Visit page
Press "Enter" to skip to content

MEMBER PROFILE: Mary Burzynski

Mary Burzynski
Mary Burzynski

Currently resides in: Medford, Wis.

Position: Official court reporter

Member since: 1989

Graduated from: Rasmussen Business College

Theory: Stenograph

Why did you decide to become a court reporter?

After I decided a career in musical theater was too uncertain for me, I searched for something that was interesting, challenging, and rewarding.  That is when I learned about court reporting from a family friend.

What book are you reading right now?

My very favorite book is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Currently I am reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I have Vivian Spitz’s book, Doctors from Hell, and I look forward to reading it.

What advice or tips would you offer to new reporters? 

My best tip for new reporters is to join their state and national associations and become involved. Membership and participation in a professional association is a fabulous place to find a mentor, to discover the opportunities our career presents, to learn and to benefit from the experience of those who have been reporting for a number of years, and to make lifelong friends. Many of my best friends are friends I have made because I volunteered.

Did you overcome a challenge in your career? Could you tell us about that experience?

When I was appointed as an official, I took over the position of a reporter who was and is one of the best realtime writers I have ever seen. When I stepped into her shoes, I had been doing realtime only for a few years and only for myself. Now I had to provide it for others. Thankfully the judge gave me a few weeks to get my feet wet, but there were no ifs, ands, or buts, I would be sending realtime.

The only way to get over my fear was to work hard and to just jump in and do it, and that is what I did. Realtime is a living and evolving phenomenon.  It is often challenging but also rewarding. Am I perfect now? Oh, no. In my dreams! I keep working at it though, and I am proud of the job I do.

 

Favorite briefs

I wish I could say that I came up with some of my favorite briefs, but many of these I collected from friends. 

Psychotropic medication           STROEPGS

Are you aware                              RAUR

Were you aware                           WRAUR

Is it fair to say                                ST-FRTS

Is that fair to say                           STHAFRTS

Would it be fair to say                 WOFRTS

Termination of parental rights   TERP

Text message                                 T*EM

Text messages                               T*EMS

Text messaged                               T*EMD

Text messaging                              T*EMG