HUTCHINSON, Kansas (AP) — Kansas court officials say up to 25 percent of the state’s court reporters will be eligible to retire in the next three years, leaving a big gap in courthouses.
Many of the state’s current 132.5 court reporters are older, and even more are expected to retire in the next five to 10 years.
Court reporters type the official record of legal proceedings, using a series of complex letter combinations to record up to 225 words per minute with 95 percent accuracy.
The Hutchinson News reports that Butler County Community College and the Court Reporting Institute of Kansas City are the only two schools in Kansas that offer training for court reporters.
The Kansas Court Reporters Association says it’s encouraging its members to promote the field to young people.