How to Become a Court Transcript Proofreader

There are many different kinds of transcripts, but when people say “transcript proofreading,” they’re usually referring to court and legal transcripts, specifically.

Often, these are records that are produced by court reporters who take down verbatim transcripts during live proceedings in courtrooms. However, there are other types of legal documents you might check as a transcript proofreader, including:

• Conference calls
• Depositions
• Interviews
• Wiretaps
• Witness testimony

As a proofreader, it’s your job to spot and correct mistakes in these documents, such as missing or misspelled words.

Note that it’s not your job to edit or rewrite anything. In contrast to other proofreaders, who are responsible for making sure that they produce documents with clean and correct English, transcript proofreaders work with “verbatim” transcripts, which means that you need to ensure the final document accurately reflects what people said, warts and all.

To do this, you might have to proofread while listening to the audio source material that the transcript was written from.

Why is transcript proofreading important?

Errors in legal documents crop up more than you might think. Court reporters use stenotype machines to produce transcripts very quickly. These are in shorthand, and when they’re translated into plain English (which is done by professionals called scopists), it’s easy for mistakes to get introduced.

This can have serious consequences—in extreme circumstances, it may lead to innocent people being found guilty. In less extreme circumstances, errors can still gum up the court system and make legal proceedings slower, more expensive, and more stressful for everyone involved.

Often, a transcript’s scopist will do what you might call a “first-pass proofread,” reviewing a transcript for accuracy before sending it on. Even then, it’s still the proofreader’s responsibility to finalize the documents before they reach their final destination (e.g., lawyers or paralegals, a judge, a jury, etc.).

On average, transcript proofreaders earn about $0.35 per page, although that’s a fairly rough average, and many earn more or less.

Because transcript proofreaders are usually paid by the page, how much you earn per hour will depend on how fast you work. You’ll be able to handle more pages per hour as you gain experience.

Depending on how fast you are, you’ll be able to make anywhere between $10 and $40 per hour. If you’re able to land enough work, that means transcript proofreading can be a fairly lucrative gig.

Factors that affect your rates

Regardless of whether you work as a freelancer or look for a stable, long-term position, your rates will be determined by what your clients or employers are willing to pay. This, in turn, will be affected by:

• Training and experience: Transcript proofreading is a specialized skill, requiring both attention to detail and a strong command of the jargon used in the legal field. The more skilled you are, the more you’ll be able to get away with charging.
• What languages you speak: If you’re multilingual, it’ll be an asset, particularly if you happen to know an in-demand language that frequently appears in court transcripts, such as Spanish.
• Your location: How much you earn may be affected by where you live and work. As you’d expect, rates tend to be higher in expensive urban areas. That’s less likely to be a factor if you work remotely.
• The services you provide: Some transcript proofreaders also provide scoping services (again, this means turning the initial shorthand-heavy transcript into something that’s readable by laypeople). Scopists get paid more than proofreaders, so if you’re able to branch out like this, it will boost your earning potential.

Additionally, your rates will be affected by whether you work as a freelancer or for a proofreading company (known as an agency). In almost every field, freelancers make more money than salaried workers, and transcript proofreading is no exception.

The downside is that as a freelancer, you’ll have to hustle more to land gigs. At an agency, your work will be more consistent and much easier to come by.

There are no hard criteria you have to meet to get paid for transcript proofreading. You don’t need a college degree to get into this line of work.

With that said, many employers do look for people with bachelor’s degrees, so having one will help. It just isn’t strictly necessary.

What skills do transcript proofreaders need?

Your actual abilities are more important than your formal credentials as a transcript proofreader. As you’d expect, being able to spot a typo a mile away should come naturally to you if you want to succeed at this side hustle.

You’ll also need:

• Knowledge of spelling, grammar, and popular style guides (especially the Bluebook style guide and the Chicago Manual of Style)
• A deep understanding of legal terminology and the legal field in general
• Discretion (given the confidential nature of the documents you’ll be working with)
• Enough discipline to stick to a schedule and turn in your work on time
• Familiarity with PerfectIt, Litera Check, LexCheck, and other legal proofreading and editing software

If you don’t have those skills yet, there are several proofreading courses you can take to get your side hustle off on the right foot, which we’ll go over in the next section.

If you like what you’ve read so far and want to know how you can get started as a court transcript proofreader, here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Consider taking a training course

Formal training in transcript proofreading isn’t an absolute must, but it will give you an edge. There are several online courses that focus on this, with two of the most popular being offered by:

• Proofread Anywhere (currently costs $997, as of September 2024)
• The Proofreading Business Coach (currently costs $1,267.35)

There are also several other online proofreading courses that you can take to round out your skills, although unlike the two listed above, they don’t focus on transcript proofreading, specifically.

Spend some time digging into those courses and see if any of them seem worth it. As you can see, they aren’t cheap, so don’t spring for them unless you’re serious about getting into transcript proofreading.

They aren’t necessary—you’ll be able to land work without them—but if you don’t have much experience and aren’t confident in your skills yet, the cost might be justified.

2. Join professional communities and networks

One of the side benefits of training courses is that they often give you access to a community of peers who can support you on your journey. This is a great way to start building your professional network.

You should also consider joining one or more of these organizations:

• American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT)
• National Court Reporters Association (NCRA)
• United States Court Reporters Association (USCRA)

These professional associations feature job boards on their websites that you can scout for opportunities. They also hold conventions and conferences, which may be worth attending later on (although in the beginning, that’s probably overkill), and they sometimes post articles that will tip you off to other ways of contacting court reporters who need your services.

3. Establish an online presence and a portfolio

When you get started with any new side hustle, it’s worth creating professional profiles on social media platforms, such as Twitter/X and LinkedIn. You can use these to network with your peers and contact potential clients about job opportunities.

If you plan on working on a freelance basis, you should also create a personal website to introduce yourself and the services you offer. You can use your website to host your portfolio, which is an absolute must for marketing your services.

Ideally, your transcript proofreading portfolio will include examples of different kinds of legal documents you’ve proofread, such as verbatim transcripts, depositions, and testimonies.

If you’ve never done any transcript proofreading work before, include anything you have proofread (such as samples you created for a proofreading course or work you checked for your friends as a favor). Include before-and-after comparisons to demonstrate the value you bring as a proofreader.

Of course, be sure to blur or black out confidential information in your samples, and get permission before you post them.

4. Search for jobs on online platforms

The sooner you start actually hunting for work, the better. You can find proofreading gigs in several places:

Freelance marketplaces

These are websites that connect freelancers with clients. Court reporters sometimes haunt these platforms and post opportunities for proofreaders. Try the following sites:

• Upwork
• Freelancer.com
• Scribbr
• Proofreader Pal

The first two are general-purpose marketplaces, whereas the latter two are specific to proofreading.

Job boards

If you want something more stable than freelance work, you can also look for long-term positions (which may be part-time or full-time, and will often be remote) on online job boards, such as:

• Indeed
• Glassdoor
• FlexJobs

As mentioned, you should also keep an eye on the job boards maintained by the AAERT, NCRA, and USCRA (linked above).

5. Apply for jobs

Once you’ve identified a job you’re interested in, the next step is to actually apply for it. If it’s a role with an agency, follow these steps:

• Create a resume: Don’t reuse a resume you created for a previous job application. Make a new one that’s tailored to the proofreading jobs you’re applying for. Be sure to check it thoroughly before sending it out—there’s nothing more embarrassing than submitting a proofreading resume with an obvious typo on the first page.
• Write a cover letter: Next, write up a cover letter to introduce yourself, indicate why you’re interested in the position, and explain why you’re a great fit. This doesn’t need to be particularly elaborate; effective cover letters are often just about three paragraphs long.

If you’re applying for a freelance gig on a site like Upwork or Freelancer.com, submitting a resume and cover letter isn’t necessary, but you will need to write a short pitch that covers largely the same territory.

Either way, include a link to your website and online portfolio so that your potential clients or employer can get a sense of who you are and what you bring to the table.

You probably won’t land the first job you apply for, but keep at it. Try to send out at least 5 applications every day (more, if you have the time and energy). If you’re persistent, eventually you’ll get your foot in the door.

6. Keep learning and improving

Transcript proofreading, like any profession, is always evolving, especially now that AI-powered proofreading software has entered the field. You’ll need to stay up to date with the latest technological advances and consider incorporating new tools into your workflow as they pop up.

You’ll also need to keep an eye on developments in the legal arena, such as new jargon, procedures, or proofreading requirements. Taking a refresher course every few years might be a good idea, and don’t neglect your online presence and professional network. Going forward, you want court reporters to think of you any time they have a job that needs doing—instead of turning to AI.

Transcript proofreading can be a viable side hustle once you’ve built it up, but it can start out a little slow. We’ve listed its major pros and cons below to help you decide if it’s for you:

Pros of transcript proofreading

The benefits of becoming a transcript proofreader include:

• Flexible schedule: You don’t have to actually be at court proceedings to do this job, which means you can work when your schedule allows.
• Adjustable workload: If you work as a freelancer, you’ll be free to take on as little or as much work as you need or want.
• Engaging work: If courtroom drama or true crime is your cup of tea, you’ll love this gig. You’ll learn a lot, and will thoroughly enjoy what you’re doing.
• Professional development: Transcript proofreading gives you the chance to develop technical and marketable skills, not just in proofreading but in the legal field. If you’re interested in an eventual career in law, this will give you a significant boost.

Transcript proofreading also has intangible benefits. You’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that what you’re doing is making a solid contribution to the justice system, helping to ensure fair and efficient legal proceedings.

Cons of transcript proofreading

No side hustle is perfect. Before you commit to becoming a transcript proofreader, consider these cons:

• Steep learning curve: You’ll need to become familiar with a lot of legal jargon, including unintuitive Latin phrases, such as “qui tam,” “de novo,” and “corpus delicti.” This will greatly add to your workload in the beginning if you don’t already have a legal background.
• Occasional tedium: The reality is that not all legal proceedings consist of riveting courtroom dramas. Long and tedious transcripts can get to you after a while; you’ll need a lot of drive and focus to stay engaged when the work is less than inspiring.
• Inconsistent work: There may be times when you won’t be able to find as much work as you’d like. This is why some proofreaders also take on scoping work to fill the gaps. Relatedly, you’ll probably need to hustle to find clients; relationship-building with court reporters will be essential, which may be challenging if you’re naturally introverted.
• High pressure: Deadlines in transcript proofreading can be tight. Weighty court decisions may hang on the information in the documents you’re proofreading, so you can expect short turnaround times.

All in all, if you have a good grasp of written communication and you’re interested in the legal field, transcript proofreading is far from the worst side hustle to try out. If you stick with it, you’ll be able to turn it into a rewarding and lucrative gig—you just have to be prepared to put in the work.