A court reporter, stenotype reporter or stenographer is a person whose occupation is to transcribe spoken or recored speech into written form, typically using a stenotype or stenomask to produce official transcripts of court hearings, depositions and other official proceedings. These shorthand systems allow the reporter to keep up with the flow of speech so that no words are missed. In the United States, the court reporter is often also a notary public who is authorized to administer oaths to witnesses, and who certifies that her or his transcript of the proceedings is a verbatim account of what was said.