Forty Years and Forty Days - A Court Reporter (Electronic book text)

Fannie Smith began her court reporting career in Chicago. Soon she moved back to Minneapolis, near family. There she freelanced, working in the court system as a substitute and covering most of the conventions and business meetings in the area. The last 18 years, she was an official for the first judicial district working for Judge Robert J. Breunig. The area was rural, and became urban, bordering the south and west Twin Cities. In 1967, we were four judges and 4 court reporters. When I retired in 1985, there were near 30. Today the number has more than doubled. District, county and city judges became the same and rotated throughout the courts of the district. In the 1970's court reporters became a "pool" answering to a court administrator at the convenience of the court system. Fannie Smith was an early machine writer - never saw one in Chicago - second in Minnesota - in a world of pen writing court reporters who tolerated, or "feared" the female machine writer. In 1985, Fannie retired with her husband, Maynard, of 50 years. Together they spend about half of their time either in Milaca, Minnesota and in Sun City, Arizona. She's been writing family histories, and has published on the Internet The Record Never Forgets 2nd Edition, History of Court Reporting and Shorthand; and a book of historical fiction; Opportunity 1850 about the emigration of four farm brothers from Europe who realized their American dream.