Why Does One Become A Court Reporter?

It's Court Reporting & Captioning week, and today Thomas & Thomas Court Reporters and Certified Legal Video, LLC would like to share why John and Gretchen Thomas became a court reporters.  Although their stories are very different, it was court reporting that ultimately brought them together.

Why John Thomas became a court reporter:

"I was 100 percent influenced to becoming a court reporter by my court reporter brother, Roger. I admired roger and wanted a life in the courtroom like him. This desire gave me the dedication to make it through the rigors of reporting school and to obtain a job anywhere. Thats why I moved to Omaha not knowing anything about Nebraska. My brother changed my life."

Why Gretchen Thomas became a court reporter:

"I wish that I had a 'romantic' story to tell as to why I became a court reporter: You know, like someone who inspired me, a life-long dream, child prodigy ...
But no. I became a court reporter because I lived in a small town in Wisconsin, attended a very small high school, and had absolutely no idea what I was going to do after graduation. So at the suggestion of my English teacher and guidance counselor, I made a different kind of a list, the list of 'Jobs I do not want to have when I grow up.' I remember that it was an extensive list, but I only remember now that doctor, lawyer, teacher, nurse, fireman, clown, and unwed mother were part of the list. I don't know why.

Then one day during my senior year my dad told me about a friend of his who was a court reporter, Dale Braden. I checked out court reporting. It sounded very interesting. And it wasn't on my list! So I packed my small-town bags, followed in the footsteps of Mary Tyler Moore (after all, it was 1974), and moved to Minneapolis to attend Northern Technical School of Business, where I met my future husband and business partner. We both became court reporters, got married, raised three sons, lived happily ever after. I have LOVED my unexpected career. It has been stimulating and exciting and has afforded wonderful opportunities for our family, and I can see now that I had the romantic ending instead."