Excepted Service appointments are "At-Will" and can be terminated with or without cause by the Clerk of Court.
Qualifications
The qualifications of official court reporters are determined by standards formulated by the Judicial Conference of the U.S. and include:
- At least one year of prime court reporting experience in the freelance field of service or in other courts or a combination of such experience; and
- Qualification by testing for listing on the registry of professional reporters of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) or passage of an equivalent qualifying examination, as determined by Judiciary policy.
- Realtime proficiency. Realtime certification is preferred but not required.
- Knowledge of and experience with computer-aided transcription (CAT). Must provide own CAT system with Realtime capability.
- Possess and provide all necessary personal equipment and software.
Education
Applicants must possess a high school diploma, or equivalent. A college degree is preferred.
Additional information
Benefits
A generous benefits package is available and includes:
- Paid holidays (11 days).
- Retirement benefits (e.g., immediate matching contributions in the Thrift Savings Plan).
- Optional participation in Federal Employees' Health Benefits, supplemental Dental and Vision Insurance, and Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance.
Benefits
Review our benefits
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Please read the "Next steps" section for more information.
Benefits
Review our benefits
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Please read the "How to Apply" section.
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
Application Information
Interested applicants must submit four (4) items combined into a single PDF:Submit materials electronically to personnel@alnd.uscourts.gov. Hard copies and faxed copies of applications will not be accepted.- a cover letter;
- a resume;
- a list of professional references; and
- a completed Federal Judicial Branch Application for Employment (AO 78) form.
Agency contact information
Human Resources
Email
personnel@alnd.uscourts.gov
Address
US District Court, Northern District of Alabama
Hugo L. Black United States Courthouse
1729 5th Avenue North
35203
1729 5th Avenue North, AL 35203
USNext steps
Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
The U.S. District Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer.Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request
Required Documents
Please read the "How to Apply" section.
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.
This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
