The average court reporter types 225 words a minute—three times as fast as a regular typist and five times the speed of an average user. Finding those capable of reaching this needed skill level has always been difficult, but the challenge is creating a shortage.

Driven by a steady trend of increased court workloads, the demand for qualified court reporters has now far surpassed the supply. In fact, it’s estimated the shortage will reach 5,000 in the United States this year. Since all court proceedings—including hearings, trials and depositions—must have a reporter present, the most notable effect of the shortage is the delaying of legal processes.