REMOTE JUDICIAL REPORTING IS GOING TO KILL WHAT IS LEFT OF YOUR BUSINESS!!!
Tami Keenan, as head of the National Court Reporters Foundation, wrote a letter in the May JCR discussing Remote Judicial Reporting or RJR (yes, they’ve already even given it an acronym!). Sounds so nontoxic, doesn’t it? But this is poison to every member of the National Court Reporters Association that makes their living as a stenographic reporter!
Do you know those national contracts that have taken work out of your community? Those contracts that require your best clients to use a 1-800 company when they schedule depositions? Those contracts that you get called for to cover now that don’t pay you for all the copies that the 1-800s are selling? Yes, THOSE contracts!
Well, once this remote judicial reporting (RJR) gets traction, with the aid and blessing of the National Court Reporters Foundation — which also means with the blessing of the NCRA because lawyers don’t know that the NCRF even exists — you won’t even be getting the calls to cover work for your best clients because those depositions will be covered remotely.
Ah, yes, the argument that is going to be made is that they’re only looking at judicial reporting now. But once they get that national notary through, all gloves are off. (Remember all of those defectors to the tape-recording convention earlier this year? That’s a large organization to get behind the national notary, isn’t it?) Believe us when we tell you that this “RJR” thing is VERY calculated.
Below is an excerpt from Tami Keenan’s letter in May’s JCR magazine:
“NCRF has formed a new task force to explore the feasibility of remote judicial reporting, or RJR.* This often-misunderstood process allows for a stenographic reporter to work from a remote location at the time the job is being conducted. The virtual venue can help fill the job gap by supplying reporters to locations where there are shortages** or places that are too far to travel to. In addition, RJR has the potential to appeal to the next generation of court reporters, as the millennial and Generation Z populations place a high value on flexibility and efficiency. “
Look, Tami, this is NOT a misunderstood process! We understand perfectly why the NCRF is doing this!
Who are Tami’s besties? Who are Sandy’s besties? Who was on the NCRA board when Sandy received the DSA? Who did Tami sit on the NCRA board with all of those years? This nepotism must STOP … RIGHT NOW!!!
We believe that it is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS and UNCONSCIONABLE that the NCRF, under Tami’s leadership, is giving its blessing for “RJR” to help two past presidents and one past director market their remote reporting business!!!
Adding millennials and Generation Z’ers to the equation is one, big, fat smokescreen!
Where is the NCRA board while the NCRF is in the process of annihilating most of their members’ businesses? Why is the board just standing on the sidelines?
It is time that membership DEMAND that the NCRA board get involved and INSIST that the NCRF cease and desist!
Wake up, NCRA!!!
Frank N. Sense
P.S. Would you have even donated your hard-earned money to this foundation only to find out that they were going to use it against you?
P.P.S. Please send this to every stenographic reporter that you know so that they know what the foundation is doing to ruin their businesses.
* What gives the National Court Reporters Foundation the authority to even explore the feasibility of remote judicial reporting anyway? We believe that it’s in violation of its charter and bylaws.
** PERCEIVED SHORTAGES!