Court reporters, often referred to as "guardians of the record," play a critical role in the U.S. legal system, producing accurate, impartial transcripts of legal proceedings. Yet interest in the profession has plummeted over the last decade, leading to a national shortage of at least 5,000 reporters, according to the Association for Court Reporters and Captioners. It typically takes between 18 and 24 months to earn a court reporting certificate or degree, according to Indeed. In addition to their base salary, court reporters are compensated on a per-page basis for transcripts they produce during court proceedings. When Cynthia Rodriguez first became a court reporter with the Kern County Superior Court in 2005, her annual salary was $60,000.

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Persons: Irene Nakamura, you'll, Nakamura, Cynthia Rodriguez Organizations: IDepo, Association for Court, National Court Reporters Association, Superior Court, Chicago Locations: California, U.S, Kern, Washington, New York, New Jersey