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1. How do I become a licensed court reporter in the state of Louisiana?
By taking and passing the Louisiana CCR Exam or by being domiciled in the State Of Louisiana and holding a National Certification. See the Getting Certified Page for information and applications needed.

2. Do I have to attend a court reporting school to take the Louisiana CCR Exam?
No. You have to pass the Qualifying Exam with the Board prior to being admitted to the main exam.

3. How do I qualify for the Main Exam?
You must either take and pass a Qualifying Exam given by an approved Court Reporting School or for those who are from another state or not in school must take the Qualifier with the LA CSR Board.

4. What is a Qualifier?
This is an exam that must be taken and passed prior to being admitted into the main licensing exam.  This exam will consist of a five minute, two voice, Q&A at 225 wpm. See the Qualifying Application

5. When is the State Licensing Exam given?
The licensing exam is given twice per year, usually in April and August. The Board reserves the right to change as necessary. Also see Rules for Certification Testing.

6. What are the methods for CCR Licensing?
Stenotype, Stenomask and Penwriter.

7. Do all methods take the same exam?
Yes.

8. How do I obtain a list of schools in Louisiana?
See the CSR Schools List.

9. What are the minimum qualifications for taking a Qualifying Exam?
You must be at least 18 years of age, have either a High School Diploma or Equivalency and have not been convicted of a felony.

10. Can the Board provide a written knowledge bank of questions to an applicant?  Yes, contact the Board Office to obtain. 

11. How do I update my current information?
Print the Status Report, fill it out and mail to the Board's office.
* This information is requested to be turned in within 30 days once a change has occurred.  

12. Where can I find the Louisiana Professional and Occupational Standards for CCR's ?
Click here for Title 46 Part XXI of the Louisiana Administrative Code

13. How do I attain an Inactive Status as a CCR in Louisiana?
Click here for Inactive Status Document

14. Where can I find pre-approved sponsors for Continuing Education Credits? Click here for a list of approved C.E. Credit Sponsors

14 a. What is not acceptable for C.E. Credits? CPR courses, attendance or participation in tours, exhibits, entertainment, recreation, committee service, association business, home study, or on-line courses or seminars.

15. What is the two-year cycle for C. E. credits?  The C. E. cycle begins on January 1st of every odd numbered year and ends on December 31st of every even numbered year.

16. Does a reporter 65 years of age or older have to obtain C. E. credits? No.  Any C. C. R. who is 65 years of age or older will no longer have to obtain C. E. credits starting with the 2007-2008 C. E. cycle. 

17. CSR Board: FAQ Regarding Reading and Signing

1) Q: What are the requirements of Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) Article 1445?

A: The text of CCP Article 1445 is quoted below in its entirety. You may want to refer to the Article for context as you review Q&A's 2 through 9 below which break Article 1445 down into its component parts with corresponding "best practices" suggested by the CSR Board.

Art. 1445. Submission to witness; changes; signing

When the testimony is fully transcribed the deposition shall be submitted to the witness for examination and shall be read to or by him, unless such examination and reading are waived by the witness and by the parties. Any changes in form or substance which the witness desires to make shall be entered upon the deposition by the officer with a statement of the reasons given by the witness for making them. The deposition shall then be signed by the witness unless the parties by stipulation waive the signing or the witness is ill or is absent from the parish where the deposition was taken or cannot be found or refuses to sign. If the deposition is not signed by the witness within thirty days of its submission to him, the officer shall sign it and state on the record the fact of the waiver or of the illness or absence of the witness or the fact of the refusal to sign together with the reason, if any, given therefor; and the deposition may then be used as fully as though signed unless on a motion to suppress under Article 1456 the court holds that the reasons given for the refusal to sign require rejection of the deposition in whole or in part. A video deposition does not have to comply with the requirements of reading and signing by the deponents.

2) Q: When must the court reporter deliver a copy of the deposition transcript for review and signature by the witness?

A: The introductory sentence of CCP Article 1445 says, "When the testimony is fully transcribed the deposition shall be submitted to the witness for examination . . ." This language suggests that a court reporter should promptly provide the witness with a transcript for examination "when" it has been completed. Best practice would be to forward the document as soon as possible after preparing and certifying it.

3) Q: By what means and to what location must the court reporter deliver a copy of the deposition transcript to the witness for review and signature?

A: CCP Article 1445 does not specify how or where the transcript must be submitted to the witness. The reporter may choose to mail or hand deliver the
deposition directly to the witness, or to the attorney who represents the witness. Some court reporters require the witness to review the deposition transcript in the reporter's office, as long as this does not inconvenience the witness. Factors that might make it inconvenient for the witness to come to the reporter's office include the following: a witness' distance from the office; a witness' disability; a witness' work hours. Court reporters should strive to eliminate or minimize inconvenience for a witness. For example, some reporters seek professional courtesy from another reporter who would allow the witness to read and sign at that reporter's office if it is more conveniently located than the taking reporter's office.

In any event a reporter would be wise to build a paper trail, notifying the witness in writing of a specific date, time, and place where the deposition will be made available for the witness to review and sign it.

4) Q: May the court reporter deliver a copy of the transcript to counsel who have requested it during the thirty-day period while a witness is reviewing it?

A: CCP Article 1445 does not prohibit delivery during the thirty-day period. Many reporters include a cover letter with the transcript noting that it has not yet been reviewed or signed by the witness.

5) Q: How should the court reporter record changes that a witness wants to make to the transcript?

A: CCP Article 1445 directs that, "Any changes in form or substance which the witness desires to make shall be entered upon the deposition by the officer with a statement of the reasons given by the witness . . . ." Most reporters comply with this requirement by providing blank errata forms and a Witness Certificate to the witness with instructions advising the witness to write or type the changes desired on the errata forms, sign the Witness Certificate and return them to the reporter.

Upon receipt of these completed documents, the reporter sends the documents to all counsel of record that requested/received certified copies of the transcript, with instructions that the errata forms and Witness Certificate be attached to the deposition transcript following the Transcript Certificate page.

6) Q: Upon completion of the reading and signing by the witness, is the reporter to change the text of the transcript according to the changes noted by the witness?

A: No. The completed errata forms attached to the transcript reflect the changes desired by the witness.

7) Q: What reasons are explicitly recognized by CCP Article 1445 to account for why a witness may not sign the transcript?

A: CCP Article 1445 contemplates that a witness will sign the deposition except when certain specific circumstances arise: "The deposition shall then be signed by the witness unless . . . ." Article 1445 then addresses five different circumstances that might account for the witness not signing a transcript:

(a) "the parties by stipulation waive the signing"
(b) "the witness is ill"—Illness might prevent the witness from signing.
(c) "the witness . . . is absent from the parish where the deposition was taken"—Absence from the parish may also account for the lack of a signature.
(d) "the witness . . . cannot be found"—A deponent who is missing cannot sign the deposition.
(e) "the witness . . . refuses to sign"—Refusal accounts for the last of five reasons why the deponent may not sign the deposition.

8) Q: What should the court reporter do when for any of these reasons the witness has not signed the deposition?

A: CCP Article 1445 directs that, "If the deposition is not signed by the witness within thirty days of its submission to him, the officer shall sign it and state on the record the fact of the waiver or of the illness or absence of the witness or the fact of the refusal to sign together with the reason, if any, given therefor . . . ." CCP Article 1445 thereby places two responsibilities on court reporters, first directing the reporter to "sign it" and then requiring that the reporter "state on the record" why there is no signature by the witness. The reporter should therefore follow-up on every transcript for which reading and signing has been reserved in order to finalize the process.

Most reporters prepare and sign a second certificate noting the appropriate reason why the witness did not read and sign the document. (See the five reasons outlined in the answer to Question 7.) That certificate is then forwarded to all counsel to whom copies of the certified transcript were delivered, with a cover letter instructing that it be attached to the deposition transcript following the Transcript Certificate.

The language of this "Certificate Regarding Reading and Signing" might read:
"I, ______________, having duly prepared this transcript, forwarded a copy to the witness, _________________, on __________ __, 2011. After thirty (30) days had elapsed, the transcript remained unsigned, for the following reason(s):
____________________________________________________________________.
Now, therefore, in accordance with CCP Article 1445, I have signed the transcript and stated on the record the reasons for doing so."
_____________________________
Reporter's Name, CCR ######

Note that every transcript for which reading and signing has been reserved by the witness would ultimately have two certificates: 1) the Transcript Certificate signed by the reporter certifying the content of the verbatim transcript, and 2) either the Witness Certificate signed by the witness upon completing the reading and signing OR the reporter's "Certificate Regarding Reading and Signing" stating the reason(s) the transcript remains unsigned.

9) Q: Might the court reporter be called upon by a court to prove that reasonable and timely effort was made to submit the transcript to the witness for reading and signing and the date on which it was submitted?

A: Yes. The surest form of proof that the deposition was submitted to the witness would be a paper or electronic receipt acknowledging "pickup" by the carrier and that a delivery confirmation was requested by the reporter.
A reporter should follow-up when completed errata forms and signed Witness Certificates are not returned to the reporter.

18. What is the rule on gift giving for a court reporter?  See Chapter 13. Code of Ethics.

19. How do I file a complaint against a court reporter?  You must complete the Disciplinary Complaint Form and return the originally signed and notarized form to the Board Office.  See Complaint Form

20. How long am I required to retain notes?
Click here for Retain Notes Document