Guide To Mastering Shorthand For Court Reporting

Court reporting requires high accuracy and speed. You must be an English shorthand expert with a minimum speed of 120WPM for court reports. It is important to mention that the Pitman shorthand system is the best choice out of Greg or Teeline for court reporting. So, the Pitman shorthand system is one of the most effective tools for achieving high speed and accuracy for court reporting.

In this article, I will teach you how to master shorthand for court reporting, using Pitman shorthand with practical examples. Even if you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this step-by-step guide will provide the tools to advance your court reporting career.

Step 1: Understanding the Basics of Pitman Shorthand

Phonetic Foundations

The foundation of Pitman shorthand lies in capturing sounds instead of letters. Pitmanshort system is based on the phonetic system. In this system, we write words after listening to the sound we hear. In this system:

• “Consonants” are represented by straight or curved lines.
• “Vowels” are indicated by dots and dashes placed near consonants.

Thickness Stroke

In Pitman shorthand, stroke thickness plays a critical role. Thicker lines represent voiced consonants (B, D, and G), while thin lines denote voiceless consonants (P, T, E, and K).

For instance:

• The letter “T” is” “hin, straight stroke. For example, the word “tick”. “Ticket”, “Teeth”
• The letter “D” is “e,” which is drawn more heavily and is resented by the same straight stroke. For example, “Dog,” “Donkey,” or “Damage.”

So, first of all, you must understand the pitman shorthand system’s sound system and how to drive the words. The following steps will be easy when you know this system’s basic rules.

Step 2: Mastering the Consonants

In Pitman shorthand, each consonant has a unique representation:

• B – A thick, downward stroke. Likewise, we derive the outlines accordingly, like “Bee” (\)
• P – A thin, downward stroke. In this example, we can say “Pee” (\).

For beginners, it is important to start by focusing on writing the consonant symbols accurately and consistently according to the rules. Practice makes perfect, and with shorthand, this step is crucial to achieving speed and accuracy.

Step 3: Learning Vowels Placement

Pitman shorthand uses dots and dashes to indicate vowels. The placement of these marks (above, beside, or below a consonant) determines which vowel sound is represented.

For example:

• A dot placed near the top of a consonant stroke represents a short vowel sound like “i” in “s” t.”
• “dash” below a consonant might represent a long vowel sound like “ee” in “s” e.”

To increase your transcription speed, use standard abbreviations and phrases. Pitman shorthand has shortcuts for words often used in court, such as:

• Jurisprudence – JUR
• Estoppel – EST
• Fiduciary – FID
• Litigant – LIT
• Prima Facie – PF
• Subpoena – SUB
• Adjudication – ADJ
• Caveat – CAV
• Indemnity – IND
• Perjury – PERJ
• Recusal – REC
• Res Judicata – RJ
• Tortious – TORT
• Exoneration – EXO
• Habeas Corpus – HC
• Interlocutory – INTER
• Locus Standi – LS
• Pro Bono – PB
• Quasi-Judicial – QJ

Using these shorthand abbreviations saves time and ensures you keep pace with the speaker in fast-paced environments.

Step 6: Building Speed with Daily Practice

Consistency is key in shorthand. Daily practice routine to help you build speed:

Step-7 “: Real-World Example for Court Reporting with Pitman Shorthand

To illustrate how to write in Pitman shorthand for court reporting, let’s take a hypothetical scenario in a courtroom setting. Based on its rules, we’ll provide a brief dialogue and the corresponding Pitman shorthand representation.

Dialogue Example

Judge: “Please state your name for the record.”

Witness: “My name is John Smith.”

Judge: “What did you observe the night of the incident?”

Witness: “I saw a man running from the scene.”

Pitman Shorthand Representation

1. Judge: “Please state your name for the record.”
   • Pitman Shorthand:
     • Please = P (dot for “p”) + L (circle for “l”) + Z (dot for “z”)
     • State = ST (slope for “s”) + A (circle) + T (horizontal line)
     • Your = Y (upward stroke) + R (horizontal line)
     • Name = N (straight line) + A (circle) + M (downward slope) + E (horizontal line)
     • For = F (straight line) + OR (curve for “or”)
     • The = TH (hook for “th”)
     • Record = R (straight line) + E (circle) + K (horizontal line) + D (downward line)
2. Witness: “My name is John Smith.”
   • Pitman Shorthand:
     • My = M (downward slope) + Y (upward stroke)
     • Name (same as above)
     • Is = I (dot) + S (slope)
     • John = J (upward stroke) + O (circle) + H (upward stroke) + N (straight line)
     • Smith = S (slope) + M (downward slope) + I (dot) + TH (hook for “th”)
3. Judge: “What did you observe the night of the incident?”
   • Pitman Shorthand:
     • What = W (upward stroke) + H (upward stroke) + A (circle) + T (horizontal line)
     • Did = D (downward line) + I (dot) + D (downward line)
     • You = Y (upward stroke) + O (circle) + U (upward line)
     • Observe = OB (circle) + S (slope) + E (circle) + R (horizontal line) + V (upward stroke) + E (circle)
     • On = O (circle) + N (straight line)
     • The (same as above)
     • Night = N (straight line) + I (dot) + G (downward stroke) + H (upward stroke) + T (horizontal line)
     • Of = O (circle) + F (straight line)
     • The (same as above)
     • Incident = IN (downward slope) + S (slope) + I (dot) + D (downward line) + E (circle) + N (straight line) + T (horizontal line)
4. Witness: “I saw a man running from the scene.”
   • Pitman Shorthand:
     • I = I (dot)
     • Saw = S (slope) + AW (hook for “aw”)
     • A = A (circle)
     • Man = M (downward slope) + A (circle) + N (straight line)
     • Running = R (straight line) + UN (upward stroke) + I (dot) + NG (downward slope)
     • From = F (straight line) + R (horizontal line) + OM (curve)
     • The (same as above)
     • Scene = S (slope) + C (curve) + E (circle) + N (straight line) + E (circle)

Wrapping Up

Mastering Pitman shorthand is essential for anyone pursuing a career in court reporting. With its phonetic foundation and unique representation of consonants and vowels, Pitman shorthand enables high-speed and accurate transcription of spoken language. You can significantly enhance your skills by focusing on the basics, practising standard legal terms, utilizing abbreviations, and incorporating daily practice routines.

Consistency is key; regularly engage in focused writing sessions, dictation exercises, and transcription practices to build speed and confidence. Utilize Technology and set achievable goals to keep your learning engaging and effective. By dedicating time to mastering Pitman shorthand, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a proficient court reporter.