NCRA’s 2025 Court Reporting & Captioning Week will be here before you know it and the official resources page is now open. The annual celebration happening February 1-8, 2025, will mark the 13th year NCRA members, court reporting students and schools, firms, and others in the legal field will work to showcase the stenographic court reporting and captioning professions and the invaluable services they provide. This year’s theme, AI: The Real Accuracy & Integrity, will not only celebrate the profession but also share with the public why stenographic court reporting and captioning is the gold standard when it comes to capturing the record.
“This year’s theme, AI: The Real Accuracy & Integrity, should not only remind us of why what we do is so important and valuable when it comes to capturing the official record of events, but it should also serve as a reminder to those who think otherwise that the human element in what we do can never, nor should it ever, be replaced when capturing and guarding the official record,” said NCRA President Keith R. Lemons, FAPR, RPR, CRR (Ret.), a retired freelance court reporter and former firm owner and official court reporter from Spring Hill, Tenn.
“Let’s join together to take this opportunity to educate the public and those in the legal arena about the perils of AI and reaffirm the important role stenographic court reporters play in the lives of so many, whether that is in the courtroom, the deposition room, the classroom, or the boardroom,” he added.
For ideas and resources to help you celebrate the week and to promote the profession throughout the year, be sure to check out the 2025 Court Reporting & Captioning Week resources page that houses a wide catalog of downloadable resources, tool kits, and other materials branded with this year’s theme. Resources include materials for presenting court reporting and captioning as exciting job opportunities for students, press release templates, social media–appropriate logos and banners, tips for securing an official proclamation, a career day tool kit, and a newly launched Veterans History Project took kit, and more. Between now and the actual event, new materials will be added to the resources page as they become available.
Events to mark the week in the past have included virtual 5K runs, the securing of official proclamations recognizing the week by state and local lawmakers, letters of support about the vital role stenographic court reporters play in the courtroom, special education webinars, social hours, media outreach, and more.
“No matter how advanced, AI cannot replicate the human element when it comes to capturing the record. A live court reporter is present and has situational awareness of the emotions and innuendos of the subtlety of the spoken word, something AI cannot and will never be able to. That ability is a sacred and instinctual ability and one that no man-made system can ever replace. Stenographic court reporters and captioners are the epitome of these abilities,” Lemons added.
“By participation in this week-long celebration, our members will collectively let the world know about this hidden gem of a profession and the vast opportunities it offers, no matter whether steno is being used to capture the official record or to provide access to vital information, entertainment, education, or more to someone who is deaf or hard of hearing.”
No matter how you celebrate the profession this Court Reporting & Captioning Week, be sure to share with NCRA your stories and photographs at pr@ncra.org.
NCRA’s 2025 Court Reporting & Captioning Week resources page will officially open Dec. 15 with new and updated materials you can download to help celebrate. To help you get started thinking about ways to celebrate, consider the following ideas.
- Showcase the court reporting and captioning professions by taking part in a career day at a local middle or high school. One of the best ways to share what you do is to introduce students to your steno machine and let them know why the court reporting and captioning professions are so rewarding. Share your story about how you learned about the profession, some of the highlights of your career, and why stenography is so important in making and preserving the record. For more information about participating in a local career day, contact pr@ncra.org.
- Host a Veterans History Project at your local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) hall or retirement community and give those who served our country the chance to share their stories of service for preservation at the Library of Congress. For more information on hosting a VHP event, contact jlandsman@ncra.org.
- Visit a local court reporting school to meet with and inspire students by sharing your professional story, offering encouragement and tips for being successful both while in school and when they enter the working world.
- Share a complimentary copy of Making the Record: A Guide for Attorneys with all lawyers whom you work with during Court Reporting & Captioning Week.
- Invite a student or students to shadow you for a day so they can experience firsthand what a day in the life of a working professional is like.
Be sure to keep an eye out for more updates about the week in the JCR Weekly as the dates draw closer. No matter how you celebrate 2025 Court Reporting & Captioning Week, be sure to share your stories and photos with NCRA’s Communications Team at pr@ncra.org.
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