Court Reporter Job at Travis County, TX in Austin

Salary : $124,932.34 Annually

Location : Austin, TX

Job Type : Full Time

Job Number : 24-09686

Department : Criminal Courts

Opening Date : 01 / 08 / 2025

Closing Date : 4 / 7 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Central

Job Summary

Records, transcribes and maintains records of court proceedings. Furnishes transcripts of court proceedings to requesting parties. Provides equipment used in performing duties, including stenographic machine, computers, software and printers, along with necessary reference materials.

This is the Court Reporter for the Criminal Auxiliary Court, and the position also serves as a floater for the other Travis County Criminal Courts.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS :

This is a job classification within the Court Services job family. This classification is distinguished in that incumbents must be certified by the State of Texas Court Reporters. This classification is a highly specialized classification and not part of a series. This classification is responsible for preparing transcripts of court proceedings. This classification may require a flexible work schedule in order to meet the needs of the department.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Attends sessions of court and records all proceedings of evidence, objections, rulings, voir dire of jury duty and arguments. Records all objections to admissibility of evidence, court rulings and remarks of the objections and exceptions to the rulings.
• Makes full record of jury arguments and voir dire examinations when requested by attorney for any party to a case, together with all objections to such arguments, rulings and remarks of court.
• Documents files with courts exhibits and indexes, and files notes taken in courts. Preserves shorthand or machine notes taken in court for period required by law and prepares transcripts for appeals or other future legal proceedings.
• Prepares official transcripts of all evidence or court proceedings, subject to laws of the State, the rules and instructions of presiding judge of the court, for appeals or future court use. Certifies the accuracy of court transcripts. Responds to requests of official transcripts.
• May serve as a liaison to attorneys, judges, other County departments and staff, officials and general public. Provides information relating to court hearings and charges.
• May conduct depositions of witnesses. May receive, execute and return commissions. May make a certificate of proceedings in any County that is included in the judicial district of the court. May prepare jury charges in civil cases.
• May perform administrative support duties as assigned for administrative functions of the court.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience :

Must pass two (2) proficiency tests consisting of 180 wpm literary, 200 wpm jury charge, and 225 wpm Q & A, depending on nature of dictation used, to become eligible for certification. Certification exam consists of two (2) sections, Part A and Part B. Part A requires a minimum passing grade of at least ninety-five (95%) percent accuracy on the certification exam and Part B requires a minimum passing grade of seventy-five (75%) percent.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements :

Certified by the Judicial Branch Certification Commission (JBCC) in the State of Texas.

Texas Certified Court Reporters are required to complete continuing education pursuant to the rules promulgated by the Texas Supreme Court.

Preferred :

Graduation from an accredited Court Reporting school.

Two (2) years of experience as a Certified Court Reporter.

Knowledge of :

Skill in :

Ability to :

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift / carry up to 10-25 pounds, extensive detailed record keepings by machine or shorthand, extensive periods of sitting, typing, writing, and listening to recordings to perform the essential functions. Subject to continual contact with persons accused or convicted of crimes. Subject to stressful court environment and client and customer contact for extended periods of time.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.

Work Hours : 8am - 5pm, Monday - Friday

Location : 501 W. 11th Austin TX 78701

Department : Criminal Courts

Criminal Background Check, Employment and Education Verification Required.

Benefits

Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.

FY2025 Travis County Benefit Guide

In this valuable you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.

Credit Union

Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.

Deferred Compensation

Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.

Direct Deposit

Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.

Employee Assistance Program

Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.

Employee Organizations

Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.

Employee Health & Wellness Clinic

Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.

Holidays

An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.

Insurance

Employees may select from four plans : an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County's current policy is to pay 100% of the employee's health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.

The following benefits are employee paid :

New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.

Longevity

Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.

On the regular payday on or after the employee's fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.

Parking

A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.

Personal Holidays

Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he / she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins :

January - March

3 personal holidays

April - June

2 personal holidays

July - September

1 personal holiday

October - December

None

New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.

Retirement

Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.

Sick Leave

Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.

Parental Leave

Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.

Tuition Refund

Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.

Vacation

Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates :

0 to 5 years

4.0 hours per pay period

6 to 10 years

4.5 hours per pay period

11 to 15 years

5.0 hours per pay period

16 to 20 years

5.5 hours per pay period

21 plus years

6.0 hours per pay period

Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.

Workers' Compensation

The county provides all employees workers' compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.