AAERT and STAR have announced that their Boards of Directors have voted unanimously to pursue a merger that will create CAPTUR: The Council for the Advancement of Professionals, Technology, and Unbiased Reporting.
This milestone marks the next step in a growing collaboration between the two organizations, grounded in a shared belief that the profession deserves a unified, credible voice—and that human judgment, skill, and expertise, supported by technology, remain essential to making the record.
CAPTUR will become the first association in the industry to bring together all professionals involved in creating, supporting, and protecting the legal record. This includes stenographers, digital court reporters, voice writers, legal transcribers, videographers, scopists, editors, proofreaders, students, instructors, agency owners, managers, and other related professionals.
By uniting these groups, CAPTUR aims to:
- Foster stronger collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the profession
- Represent members with a single, credible voice to courts, clients, and stakeholders
- Champion the role of the human professional in the record
- Elevate the collective expertise and value of those who serve this vital public trust
This decision reflects a thoughtful and deliberate process led by both organizations’ boards, with a strong commitment to honoring the histories, memberships, certifications, and communities that define AAERT and STAR today.
The formation of CAPTUR will be a collaborative and inclusive process, with additional information to be shared in the coming weeks, including opportunities for member engagement and ratification. Members are encouraged to review the FAQ and attend upcoming town hall webinars to learn more.
Together, this effort represents a bold step forward in strengthening the future of the profession and ensuring that those who create the legal record are supported, represented, and recognized at the highest level.
Learn more about CAPTUR at https://aaert.org/?page_id=7946