OCCUPATION: SCOPIST TEXT EDITOR

Name: Randy Warren Company: Hutchings Court Reporters, Santa Ana and San Clemente Thumbs up: “I like the diversification of this job. Every day it’s a little bit different. One day it’s a doctor’s forensic or medicine deposition, this week it’s the Steven Wymer depositions. I’m editing the testimony on how he scammed $97 million. Other days I’ll read expert testimony from engineers to architects to the most plain witnesses, mainly for civil suits.” Thumbs down: “Being shut in. In terms of getting out and socializing about on the job--that’s limited. But, I have two sons, 8 and 13, that I’ve been able to take care of because I work at home and I get to coach Little League. That’s the upside of working at home. I’ve been doing this for 16 years.” Next step: “It looks like I’m going to stick with this job. I’ve made up to $65,000 one year and I never anticipated doing so well.” Advice: “It’s your own business. You have the advantages of working at home and as much as you want. There is a down time, though, when you first start working at this job. A college degree helps in basic knowledge of grammar and English, but the down time is in learning the different stenography and formats in which documents are presented.” Salary range: Most scopists are paid by the page, from 55 cents to $1 each. Top scopists make about $65,000 a year. The average scopist, who works part time, makes between $30,000 and $40,000. Educational and training requirements: Scopists should be well-read, know the English language and be able to spell and type. Most scopists must also learn to read stenographer’s language, called stenotype. Size of work force: Small. There are about 450 scopists in Orange County. Expected demand: Stable. During the holidays, work is slow but picks up between April and September. Job description: Scopists edit and translate original court documents (mainly depositions), which usually are in stenotype, into English and insert punctuation. They proofread and send the transcript back to whoever ordered the service. Major employing industries: Scopists are often independent contractors. Many contract with scopist agencies, deposition reporters, court reporters or attorneys. For more information: Call Cypress College, where court reporting classes are offered, at (714) 826-2220. For general information about the profession, call the California Court Reporters Assn. at (916) 443-5090. Researched by MIMI KO / Los Angeles Times