Deadline to Apply is March 15
Court reporters and the transcripts they produce are an integral part of the court system, but a shortage of licensed court reporters is looming on the horizon. To boost interest in the career, in addition to meeting the demand, the Chief Judges of Illinois have approved a tuition-free training program in exchange for a two-year employment contract with Court Reporting Services of Illinois.
Licensed court reporters take a verbatim record of criminal cases heard in Illinois to ensure that all citizens have equal access to justice, not just the ones who can afford to hire a court reporter. It is estimated that Court Reporting Services currently has over 100 vacancies throughout the state
The starting salary of official court reporters in the state of Illinois has a range of $53,000 to $58,000 per year (more for higher certifications and for Cook County court reporters), plus state of Illinois benefits. There are also cost-of-living increases and proficiency testing. Additional income is generated by the transcripts official court reporters prepare for cases that appeal and for requests from attorneys and parties. This transcript income can fluctuate from year to year, depending on the volume of transcript requests received.
The next classes for this tuition-free Training Program will begin in September of this year and will consist of two years of on-site training in Urbana. A final decision of those chosen will be announced soon after a mandatory information and evaluation workshop in Springfield on April 12 and in Wheaton on May 9.
To apply or to learn more about this opportunity, visit https://www.ilcrs.com/training. Inquiries can be emailed to [email protected] or [email protected].
You can read the full article from Shaw Local News Network HERE.