The Third Branch
Wisconsin celebrates Court Reporters Week
By Beth Bishop Perrigo, Deputy District Court Administrator
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During October, Marathon County honored court reporters for their service, from left to right: Mary Hader, Miriam Leute, Kim Lentz, Lyssa Bassett, and Karla Sommer. |
Gov. Scott Walker proclaimed Oct. 16-22 as Court Reporters Week in Wisconsin, and several Wisconsin counties joined in the celebration. Walker's proclamation outlined the history of the Wisconsin Court Reporters Association and recognized the value of court reporters to the court system and its users. The association was established in 1940 with 40 members; it now has nearly 400 members, according to the proclamation.
Karla M. Sommer, president-elect of the Wisconsin Court Reporters Association, said the annual event she helped establish offers an opportunity to recognize the work of court reporters and translators who used Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART).
"The Wisconsin Court Reporter Week tradition began in 2007 at the suggestion of my boss, Judge Greg Huber, Marathon County Circuit Court. Every year we would celebrate Administrative Assistant Week, and he suggested that court reporters should have their own week to celebrate, too. He referred me to Rep. Donna Seidel, (D-Wausau) who helped us to obtain the proclamation."
Counties marked the occasion in different ways. Chief judges of some judicial districts took the occasion to send an e-mail of appreciation to all court reporters in their districts. Dane County posted a daily puzzle, in court-reporter language, asking court staff to guess the quote, said Fifth Judicial District Court Administrator (DCA) Gail Richardson. Also, on Oct. 19, the court reporters hosted a luncheon open to all courthouse occupants.
Sommer said that court reporters in Ozaukee County put on a luncheon and identified all the items in steno. In Marathon County, she said, court reporters celebrated by bringing in breakfast treats for the courthouse staff and local attorneys. Another Marathon County judge gave her reporter a plant.
DCA Bruce Harvey, District One, gave all reporters caramel apples with an appreciative note. The District has celebrated the reporters each fall for several years with a single red rose and a note of appreciation, and in March with a pizza lunch for the court reporters.
Sommer said that she believes Wisconsin is the only state that has recognized court reporters with a special week, adding that she is honored and proud to be a Wisconsin court reporter.