A Day in My Life as a Professional Scopist

This is an illustrative scenario showing how scoping work can fit into a busy family day. It isn’t a real student’s story.

I am a professional scopist, and this is what a typical day looks like for me.

I wake up around seven or eight, depending on when my toddler wakes up. Little Timmy usually lets me know that sleeping in is no longer an option.

“Mommy, I’m hungry!”

We get up, and I head to the kitchen to make his breakfast and start my coffee. While he eats, I check my messages to see what my court reporters have on their schedules. I work with three different reporters, and each assignment needs a place in my day.

This morning, I contact all three to confirm how many pages they need scoped and when they need them back. One has 120 pages for me in Case CATalyst, due tomorrow at noon. Another has 85 pages in Eclipse, due in two days. My third reporter needs me to work with her in realtime today. She expects about 150 pages, although that could change as the proceeding goes along.

I check the timing with my realtime reporter because Timmy and I have mommy-and-me class this morning. She confirms that I can be back before she sends the first section. I write down the deadlines, finish my coffee, and wipe breakfast off Timmy’s face—and the table.

Once Timmy is settled with his toys nearby, I open my Case CATalyst assignment. I put on my headphones and start comparing the transcript with the audio. I correct punctuation, check spellings, and look up unfamiliar terminology.

I’m halfway through a sentence when a little hand lands on my arm.

“Mommy, look!”

Timmy has built a tower, and apparently it needs my immediate attention. I admire his work, help him find another block, and return to my sentence.

Before long, it’s time to get ready for class. I save my work and leave myself a note about where I stopped. Then I pack Timmy’s bag, find his shoes, and discover that he has taken one of them off while I was looking for the other.

We make it out the door.

At mommy-and-me class, I sing songs, help Timmy with the activities, and talk with a few of the other parents. By the time we head home, he’s ready for lunch, and I’m hoping he’ll be ready for a nap afterward.

I get him fed and settled, then return to my desk. My realtime reporter has sent the first section. I check her message, open the file, and get to work. I listen carefully, make corrections, and flag anything she needs to review before returning the section through our agreed workflow.

During a break, I make myself something to eat and ask how the proceeding is going. I need to know if she expects more pages than originally planned or if the day is likely to run late.

While I wait for the next section, I return to my Case CATalyst job. The Eclipse assignment has also arrived, so I confirm that I received it and check that the deadline is still the same. I plan to work on that transcript tomorrow after I deliver the Case CATalyst assignment.

Timmy wakes up just as I finish another section. I save my work, get him a snack, and spend a little time with him. When I have scheduled work that requires uninterrupted attention, I arrange childcare around those hours. Working from home saves me a commute, but I still need time when I can concentrate.

Later in the afternoon, our babysitter comes by for an hour while I meet a friend for coffee during a confirmed break in the realtime schedule. We catch up, and it’s nice to get out of the house for a little while. I keep an eye on the time so I’m home and back at my desk before the next section arrives.

Back at my desk, I work through the remaining realtime sections. Before returning the last one, I check my notes and send the reporter my unresolved questions. Once she confirms that everything has arrived, I mark the assignment complete.

Then it’s time to think about dinner.

Timmy wants to help, which means making dinner takes a little longer. We eat, clean up, and move into the evening routine. There’s a bath, a search for his favorite pajamas, and a bedtime story that somehow turns into three.

After he’s asleep, I go back to my office for a final work session. I make more progress on the Case CATalyst transcript so I’ll have enough time to finish it carefully before noon tomorrow.

When I reach a good stopping point, I save and back up my work. I write down what’s left to do and set out my notes for the morning. Case CATalyst comes first, then Eclipse.

I shut down my computer and head to bed. I’ve spent the day listening closely to testimony, keeping three reporters informed, and taking care of a little boy who needed breakfast before I’d even had my coffee. In the morning, I’ll pick up where I left off—whenever Timmy wakes me up.

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