BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Court reporters in Bexar County were recognized this week during Court Reporter and Captioning Week, as officials and practitioners highlighted a growing need for more trained reporters across Texas.
Often unseen by the public, court reporters are responsible for creating the official verbatim record of courtroom proceedings — a task many in the profession describe as essential to the justice system.
“We’re the guardians of the record,” said Carol Castillo, a court reporter assigned in 2023 to the 437th District Court. Castillo has worked in courtrooms since the 1980s and said her job centers on capturing every word in criminal proceedings, from hearings and dockets to trials.
“I’m in criminal court, so I report the criminal proceedings, hearings, dockets sometimes, special hearings, trials,” Castillo said.
The workload can be heavy, particularly in courts handling major cases. The 437th District Court has significant matters on the horizon, including the death penalty case of Stephen Clare expected this spring and a later high-profile murder case involving Brad Simpson.
Beyond the pace and technical demands, court reporters must maintain composure while documenting difficult testimony and evidence.
“I guess you just kind of build that shell that when you’re writing, you’re just so focused on writing and making sure you get every word,” Castillo said. “Your emotional part of it just really doesn’t play into it … because you’re so focused on just trying to make a good record, an accurate record.”
Recruiting and retaining court reporters has become increasingly challenging, according to those in the field. Without a court reporter present, proceedings may not be able to move forward as scheduled, underscoring the job’s importance.
“You still need an actual physical person human to do the job,” Castillo said.
According to state requirements, becoming a court reporter typically requires two to three years of training, and students must be able to type about 225 words per minute with 95% accuracy.
Though the people creating the record may go largely unnoticed, those honored this week said the record itself cannot.
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