Unsung Heroes of the Court

# Summary

Josh and Chuck welcome a new writer, Livia Gershan, to the Stuff You Should Know team and dive into three often-overlooked courtroom roles: bailiffs, court stenographers, and sketch artists. The episode explores the surprisingly complex history and responsibilities of bailiffs dating back to medieval times, the fascinating evolution of court reporting from clay tablets to stenotype machines capable of recording 300 words per minute, and the nearly extinct art of courtroom sketch artists who emerged when cameras weren't allowed in trials. Along the way, they discuss celebrity bailiffs like Rusty Burrell and Judge Judy's famous bailiff Petrie Hawkins Bird, the rigorous training required to master stenotype machines, and why these three professions remain essential but largely invisible parts of the American legal system.