Official Court Reporter - Stenographer or Voice Writing

Salary : $91,114.82 - $109,598.94 Annually
Location : Santa Barbara, CA
Job Type: Full-time, Regular Status (benefitted)
Job Number: 2511CRSC
Department: South County Operations
Division: South Courtroom Services
Opening Date: 11/04/2025
Closing Date: Continuous

Description
Current vacancy in Santa Barbara.
$7, 500 signing bonus to be paid over your first year with the Court.
Payment shall be as follows:

• $2,500 at signing
• $2,500 after completing 6 months of service
• $2,500 after one year of service

Tuition reimbursement totaling up to $3,750 is available for new and existing employees who complete verbatim reporting education
Payment shall be as follows:

• $750 upon initial employment with certification, and
• $1,000 after one year of employment with certification, and
• Balance of tuition paid and not yet reimbursed, up to $2,000, after two years of employment with certification.

We not only offer excellent benefits, but the best part of our organization is our people. Come join our team!
If you forget your password, have application login problems, or get an error message during the application process, please call the NeoGov helpline at 1-855-524-5627 for assistance.

ADDITIONAL MONETARY/BENEFIT VALUE:

• The Court pays 100% of employee health premium
• 100% of the health premium for Employee + Dependent
• 100% of the health premium for Employee + Family
• 14 Paid Holidays + 1 Floating Holiday
• Paid Vacation and Paid Sick Time
• The Court pays 100% of employee dental premium
• Biweekly Court contribution up to $58.78 towards the cost of the dental premium for dependents
• Biweekly Court contribution of approximately 30.84% of gross wages towards employee's mandatory retirement account. SBCERS Plan 8.

Additionally, employees from current public employers (federal, state and/or local government) may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards vacation accrual rate

Under general supervision, serves as the Official Court Reporter for assigned proceedings in Santa Barbara courts by recording and transcribing verbatim accounts of official court proceedings using shorthand reporting; furnishing timely transcripts of such records and performing other related work as may be required.

Examples of Duties

1. Takes and transcribes verbatim statement of court proceedings as required.
2. Identifies speakers properly and notes the introduction of exhibits or evidence.
3. Prepares transcriptions in proper legal form.
4. Meets court-fixed deadlines for transcripts.
5. Provides read back as directed.
6. Performs related duties as assigned by the judges or administrative staff.
7. Provides their own reporting and transcription equipment, maintains their own records and tapes, and are paid separately for transcripts.

Employment Standards

1. Must possess a valid license as a Certified Shorthand Reporter, through the use of stenography, voice writing, or both, issued by the State of California Department of Consumer Affairs, in accordance with Government Code Section 69942; AND
2. Shall use computer-aided transcription in the course of their work; AND
3. Must provide their own reporting and transcription equipment.

Real-time reporting ability is highly preferred, but not required.
Required Experience: Must have the ability to take shorthand at the speed and accuracy specified for licensing by the State of California; attend to and distinguish multiple voices; maintain confidentiality of sensitive information; understand and follow complex oral and written instructions.
Knowledge of: Statutes or Rules of Court relating to court reporting services; legal, medical and administrative terminology, phraseology, documents, and procedures; grammar; spelling, business English, vocabulary, and punctuation; court reporting and transcription equipment; courtroom procedures and protocol.
Ability to: Produce a verbatim record of court proceedings at a high rate of speed; read back in open court and promptly prepare transcripts of proceedings when appropriate using computer aided equipment; establish and maintain effective working relationships with judges and court staff in all courtrooms to which the reporter is assigned; deal professionally and courteously with the bar and the public.
There are a variety of benefits available to regular status employees of the Superior Court of CA, County of Santa Barbara. These benefits include: medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance programs, retirement program, flexible spending account (health care, dependent care, transportation and parking), employee assistance program, and deferred compensation program.

General Benefits
Paid Holidays - Full-time Court employees receive 14 paid holidays, plus 1 floating holiday
Paid Sick Leave - Full-time Court employees accrue 12 paid sick days each year
Paid Vacation - Full-time Court employees accrue paid vacation time based on their years of service as follows:
Vacation Accrual
0-2 years - 12 days per year
2-4 years - 16 days per year
4-10 years - 19 days per year
10-14 years - 22 days per year
14+ years - 25 days per year
NOTE: Individuals from other federal, state and/or local public agencies who are entering employment with the Court may receive service credit towards vacation accrual.

Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
The Court pays:
100% of employee health premium
100% of the premium for Employee + dependent and Employee + Family
100% of employee dental premium, this amount is applied to all levels of coverage
Coverage for spouse, children and domestic partner are also available. For more information regarding the cost of the medical, dental and vision plans, and the Court's contribution please see the following links (amounts are based on full-time employment, or 40 hours per week):

NOTE: All Court health plans for part-time employees are the same, but the Court's contribution towards the premiums, and the biweekly cash allowance are provided on a pro-rated basis.

Alternative Transportation Benefit
Regular employees using alternative transportation (i.e. walking, biking, public transportation, carpool, vanpool, etc) may be eligible to earn an additional .62 hours of paid vacation time biweekly. This may result in an overall benefit equivalent to 2 additional vacation days per year (based on full-time employment).

Retirement
2% at age 62, 3 year final average salary. The Court makes a considerable biweekly contribution to the retirement plan on behalf of employees. All regular employees of the Court are required enroll in the General Retirement Plan administered by the Santa Barbara County Employee's Retirement System (SBCERS). More information regarding the rates of contribution by the employee and employer, vesting, and retirement options may be found at the following link: If you have previous public employment, you may qualify for a different retirement plan.

The Court also offers a Deferred Compensation plan administered by Empower. This is a voluntary program which allows the employee to contribute a portion of their salary, before federal and state taxes, to an investment account to supplement retirement income. The Court also offers a Roth option.

Flexible Spending Account
Flexible spending accounts (FSA) are among the most significant tax shelters allowed by the IRS. Employees may choose to contribute a portion of their salary, before federal and state taxes, to this account to be used throughout the benefit plan year to cover out of pocket health care, dependent care and transportation and parking costs. More information regarding Flexible Spending Accounts can be found at the following link:

Life, Disability & Accident Insurances
The Court provides Basic Life Insurance coverage to the employee in the amount $50,000 at no cost to the employee. Additional, Supplemental Life Insurance coverage for the employee, spouse and/or children may be purchased by the employee.This includes a life insurance plan with a long-term care provision.

All benefit eligible employees working over 20 hours per week are enrolled in Long Term Disability Insurance at no cost to the employee. The monthly benefit percentage is 60% of monthly earnings.

Critical Illness insurance coverage may be purchased by the employee. This insurance pays a one-time, lump sum benefit on top of any health insurance benefits that you currently receive upon the diagnosis of a covered disease or illness.

Accident/Specific Injury insurance may be purchased by the employee. This insurance pays you a specific amount on top of any health insurance benefits you currently receive, for specific injuries resulting from a covered accident.

Personal Accident Insurance & Death and Dismemberment Insurance may be purchased by the employee. This insurance pays a one benefit based on death or extent of injury/disability.

Further information regarding the above Life, Disability & Accident Insurances, costs and coverage can be found at the following link:

Employee Assistance Program
This program is available to all employees of the Court at no cost to the employee. This plan is there to ensure Court employees have the support needed to manage the many challenges life may present.