The United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana is a public service-oriented organization focused on providing exceptional customer service to the court, members of the legal community, and the general public. Currently, we are seeking an innovative and experienced individual to serve as an Official Court Reporter for the U.S. District Court.

Position Overview:

Official Court Reporters are responsible for recording court proceedings in court and in chambers, for producing requested transcripts, and for filing required copies of transcripts with the Clerk of Court.

Representative Duties:

•     Attending and recording verbatim reporting of proceedings held before the judicial officers and for the transcription of those proceedings upon request. Ability to read back all or any portions of the court record, to perform well under pressure, to produce transcripts within strict time limitations, and to work as part of a team of reporters for the judges of this court.

•     Knowledge, skill, and ability to produce accurate, simultaneous realtime
transcription utilizing computer-aided translation. Familiarity with and adherence to all requirements of the Court Reporter Management Plan for the district.

•     Determine billing and formats which comply with the Judicial Conference
requirements. Delivering and/or mailing  prepared official transcripts. Certifying and filing with the Clerk of Court original records and a copy of transcripts prepared. Maintain accurate and legible records which are subject to audits. Preparation and filing of all reports required by the Administrative Office.

•     Responding timely to official correspondence. Compliance with all administrative duties assigned by his or her manager and the court. Responsible for providing and maintaining his or her own court compatible equipment.

•     Travel will be required to cover court proceedings at other divisional offices
within the district.

•     Perform all other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
Required Minimum Qualifications:  The position requires at least four years of prime stenographic court reporting experience in the freelance field, in a court environment, or a combination thereof.  A court reporter shall further have qualified by testing and be listed on the Registry of Professional Reporters of the National Court Reporters Association OR passed an equivalent qualifying examination. National Court Reporters Association Certified Realtime Reporter/United States Court Reporters Association Realtime Reporter and Registered Merit Reporter certifications preferred. Realtime certification is preferred, however, candidates who are capable of providing realtime and are
actively working toward certification will also be considered.

Specialized Experience:  Court Reporters are grouped for salary purposes as follows:
Required Clearances:
This position is classified as a sensitive position, therefore, the successful candidate will be required to submit a background clearance, which will include a criminal history and fingerprint check. Employment will be contingent upon a favorable response from this investigation.

How to Apply:
Qualified applicants should submit a COMPLETE applicant’s packet which includes a letter of interest, detailed resume including the names of three professional references, completed Application for Judicial Employment, form
AO-78 available at http://www.uscourts.gov/forms/AO078.pdf, and copies of all certifications received.  Preference will be given to application packets received by close of business on Friday, December 4, 2020. Please email your complete package as ONE PDF ATTACHMENT to  lawd_applications@lawd.uscourts.gov.

Additional Information:
Generous federal benefits package offered.
Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or eligible to work in the United States.

Applicants selected for interviews may be required to travel to the designated location at their own expense. The court is not authorized to reimburse applicants for travel and/or relocation expenses.

The court requires employees to adhere to a Code of Conduct which is available to applicants for review upon request. The incumbent will be subject to a six month probationary period. All employees of the court are “excepted service” appointments. Excepted service appointments are “at will” and serve at the pleasure of the court.

This position is subject to mandatory electronic funds transfer (direct deposit) of federal wages for court employees.

The court has a right to modify the conditions of this announcement, withdraw the announcement, or fill the position at any time before the closing date, any of which may occur without prior written notice.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in the workplace.
Level         Certification requirement
1            Starting salary ($81,817)
2            Starting salary plus 5% - requires merit certification ($85,907)
3            Starting salary plus 10% - requires real-time certification ($89,998)
4*          Starting  salary  plus  15%  -  requires  real-time  certification  and  merit certification ($94,089) (Promotion potential to level 4 at a later date)

How to Apply: Click here to view the formal job posting and information on how to apply.