| What you
need to know: |
| New Hampshire has a mandatory LCR (Licensed Court
Reporter) law
(RSA 310-A:161). You MUST be bonded and issued a LCR certificate
through the Board of Court Reporters to practice court reporting.
|
| How do I
get licensed? |
|
Contact the Joint Board of Licensure and Certification in Concord, NH for an
application to become a NH LCR. The address is:
|
Joint Board of Licensure and Certification
57 Regional Drive
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 271-2219 |
|
| How do I
get bonded? |
One must obtain a court reporter insurance bond to
present to the Board of Court Reporters BEFORE a license can be issued. Contact Jean Poulos at Cross, Gordon & Powers (603)
669-4947, and request information about a Court Reporter bond.
|
| Do I have
to take a test? |
You must hold one of the following titles:
Registered Professional Reporter (RPR), from the National Court Reporters
Association; or Certified Voice Reporter (CVR), from the National Verbatim
Reporters Association. Please contact the appropriate
Association for test information and requirements.
|
| What if I
have my RPR or CVR? |
|
You will need to file an application for licensure to the
Joint Board of Licensure and Certification and meet the requirements of RSA
310-A:161-181.
|
| What about
swearing in deponents and witnesses? |
310-A:181 Limited Notarial Function. – Any
licensee under this subdivision may be permitted, in the performance of his or
her court reporting duties, to place any person under oath without the separate
requirement of being designated a notary public, justice of the peace, or
commissioner of deeds, as specified in RSA 455.
|
| What about
Continuing Education? |
|
310-A:178 Continuing Education Required. Any person
holding a license shall be required to be in compliance with the continuing
education requirements of the National Court Reporters Association or the
National Verbatim Reporters Association depending on their method of court
reporting as specified in RSA 310-A:162. Each person shall be responsible for
maintaining evidence of his or her continuing education units and shall submit
such evidence of continuing education units to the board annually upon renewal
of their license.
For more
information, please contact Pamela Carle, President of the New
Hampshire Court Reporters
Association. |
Other laws
affecting court reporting in New Hampshire:
|
| Effective January 1, 2001, New Hampshire passed what is
commonly known as anti-contracting legislation. This important legislation
reads as follows: RSA 517:3 Disqualifications. No person shall
write the testimony of a witness, record the testimony of a witness, or act as
magistrate in taking the same, if:
- Such person is a party to the action;
- Such person is a relative, employee, or attorney of a party to the
action;
- Such person has a financial interest in the action or its outcome;
- Such person has entered into an arrangement with a person or entity which
has a financial interest in the action or its outcome, where the arrangement
purports to create a relationship in which the person transcribing the
deposition or recording the deposition will be providing exclusive deposition
transcribing or deposition recording services for the interested person or
entity; or
- Such person is employed by or is an independent contractor working for a
person or entity which has entered into an arrangement with a person or entity
which has a financial interest in the action or its outcome, where the
arrangement purports to create a relationship in which the person's employer
will be providing exclusive deposition transcribing or deposition recording
services for the interested person or entity.
|
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