stenographer

(stə-nŏg'rə-fər)
n.
One skilled in stenography, especially one employed to take and transcribe dictation or testimony.

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Origin: 1796

No, we Americans did not invent shorthand, or stenography. The art of quick abbreviated writing was known to the ancient Romans and to the English of Queen Elizabeth's time, when in 1602 John Willis published a book called The Art of Stenographie, teaching...the way of compendious Writing.

But we can claim to have originated the job of stenographer. It is mentioned in the records of the Fourth Congress for 1796: "He also adverted to the attempt at the last session to introduce a stenographer into the House, which failed." Early in the next century, Washington Irving referred to the occupation in an issue of the Knickerbocker for 1809: "My predecessors, who were furnished, as I am told, with the speeches of all their heroes taken down in shorthand by the most accurate stenographers of the time." More recently, Americans also originated the slang abbreviations stenog (1906) and steno (1925) for the people who did the writing.

The nineteenth century begat an American invention called the stenograph, a machine for typing in shorthand. It was especially welcomed by court reporters. But even in the twentieth century, stenographers in business offices generally took notes by hand. By the end of the century, dictating machines and computers had begun to encroach on the work of stenographers, but voice-recognition software was not yet developed enough to render them obsolete.

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This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

An individual who records court proceedings either in shorthand or through the use of a paper-punching device.

A court stenographer is an officer of the court and is generally considered to be a state or public official. Appointment of a court stenographer is largely governed by statute. A stenographer is ordinarily appointed by the court as an official act, which is a matter of public record. She is an official under the control of the court and is, therefore, generally subject to its direction. She is not under the dominion and control of the attorneys in a case. The term of office of a court stenographer is also regulated by statute in most cases.

The stenographer has the duty to attend court and to be present, or on call, throughout the entire trial, so that the court and the litigants can be protected by a complete record of the proceedings. The stenographer must take notes of what occurs before the court and transcribe and file the notes within the time permitted. The notes must comply with provisions requiring the stenographer to prepare and sign a certificate stating that the proceedings, evidence, and charges levied against the defendant were fully and accurately taken at the trial and that the transcript represents an accurate translation of the notes.

Some statutes provide that a judge who appoints the stenographer also has the power to remove him. Other statutes fix the term of office; in which case a stenographer cannot be removed at a judge's pleasure, even though the judge has the power to appoint him.

The compensation of a court stenographer may be in the form of an annual salary, a per diem allowance, or an allowance for work actually performed. In the absence of a statute fixing the fees, a duly appointed stenographer is entitled to be reasonably compensated. Some statutes require that a stenographer's fees must be paid by the parties.

IN BRIEF: A writer of shorthand.

The President called for the stenographer so he could dictate a letter.

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