Legal Specialists and Court Reporters
Background
The military has its own judicial system for prosecuting lawbreakers and handling disputes. Legal specialists and court reporters perform legal research, prepare legal documents, and record legal proceedings. Legal specialists and court reporters assist military lawyers and judges in the performance of legal and judicial work.
What They Do
Legal specialists and court reporters in the military perform some or all of the following duties:
- Interview clients and take statements
- Maintain law libraries and trial case files
- Prepare records of hearings, investigations, court-martials, and courts of inquiry
- Prepare trial requests and make arrangements for courtrooms
- Process legal claims and appeals
- Research court decisions and military regulations
- Use a variety of methods and equipment to record and transcribe court proceedings
Physical Demands
Good hearing and clear speech are needed to record and read aloud court proceedings. A clear speaking ability is necessary to interview clients.
Special Requirements
Some specialties require the ability to type at a rate of 25-50 words per minute.
Helpful Attributes
Helpful attributes include:
- Ability to keep organized and accurate records
- Ability to listen carefully
- Interest in the law and legal proceedings
Helpful School Subjects
Helpful school subjects include:
- Business math
- Speech
Helpful Fields of Study
No information available.
Work Environment
Legal specialists and court reporters work in military law offices and courtrooms.
Services offering this career:
- Air Force
- Army
- Marine Corps
- Navy
Hiring Practices
To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.
This position is for enlisted personnel.
Wages
The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.
Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay.
Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.
There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.
Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.
Training Provided
Job training consists of six to ten weeks of instruction.
Course content typically includes:
- High speed transcription
- Legal document preparation
- Legal terminology and research techniques
- Military judicial processes
Civilian Counterparts
Civilian legal specialists and court reporters work for private law firms; banks; insurance companies; government agencies; and local, state, and federal courts. They perform duties similar to military legal specialists and court reporters. Civilian legal specialists and court reporters may also be called legal assistants, law clerks, paralegals, and court reporters.
Related Civilian Careers
Employment and Outlook
In peace time the services have about 3,000 legal specialists and court reporters. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year, the services need new specialists and court reporters due to changes in personnel and demands of the field. After training, they normally work with an attorney or in a legal office. With experience, legal specialists and court reporters perform more demanding activities and may supervise other specialists.