Court Reporter Elect, Mille Lacs County - Judge Designee Laura Welle

Judge Designee Laura Welle is seeking qualified candidates to fill an Official Court Reporter position. The primary work location for this position will be Mille Lacs County, Milaca, Minnesota. The ability to travel is a requirement, as the court reporter may occasionally be required to work in other counties within the Seventh Judicial District.

This position is responsible for creating a verbatim record of testimony and other proceedings before the court, including judicial proceedings, hearings, conferences, and other matters, in compliance with applicable statutes, court rules, policies, and directives of the appointing authority. In addition to court reporting responsibilities, the court reporter serves as the judicial officer's confidential assistant and performs duties necessary to support the effective operation of the judge's chambers.

Example of Duties

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Capture and maintain a complete and accurate verbatim record of court proceedings.
• Read back or play back testimony and other portions of the record upon request.
• Prepare and distribute transcripts, court orders, and other documents in accordance with the Minnesota Rules of Court, statutes, legal guidelines, Judicial Branch policies, and applicable procedures.
• Maintain accurate and complete files, records, and documentation.
• Maintain current knowledge of applicable court rules, statutes, Judicial Branch policies, procedures, and changes affecting court reporting duties.
• Serve as the judge's confidential assistant and provide administrative and clerical support to the judge as needed.
• Assist with the preparation, organization, and management of materials and information for court proceedings and chambers.
• Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Communicate professionally and effectively with judicial officers, court staff, attorneys, litigants, witnesses, and members of the public.
• Perform other court-related, administrative, and confidential duties as assigned or directed by Judge Designee Laura Welle.
• Travel to other court locations within the Seventh Judicial District as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Stenographic Court Reporter

A person seeking employment with the Minnesota Judicial Branch as an official stenographic court reporter must meet the following minimum qualifications:

1. Graduation from high school or equivalent; and
2. Graduation from a court reporting school approved by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) within the past two years; or
3. Compliance with one of the following:
   • Received a Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) designation from the NCRA; or
   • Received an equivalent certification from another state or territory of the United States, or from a professional court reporter association; or
   • Has been practicing proficiently as a professional stenographic reporter for the past two (2) years and, within one (1) month of hire, accurately takes a minimum of 20 minutes of court proceedings alongside a stenographic court reporter who has an RPR designation or certification as provided above, and then produces a transcript with 95% accuracy as required; or
   • Obtains an RPR designation from the NCRA within two years of hire. Pending receipt of the RPR designation, the employee must, within one (1) month of hire, accurately take a minimum of 20 minutes of court proceedings alongside a stenographic court reporter who has an RPR designation or applicable certification and then produce a transcript. The participating RPR-certified stenographer will determine whether 95% accuracy has been achieved to successfully complete this requirement.

Stenographic court reporters who do not meet the requirements noted above must become certified by the Minnesota Judicial Branch or the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT) as an Electronic Court Reporter within three months of hire and take the record electronically until they are in compliance with the requirements outlined above.

Electronic Court Reporter

A person seeking employment with the Minnesota Judicial Branch as an official electronic court reporter must possess any combination of training and work experience that demonstrates the knowledge, abilities, and skills required by the classification specification and must comply with one of the following within three months of hire:

• Receive an Electronic Court Reporter certificate from the State Court Administrator; or
• Receive an Electronic Court Reporter Certification and an Electronic Transcriber Certification from the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT); or
• Receive an Electronic Court Reporter certification from an accredited court reporter school.

Additional Information

• Court Reporters are at-will employees and perform their work under the supervision of a District Court Judge.
• This position is contingent on the passing of a criminal background check. 
• Current Minnesota Judicial Branch employees must have satisfactory performance in all competencies in their most recent performance evaluation and must have received no discipline above an oral reprimand within the preceding six months.