Job Details for Official Court Reporter
| Court Name/Organization | California Northern District Court |
| Overview of the Position | Whether launching or continuing a career in public service, the U.S. District Court is a great place to work with competitive salaries and benefits, a work schedule that promotes a work-life balance, and the opportunity to work with colleagues committed to fulfilling the important mission of administering justice in an efficient and effective manner. This position offers an excellent opportunity to advance a career in Federal court service. Priority consideration to applicants who apply by Feb. 19, 2026. |
| Location | San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, CA |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 02/05/2026 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | CR Level 1 - CR Level 5 |
| Salary | $119,330 - $137,229 |
| Link to Court Careers Information | https://www.cand.uscourts.gov/career-opportunities/ |
| Announcement Number | FY25-14 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
Court Reporters support a fast-paced and collaborative environment, covering both in-person and remote (Zoom) proceedings across the district. As one of the busiest and most high-profile federal courts in the country, we handle a wide range of complex and groundbreaking cases. From intellectual property, biotech litigation, Silicon Valley technology, high-stakes criminal cases and civil rights matters, our court reporters are essential to the federal judiciary.
Court reporters play a vital role in the judicial process, working closely with judges, attorneys, and fellow reporters to produce accurate and timely transcripts of court proceedings. This position offers a rewarding mix of meaningful in-person work, substantial telework flexibility, and opportunities to work across our San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland courthouses. The role also offers exceptional earning potential. Transcript income for in-person reporters averaged over $125,000 annually over each of the past three years.
Being an official court reporter involves:
- Working as part of a team of reporters for the judges of the court.
- Verbatim shorthand reporting of courtroom proceedings and reading back portions of the record when required.
- Producing transcripts at a high volume, including expedited and daily transcripts.
- For some criminal proceedings, creating and storing audio recordings alongside shorthand notes. Adhering to the policies and administrative procedures outlined in the Court Reporter Management Plan, the Court Reporter Manual, and the Guide to Judiciary Policy.
- Performing administrative tasks including transcripts billing, and docketing financial tracking, responding to request, and submitting required reports to the Administrative Office.
Qualifications
- Level 1 ($119,330) must have at least one year of court reporting experience (freelance, courts or a combination); RPR (or equivalent); and excellent Realtime skills. (Those hired without Realtime certification must pass the test within two years.)
- Level 2 ($125,296) additionally requires Registered Merit Reporter (RMR) certification and ability to provide Realtime writing in the courtroom (must become Realtime certified within two years of hire date).
- Level 3 ($131,263) additionally requires Realtime certification.
- Level 4 ($137,229) additionally requires Realtime and RMR certification.
- Level 5 ($143,197) for transferring Federal Official Court Reporters appointed before October 11, 2009, with CRR or FCRR, RMR and ten years’ reporting experience in the federal courts
Preferred Qualifications
- Three or more years of court reporting experience (freelance, courts or a combination) and experience directly invoicing clients
- Experience e-filing transcripts on a court docket
- Previous federal court experience
- Realtime Certification
- Certificate of Merit from NCRA
Physical Requirements: Successful candidates must be able to (with or without accommodation): (1) bend, (2) pull, push, and lift up to 20 pounds, (3) reach, (4) walk, and (5) sit for extended periods.
Miscellaneous
Court Reporters support a fast-paced and collaborative environment, covering both in-person and remote (Zoom) proceedings across the district. As one of the busiest and most high-profile federal courts in the country, we handle a wide range of complex and groundbreaking cases. From intellectual property, biotech litigation, Silicon Valley technology, high-stakes criminal cases and civil rights matters, our court reporters are essential to the federal judiciary.
Court reporters play a vital role in the judicial process, working closely with judges, attorneys, and fellow reporters to produce accurate and timely transcripts of court proceedings. This position offers a rewarding mix of meaningful in-person work, substantial telework flexibility, and opportunities to work across our San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland courthouses. The role also offers exceptional earning potential. Transcript income for in-person reporters averaged over $125,000 annually over each of the past three years.
Being an official court reporter involves:
- Working as part of a team of reporters for the judges of the court.
- Verbatim shorthand reporting of courtroom proceedings and reading back portions of the record when required.
- Producing transcripts at a high volume, including expedited and daily transcripts.
- For some criminal proceedings, creating and storing audio recordings alongside shorthand notes. Adhering to the policies and administrative procedures outlined in the Court Reporter Management Plan, the Court Reporter Manual, and the Guide to Judiciary Policy.
- Performing administrative tasks including transcripts billing, and docketing financial tracking, responding to request, and submitting required reports to the Administrative Office.
Application Info
Applicants must submit the following:
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Three professional references.
To be considered for this position, visit our agency website to submit the online application, along with the above-listed documents. Please be sure to fully complete your application by providing all work history from the past ten years. Attachments should be submitted as Microsoft Word (DOC) or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files. Other formats are not acceptable.
Applications will be considered complete when the online application and all required attachments, in the appropriate format, are received by the Human Resources Unit.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.