In honor of Court Reporting & Captioning Week we’re highlighting some of our amazing customers and celebrating the phenomenal skills required to be a member of this industry. Today’s feature focuses on Kim Cherry, CSR, RMR, TMR, from the great state of Texas. Thanks to Kim for taking the time to answer a few questions for us and allowing us to get to know her better. Keep up the great work, Kim! We’re proud to serve you.
How long have you been a court reporter or captioner? This is my 30th year as a Texas CSR.
What led you to a career in stenography? Honestly I had intended to go to school at Texas Tech to become an interior designer, but I started junior college at Weatherford Junior College. I ran into a friend from high school that was so excited about what she was doing, that I had to know about it. She said she was going to court reporting school. I had never heard of it. She said you have got to check it out. So I did! When I went to visit the school, I thought this is it!
What is the most rewarding part of your career? The most rewarding part to me is just the unique skill we have. We have a talent that a lot of people don’t understand and when you show someone for the first time, their eyes get really big and ask, How do you do that? I just love it!
What advice would you give a prospective student looking to enter the profession? If you are truly serious about a career in court reporting, take it serious. Start school at 100% and never back down. I truly believe you can be out of school in two years if you just give your all to it. You have to be willing to eat, drink and sleep school. It’s an incredible profession and WE NEED YOU!
What was the best job you’ve ever taken or show you’ve captioned? Death penalty cases are probably the most rewarding, most difficult in my opinion. Especially all of the medical terminology and legal arguments. It’s a totally different atmosphere in the courtroom during those cases. You are literally writing the most important part of history for somebody’s life.
What was the most important thing you learned in 2020? The most important thing I learned about court reporting in 2020 is how versatile we are as court reporters and our industry and how much we are needed. The most important thing I learned in life from 2020 is how precious our relationships are and that we should truly stop and appreciate every day God gives us on this earth.
What is the best show you watched on Netflix in 2020? I don’t watch a lot of TV or movies, and I’m not a Netflix girl, but on Hulu there was a series called Homeland and it was so addictive! We would watch four or five shows in one night! It’s about an FBI agent who has a bipolar disorder and her life. It has a lot to do with government politics and things that happened over in the Middle East. I can’t do it justice by trying to explain it, just go watch it!
Do you have pets? I do have two pets, Emmi, she’s a Yorkie, and Cookie, a Chocolate lab. They are so spoiled. Emmi is 14 years old and Cookie is 12 years old. They drive me nuts most of the time, but they are our “kids” and I know I will miss them terribly when they are gone.