The Court Reporter Life

Tell us about yourself: who are you and what do you do?

I’m Gary Siffort, a certified digital court reporter, legal professional, entrepreneur, and storyteller. My career sits at the intersection of law, technology, media, and communication.

I’m certified as a Certified Electronic Reporter and Certified Digital Reporter, AAERT certified, and also a Florida Notary Public and ACE Certified Digital Scoper. I currently work as a digital court reporter with U.S. Legal Support, where I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside attorneys, litigants, agencies, and other professionals in some very serious legal environments.

But I’ve never viewed court reporting as simply pressing a button and creating a transcript. What we do is preserve the official record of people’s lives, businesses, disputes, and sometimes their freedom. That responsibility is what makes the profession meaningful to me.

Outside of reporting, I’m an entrepreneur, writer, journalist, father, and creative. I’m fascinated by people’s stories, particularly the stories that don’t always get told.

How did you get into court reporting? What originally attracted you to the profession?

I was attracted to the legal environment and the idea of being involved in something where accuracy actually matters.

There are a lot of professions where being “almost right” is acceptable. Court reporting isn’t one of them.

I also saw an opportunity in digital reporting and the technology transforming the profession. I wanted to learn the industry from the inside, understand the technology, and build a career around a skill that would always have value.

What ultimately hooked me was realizing that every proceeding has a story, and my job is to make sure that story is preserved accurately.

What was your first experience behind the steno machine like?

My path is a little different from the traditional stenographic route. I came into the profession through digital and electronic reporting rather than building my career around a steno machine.

That distinction is important because court reporting is bigger than one technology. Whether you’re working with stenography, digital reporting, realtime technology, or other modern systems, the mission is the same: preserve an accurate, reliable record.

My first experiences in the legal environment taught me something very quickly: there is no substitute for preparation.

How long have you been a court reporter, and what has changed the most since you started?

I’ve been in the profession since 2022, and the biggest change has been technology.

When I started, digital reporting was already becoming a major part of the industry. Since then, we’ve seen technology become faster, smarter, more portable, and increasingly integrated into the legal process.

But technology hasn’t eliminated the need for people. If anything, it has made professionalism more important. Someone still has to understand what’s happening, recognize problems, protect the integrity of the record, and know when technology isn’t telling the whole story.

The Court Reporter Life

What’s something about court reporting that people outside the industry would never understand?

How mentally demanding it is.

People sometimes imagine a court reporter simply sitting in a room and recording what people say. In reality, you’re constantly listening, processing, identifying speakers, tracking exhibits, monitoring the technology, watching for problems, and understanding the context of what’s happening.

You’re essentially being asked to pay attention to everything while appearing like you’re doing nothing.

What’s a “small” detail in your work that actually matters enormously?

Speaker identification.

It sounds simple, but knowing exactly who said what is fundamental to the integrity of the record. The same goes for names, spellings, exhibit numbers, dates, addresses, technical terminology, and even seemingly insignificant statements.

One small mistake can change the meaning of an entire exchange.

What’s the craziest, funniest, strangest, or most unexpected thing you’ve ever heard on the record?

The legal profession has taught me that people will say almost anything when they’re under pressure.

I’ve heard people become incredibly creative when answering questions they don’t want to answer. The funniest moments are often when someone gives an extremely complicated explanation to a question that required a simple “yes” or “no.”

I obviously can’t share confidential details, but let’s just say I’ve learned that human beings can be much more entertaining than television.

What’s a totally random skill that being a court reporter has accidentally made you really good at?

Listening.

Not just hearing, but actually listening.

Court reporting has made me very good at catching subtle changes in someone’s wording, tone, hesitation, and the difference between what someone said and what they meant.

It’s probably made me a better interviewer and storyteller too.

What’s something you wish attorneys understood better about what court reporters actually do?

We’re not just “the person in the room with the recorder.”

We’re part of the infrastructure that makes the legal system work.

The record may become important months or even years later. Attorneys may need to locate something that was said during a deposition, a case may go to trial, or an appellate court may need to review what happened.

The work we’re doing today can become evidence for a decision tomorrow.

What’s one thing that can make a court reporter’s day go from great to terrible in about 30 seconds?

Technology failing at the worst possible moment.

A dead battery, audio problem, connectivity issue, malfunctioning equipment, or anything else that threatens the integrity of the record can turn a calm morning into an emergency very quickly.

That’s why redundancy and preparation are so important.

What’s your favorite type of assignment?

Depositions are probably my favorite because of the dynamic nature of them.

You get to see attorneys build their cases in real time. You see different personalities, strategies, questioning styles, and approaches to litigation.

I also appreciate the variety. One day you can be dealing with a straightforward matter, and the next you’re listening to highly technical testimony involving medicine, construction, business, finance, or another specialized field.

You never really stop learning.

What’s the most challenging assignment you’ve ever taken on?

The most challenging assignments aren’t necessarily the longest ones. They’re the proceedings where everything requires heightened attention at the same time.

Multiple speakers, technical terminology, difficult audio, rapid questioning, exhibits, objections, and complicated subject matter can create a perfect storm.

Those are the assignments that remind you why professionalism matters.

What’s a moment on the job that reminded you why this profession actually matters?

Any time I realize that the words being spoken in front of me may eventually affect someone’s future.

That could involve someone’s business, finances, family, freedom, reputation, or ability to seek justice.

We’re dealing with people’s lives. That’s easy to forget when you’re doing the job every day, but it’s something I never want to lose sight of.

The Business Side

What do you think separates a really great court reporter from an average one?

Consistency.

Anybody can have a great day. A great reporter delivers professionalism when they’re tired, when the assignment is difficult, when technology isn’t cooperating, and when nobody is watching.

Preparation, accuracy, communication, discretion, and reliability are what separate professionals from everyone else.

What do you think has been the biggest factor in your success?

My willingness to keep learning.

I didn’t want to simply get certified and call it a day. I wanted to understand the industry, the technology, the business, the legal environment, and the people involved.

I’ve also learned that your reputation is your currency. You can spend years building it and lose it in one careless moment.

What’s the best marketing idea you’ve ever tried?

Authenticity.

People can tell when you’re trying too hard to sell them something.

I’ve found that sharing knowledge, telling stories, building relationships, and allowing people to see the person behind the professional creates much stronger connections than simply saying, “Hire me.”

What’s your secret to building great relationships with attorneys, agencies, reporters and clients?

Do what you say you’re going to do.

Communicate. Be respectful. Be prepared. Don’t create unnecessary problems for people.

And understand that everyone you’re dealing with has a job that is already stressful enough. If I can make someone’s day easier rather than harder, I’ve done my job well.

What’s one piece of advice you received about your career that you wish you had ignored?

“Just stay in your lane.”

I believe in mastering your lane, but I don’t believe you should limit yourself to it.

Court reporting opened doors into legal services, entrepreneurship, media, writing, technology, and storytelling for me.

Sometimes the skill you’re developing today becomes the foundation for something you haven’t even imagined yet.

AI, Technology & The Future

AI is changing almost everything in the legal industry. Are you excited about it, worried about it, or somewhere in between?

I’m excited about it, but cautiously.

AI is an incredible tool. But in the legal profession, accuracy and accountability matter too much for us to blindly trust technology.

I see AI as an assistant, not a replacement for professional judgment.

What do you think AI gets right about court reporting — and what does it completely misunderstand?

AI is excellent at processing enormous amounts of information quickly. It can help identify speakers, search transcripts, organize information, and make large amounts of text more accessible.

Where I think AI can struggle is understanding context.

Legal language isn’t always conversational. People interrupt each other. They mumble. They speak over one another. There are accents, terminology, sarcasm, objections, background noise, poor audio, and moments where one word can change the meaning of an entire statement.

The machine hears words. A trained professional understands the environment surrounding those words.

How has technology changed the way you work compared with when you started?

Almost everything is more connected.

Remote proceedings, digital exhibits, cloud-based systems, electronic recording, automated tools, realtime communication, and digital transcript management have completely changed the workflow.

The profession has become more mobile and technologically sophisticated.

What do you think court reporting will look like five or ten years from now?

I think the profession will become increasingly hybrid.

Digital reporting, stenography, AI-assisted transcription, remote proceedings, realtime technology, and advanced audio systems will continue to converge.

But I don’t think the human professional disappears.

The people who understand both the technology and the legal responsibility behind it will be the ones who thrive.

There are new laws and bills being proposed and passed that could affect court reporters and the legal profession. What changes are you watching most closely? Are there any that concern you?

I’m watching anything involving the standards for creating, preserving, certifying, and accessing the official legal record.

I’m also watching the regulatory conversation surrounding AI, remote proceedings, digital reporting, privacy, cybersecurity, and authentication.

Innovation is good, but the legal system can’t sacrifice reliability for convenience. When you’re dealing with the official record, the standard has to remain extremely high.

If you were starting court reporting today, would you still choose this profession? Why or why not?

Absolutely.

I’d enter it with my eyes open and with a much stronger understanding of how technology is changing the industry.

It’s a profession that gives you exposure to law, business, technology, psychology, communication, and human behavior.

If you’re curious, disciplined, detail-oriented, and willing to continuously learn, there is still tremendous opportunity.

The Human Side

What’s the part of your job that you genuinely enjoy the most?

The people and the stories.

Every proceeding introduces you to a different world.

You can walk into a room knowing almost nothing about a particular industry and walk out understanding things you never knew existed.

I love learning.

What’s the hardest part of the job that people don’t see?

The mental discipline.

You have to remain focused even when the proceeding is long, repetitive, emotionally intense, or technically difficult.

You can’t mentally check out because the one sentence you miss could be the sentence that matters.

Who was the most memorable person you’ve ever worked with or for — and why?

I’ve had the privilege of working around attorneys, judges, reporters, legal professionals, and litigants with very different personalities.

What makes someone memorable to me isn’t necessarily their title. It’s professionalism.

The people who leave the biggest impression are the ones who treat everyone in the room with respect, regardless of their position.

What’s the proudest “nobody will ever know I did this, but I did” moment of your career?

There have been plenty of moments where I solved a problem quietly without making it someone else’s problem.

That’s something I’ve learned to appreciate about professional work. Sometimes your biggest contribution is invisible.

Nobody applauds because the technology worked, the record was preserved, the details were correct, and everything went smoothly.

But that’s the point.

What’s something you’ve accomplished in your career that you’re particularly proud of?

Becoming certified and establishing myself in a profession that I entered without having a traditional background in it.

I’m also proud of continuing to expand beyond reporting into legal services, writing, media, and entrepreneurship.

Being recognized professionally, including being named Digital Reporter of the Month, was especially meaningful because it confirmed that the work I was putting in was being noticed.

If you could go back to your first year as a court reporter, what would you tell yourself?

Don’t rush the process.

Learn everything you can.

Build relationships.

Protect your reputation.

And don’t underestimate yourself.

You don’t have to have everything figured out when you start. You just have to keep moving.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about court reporters?

That we’re passive participants.

We’re actually highly engaged professionals whose work requires intense concentration and technical knowledge.

We’re watching, listening, documenting, troubleshooting, and preserving information simultaneously.

The quieter we look, the better we’re probably doing our jobs.

What would you tell someone who’s considering becoming a court reporter today?

Learn the profession, not just the job.

Understand the technology. Understand legal terminology. Learn how attorneys think. Learn how proceedings work. Learn how to communicate with clients.

And understand that your certification gets you into the room, but your professionalism determines whether people want you back.

Life Outside the Steno Machine

When you’re not working, what matters most to you? What keeps you grounded?

My daughters.

They remind me that there is a world outside of deadlines, legal proceedings, technology, and work.

I’m also grounded by creativity. Writing, music, storytelling, and simply having time to think are important to me.

What do you like to do when you’re completely off the clock?

I like fishing, cooking, writing, music, traveling, and spending time with my daughters.

I’m also someone who enjoys creating things. Whether it’s a story, a song, a business idea, or a documentary concept, I’m happiest when I’m building something.

What’s something people who only know you professionally would be surprised to learn about you?

I’m probably much more creative than people would expect.

People who know me professionally see the court reporter, but there’s a writer, storyteller, entrepreneur, father, and creative person behind that professional image.

I have a lot of interests that have nothing to do with court reporting.

Favorite local restaurant?

I don’t think I have one single restaurant that I would call “the” favorite. I’m more of a mood-based food person. Give me good food, good service, and a relaxed atmosphere and I’m happy.

Coffee, tea or energy drink?

Coffee.

Although some days, the court reporter life makes the energy drink argument very persuasive.

What’s your go-to “I just survived that deposition” meal or drink? 

A good meal, something cold to drink, and absolutely no one asking me to listen to another recording.

Sometimes silence is the best post-deposition soundtrack.

If you could change one thing about the court-reporting profession, what would it be?

I would increase public understanding and appreciation of what court reporters actually do.

It’s an incredibly important profession that doesn’t always receive the visibility it deserves.

I’d also like to see the industry continue embracing technology without losing the standards that made court reporting trustworthy in the first place.

What’s the biggest goal you have for yourself or your company over the next few years?

I want to continue building something bigger than a job.

I want to expand my legal services, continue developing my media and storytelling work, and create platforms that educate people about the legal system and the professionals who work inside it.

Ultimately, I want my career to have a footprint beyond the proceedings I report.

When you look back at your career someday, what do you hope people remember about you?

That I took the profession seriously.

That I treated people well.

That I continued learning.

And that I used my career as a platform to create something meaningful rather than simply collect a paycheck.

I want people to say, “Gary cared about the work, but he also cared about the people behind it.”

What do you love most about being a court reporter?

The responsibility.

There is something powerful about knowing that your work becomes part of the permanent record.

You are preserving moments that may never happen again.

Years later, someone can look back at that record and know exactly what was said.

That’s a privilege.

Finish this sentence: “Being a court reporter is…”

Being a court reporter is being the quiet person in the room whose work may one day speak louder than everyone else in it.

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