TCRA, CAPTUR launch free CER exam prep for digital court reporters

The Court Reporting Academy and CAPTUR have teamed up to offer qualified digital court reporters free access to TCRA’s CER Prepare to Pass course through Oct. 15, 2026, plus a 10% discount on the AAERT Certified Electronic Reporter exam. The move targets a growing number of agencies and states that now require CER certification for digital reporters.

Why it matters: - Certification requirements for digital court reporters are expanding nationally. - A growing number of court reporting agencies and some states now require a valid AAERT Certified Electronic Reporter credential. - Free exam prep and a test discount lower the cost barrier for reporters trying to qualify for work.

What happened: - The Court Reporting Academy announced a partnership with CAPTUR to help working digital court reporters prepare for and pass the AAERT Certified Electronic Reporter exam. - CAPTUR is the new association formed through the merger of the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers and the Society for the Technological Advancement of Reporting. - Qualified reporters can take TCRA’s Prepare to Pass course at no cost if they register and complete it by Oct. 15, 2026. - Reporters who finish by that date also receive a code for 10% off the AAERT CER exam. - The exam discount applies only if reporters schedule and sit for the test by Oct. 31, 2026.

The details: - TCRA’s Prepare to Pass course carries a listed value of $195. - The free course offer is limited to qualified digital court reporters. - Registration is available at the course page. - Full eligibility and program requirements are posted at that link. - TCRA trains professionals for stenographic, voice writer and digital court reporting careers. - CAPTUR says it is the court reporting industry's first association created to unite professionals who create, support and protect the legal record. - CAPTUR includes stenographers, digital reporters, voice writers, transcribers, videographers, scopists and related professionals.

Between the lines: - The partnership gives TCRA and CAPTUR a practical way to push more reporters toward certification at a time when demand for verified credentials is rising. - The offer also signals that industry groups are trying to standardize training and credentialing as digital reporting becomes more regulated. - Patricia Falls, managing director of TCRA, said certification is quickly becoming the baseline for digital court reporters. - Andrea Wecker, president of CAPTUR, said the partnership fits the group's goal of supporting schools, students and certified professionals.

What's next: - Qualified digital reporters can register now and complete the course by Oct. 15, 2026. - Reporters must also sit for the CER exam by Oct. 31, 2026 to use the discount. - TCRA and CAPTUR are likely to keep positioning certification as a key pipeline for the profession.

The bottom line: - The partnership removes two common hurdles for digital court reporters: prep cost and exam price.