Celebrate Court Reporting and Captioning Week February 7-14

February 6, 2026

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Feb. 6, 2026
Contact: Alisa Bousa, Public Information Officer, Alisa.Bousa@ujs.state.sd.us or 605.773.2031

Celebrate Court Reporting and Captioning Week February 7-14

PIERRE, S.D.—Court reporters and court recorders are essential to ensure that a court record is complete, accurate and reliable. Gov. Larry Rhoden and Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen have proclaimed Feb. 7-14, 2026, Court Reporting and Captioning Week in South Dakota.

Court reporters and captioners rely on the latest in technology to use stenographic machines to capture the spoken word and translate it into written text in real time. These professionals work both in and out of the courtroom recording legal cases and depositions, providing live captioning of events, and assisting members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities with gaining access to information, entertainment, educational opportunities and more.

This weeklong national event is designed to celebrate the court reporting, court recording and captioning professions and to help raise public awareness about the growing number of employment opportunities these careers offer. The South Dakota Unified Judicial System employs both court reporters and court recorders in the courtroom to ensure an accurate record. Court reporters utilize stenographic equipment, while court recorders use electronic recording systems available in the courtrooms.

“The demand for stenographic court reporters and captioners is at an all-time high right now,” said South Dakota State Court Administrator Greg Sattizahn. “It can take on average as little as two years to complete a stenographic court reporting program, allowing those who choose this career path the ability for nearly instant employment without the debt of a four-year college degree.”

Here are some facts about court reporting and captioning that you probably didn’t know:

There are official court reporters who are employees of the court, freelance deposition reporters who work directly with attorneys, broadcast captioners and CART captioners (Communication Access Realtime Translation)—often employed in classroom settings to assist students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The need for professionals in the stenographic court reporting and captioning fields is at a steady demand so employment upon graduation is nearly instant.
A career in stenographic court reporting or captioning offers good pay, unlimited opportunities to travel, a variety of venues in which to work, and very often, a front row seat to history.

To see current court reporting and court recording job opportunities with the South Dakota Unified Judicial System, visit https://ujs.sd.gov/careers.

If you’re looking for a career that is on the cutting-edge of technology, like to write, enjoy helping others, and are fast with your fingers, then the fields of court reporting and captioning are careers you can explore at NCRA/discoversteno.org.

The National Court Reporters Association’s A to Z® Intro to Steno Machine Shorthand Program, a free online six-week introductory course, lets participants see if a career in court reporting or captioning would be a good choice for them. The program is an introduction to stenographic theory and provides participants with the opportunity to learn the basics of writing on a steno machine.

View the Court Reporting and Captioning Week in South Dakota proclamation here.

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About South Dakota Courts: The Unified Judicial System (UJS) consists of the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts and State Court Administrator’s Office. The Supreme Court is the state’s highest court and final decision maker on South Dakota law. The Circuit Courts are the state’s trial courts where criminal proceedings and civil litigation are handled. The State Court Administrator’s Office provides centralized administrative assistance and support services for the South Dakota judiciary. Learn more at https://ujs.sd.gov.