The LASC is offering substantial incentives to retain and recruit official court reporters amid a staffing shortage.
The incentives are being boosted with the help of nearly $10 million in state funding and include a signing bonus, finder’s fees, and student loan assistance. The additional resources provided by the state “will provide much-needed funding to enhance and accelerate recruiting and retention efforts,” according to LASC Presiding Judge, Hon. Jessica P. Jessner.
As a result of a nationwide court reporter shortage, the Court was recently required to shift court reporter coverage from family law, probate, and matters assigned to the writs and receiver departments to criminal felony and juvenile proceedings to ensure that court reporters are able to cover these statutorily mandated case types.
In Los Angeles County, the number of court reporters leaving court service continues to significantly outpace the number of new court reporters entering court service.
Despite concerted efforts to recruit court reporters, the Court has struggled to fill vacancies due to a lack of available certified shorthand reporters (CSRs) in California. In 2022, 43 court reporters left Court service. During this time, the Court was able to hire only 10 court reporters with 99 CSR vacancies needing to be filled.
For additional information, please go to https://sfvba.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/23-NR-COURT-REPORTER-RECRUITMENT_RETENTION.pdf
