Official Court Reporter
US District Courts, Northern District of California, Oakland, California, United States, 94616
Overview
Whether launching or continuing a career in public service, the U.S. District Court offers competitive salaries and benefits, a work schedule that supports work-life balance, and the opportunity to contribute to administering justice in an efficient and effective manner. This position provides an excellent opportunity to advance a career in Federal court service. Court Reporters support a fast-paced and collaborative environment, covering both in-person and remote (Zoom) proceedings across the district. The court handles a wide range of complex and high-profile cases, including intellectual property, biotech litigation, Silicon Valley technology, high-stakes criminal cases, and civil rights matters. Court reporters work closely with judges, attorneys, and fellow reporters to produce accurate and timely transcripts of court proceedings. This role offers meaningful in-person work, telework flexibility, opportunities to work across San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland courthouses, and strong earning potential. Transcript income for in-person reporters has averaged over $125,000 annually over the past three years. (Priority consideration to applicants who apply by February 19, 2026) Responsibilities
Work as part of a team of reporters for the judges of the court. Provide verbatim shorthand reporting of courtroom proceedings and read back portions of the record when required. Produce transcripts at a high volume, including expedited and daily transcripts. For some criminal proceedings, create and store audio recordings alongside shorthand notes. Adhere to the policies and administrative procedures in the Court Reporter Management Plan, the Court Reporter Manual, and the Guide to Judiciary Policy. Perform administrative tasks including transcripts billing, docketing financial tracking, responding to requests, and submitting required reports to the Administrative Office. Qualification Levels
Level 1
($119,330): at least one year of court reporting experience (freelance, courts, or a combination); RPR (or equivalent); and excellent Realtime skills. Those hired without Realtime certification must pass the test within two years. Level 2
($125,296): in addition to Level 1 requirements, requires Registered Merit Reporter (RMR) certification and ability to provide Realtime writing in the courtroom (must become Realtime certified within two years of hire). Level 3
($131,263): in addition to Level 2 requirements, requires Realtime certification. Level 4
($137,229): in addition to Level 3 requirements, requires Realtime and RMR certification. Level 5
($143,197): for transferring Federal Official Court Reporters appointed before October 11, 2009, with CRR or FCRR, RMR and ten years’ reporting experience in federal courts. Preferred Qualifications
Three or more years of court reporting experience (freelance, courts, or a combination) and experience directly invoicing clients. Experience e-filing transcripts on a court docket. Previous federal court experience. Realtime Certification. Certificate of Merit from NCRA. Physical Requirements
Successful candidates must be able to (with or without accommodation): bend, pull, push, and lift up to 20 pounds; reach; walk; and sit for extended periods. The U.S. District Court is part of the federal Judicial branch and is independent of the Executive and Legislative branches. The court sets its own employment policies, including remote work and performance management, while valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. We offer a competitive salary along with full federal benefits, and new reporters are immediately included in the court’s trial rotation, ensuring opportunities for additional transcript income. Judicial Branch employees are at-will employees and are not subject to the employment regulations of competitive service; however, judiciary employees are entitled to benefits. For information about federal court benefits, please visit the benefits page on the federal judiciary site. Information for Applicants
The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement or withdraw the announcement without prior notice. The successful candidate will be subject to FBI fingerprint check and background investigation (employment provisional and contingent upon satisfactory completion of the investigation), will need to adhere to a code of conduct, and is subject to mandatory direct deposit of federal wages. The court is not authorized to reimburse travel expenses for interviews or relocations. Interviewing Non-Citizens and Making Offers of Future Employment:
Non-citizens may be interviewed and considered for employment, but offers will be made only to individuals who qualify under one of the exceptions in 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)(B). Under 8 U.S.C. §1324b(a)(3)(B), a lawful permanent resident seeking citizenship may not apply for citizenship until they have been a permanent resident for the required period, after which they must apply within six months and complete the process within two years of applying, subject to processing delays. Equal Focused Employer We value diversity and are committed to equity and inclusion in the workplace. The Court encourages applications from all qualified individuals and seeks a diverse applicant pool in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, disability, religion, and socio-economic circumstance. The court provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Unit of the Clerk's Office. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Application Procedure
Applicants must submit: 1) Cover Letter; 2) Resume; 3) Three professional references. To be considered, visit the agency website at the stated government careers site to submit the online application, along with the listed documents. Please fully complete your application by providing all work history from the past ten years. Attachments should be submitted as Microsoft Word (DOC) or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files. Other formats are not acceptable. Applications are considered complete when the online application and all required attachments are received by the Human Resources Unit.
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Whether launching or continuing a career in public service, the U.S. District Court offers competitive salaries and benefits, a work schedule that supports work-life balance, and the opportunity to contribute to administering justice in an efficient and effective manner. This position provides an excellent opportunity to advance a career in Federal court service. Court Reporters support a fast-paced and collaborative environment, covering both in-person and remote (Zoom) proceedings across the district. The court handles a wide range of complex and high-profile cases, including intellectual property, biotech litigation, Silicon Valley technology, high-stakes criminal cases, and civil rights matters. Court reporters work closely with judges, attorneys, and fellow reporters to produce accurate and timely transcripts of court proceedings. This role offers meaningful in-person work, telework flexibility, opportunities to work across San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland courthouses, and strong earning potential. Transcript income for in-person reporters has averaged over $125,000 annually over the past three years. (Priority consideration to applicants who apply by February 19, 2026) Responsibilities
Work as part of a team of reporters for the judges of the court. Provide verbatim shorthand reporting of courtroom proceedings and read back portions of the record when required. Produce transcripts at a high volume, including expedited and daily transcripts. For some criminal proceedings, create and store audio recordings alongside shorthand notes. Adhere to the policies and administrative procedures in the Court Reporter Management Plan, the Court Reporter Manual, and the Guide to Judiciary Policy. Perform administrative tasks including transcripts billing, docketing financial tracking, responding to requests, and submitting required reports to the Administrative Office. Qualification Levels
Level 1
($119,330): at least one year of court reporting experience (freelance, courts, or a combination); RPR (or equivalent); and excellent Realtime skills. Those hired without Realtime certification must pass the test within two years. Level 2
($125,296): in addition to Level 1 requirements, requires Registered Merit Reporter (RMR) certification and ability to provide Realtime writing in the courtroom (must become Realtime certified within two years of hire). Level 3
($131,263): in addition to Level 2 requirements, requires Realtime certification. Level 4
($137,229): in addition to Level 3 requirements, requires Realtime and RMR certification. Level 5
($143,197): for transferring Federal Official Court Reporters appointed before October 11, 2009, with CRR or FCRR, RMR and ten years’ reporting experience in federal courts. Preferred Qualifications
Three or more years of court reporting experience (freelance, courts, or a combination) and experience directly invoicing clients. Experience e-filing transcripts on a court docket. Previous federal court experience. Realtime Certification. Certificate of Merit from NCRA. Physical Requirements
Successful candidates must be able to (with or without accommodation): bend, pull, push, and lift up to 20 pounds; reach; walk; and sit for extended periods. The U.S. District Court is part of the federal Judicial branch and is independent of the Executive and Legislative branches. The court sets its own employment policies, including remote work and performance management, while valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. We offer a competitive salary along with full federal benefits, and new reporters are immediately included in the court’s trial rotation, ensuring opportunities for additional transcript income. Judicial Branch employees are at-will employees and are not subject to the employment regulations of competitive service; however, judiciary employees are entitled to benefits. For information about federal court benefits, please visit the benefits page on the federal judiciary site. Information for Applicants
The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement or withdraw the announcement without prior notice. The successful candidate will be subject to FBI fingerprint check and background investigation (employment provisional and contingent upon satisfactory completion of the investigation), will need to adhere to a code of conduct, and is subject to mandatory direct deposit of federal wages. The court is not authorized to reimburse travel expenses for interviews or relocations. Interviewing Non-Citizens and Making Offers of Future Employment:
Non-citizens may be interviewed and considered for employment, but offers will be made only to individuals who qualify under one of the exceptions in 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)(B). Under 8 U.S.C. §1324b(a)(3)(B), a lawful permanent resident seeking citizenship may not apply for citizenship until they have been a permanent resident for the required period, after which they must apply within six months and complete the process within two years of applying, subject to processing delays. Equal Focused Employer We value diversity and are committed to equity and inclusion in the workplace. The Court encourages applications from all qualified individuals and seeks a diverse applicant pool in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, disability, religion, and socio-economic circumstance. The court provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Unit of the Clerk's Office. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Application Procedure
Applicants must submit: 1) Cover Letter; 2) Resume; 3) Three professional references. To be considered, visit the agency website at the stated government careers site to submit the online application, along with the listed documents. Please fully complete your application by providing all work history from the past ten years. Attachments should be submitted as Microsoft Word (DOC) or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files. Other formats are not acceptable. Applications are considered complete when the online application and all required attachments are received by the Human Resources Unit.
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