I will try to answer what I can in your post. - There are many things here, and Posted: Jan 6th, 2024 - 2:31 pm In Reply to: I'm confused on this, as I would imagine that a court reporter - would be taking
it is clear you are conflating legal transcription with medical transcription.
Yes, I make very, very good money. I make between $ 35.00 and $ 65.00 an hour, depending on the transcript that is needed, i.e. basic, expedite, or a rush job. Each tier has it's own rate, therefore, you make more per page.
We are not paid by the line or character, but rather by the page. My page per transcript has only 25 lines on it. I can have one word on a line (such as a yes or no answer), which fills the page quickly. I can have one word on a page; I get paid for the entire page.
Some of my transcripts can be 500 pages; yes, they are long, but the money is exceptional. I see no benefit to doing 10, 20, 30 medical reports, which pays less, than doing one large 500-page transcript and getting paid very well for it.
I do not know what the court reporters are paid; I do not care. They work, in many cases, as a separate entity/ company/independent contractor, and what they get paid has nothing to do with what I get paid.
As for multiple speakers, yes, there can be a number of people in a deposition (anywhere from 3 to 8-9 people depending on how many attorneys attend). If they are talking over each other, the transcripts are flagged in the appropriate spots. I AM NOT PAID TO BABYSIT THEM OR TEACH THEM GOOD MANNERS; IF THEIR AUDIO IS NOT CLEAR, IT IS ON THEM, NOT ME. If adults cannot be polite and wait for the question or answer to be stated in a deposition, that has nothing to do with me, and it is not my responsibility, nor does it impact my pay rate. Most court reporters will try and stop the over speaking, but again, everyone is an adult. If they cannot exercise self-control, that is their problem, not mine or the court reporters. When they get the transcript, it is clearly marked where they have drowned each other out. At that point, it is the lawyer's obligation to clear up the record that they or their witness messed up.
I also use audio speech programs, which are far superior to what was pushed off on us in the medical world.
I love what I do, and I plan on never retiring. It is interesting work, I get paid very well, and my pay is never late.
There is far more to this position than research will tell you; the best knowledge is your own experience, as each company can do things differently. I happen to have been lucky in the company I work for; and no, I will not post the name. The last time I did, posters on this board contacted the company with an entitlement mentality. I was asked to no longer publish their name due to the disrespect some showed, and I complied. When the owner has need of additional scopists, which is what the court calls us, I am notified and pass on whatever resumes I have at that time. I have helped others, who were MTs looking for alternatives, from this board get a job with the same company I work for. None of us have resigned or retired; we get paid well, work well together without all the snark you see on this board, and we have very interesting cases (for the most part) to work on. Yes, some cases are boring, but for what we get paid, I have no issues in doing them.
I hope this has cleared up some of your confusion. I chose to work for a smaller companies wherein the owner(s) are very hands on. I work for more than one, as I will never put all my eggs in one basket after what I went through with T*CI. I work when I want, as much as I want, which is what a true IC is supposedly to be able to do.
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