We work with an excellent group of certified and independently-contracted court reporters throughout the state. Our partnerships are based on respect and support, and we invest in quality core business infrastructure (such as business cultivation efforts, scheduling services, document production management, statewide facilities, et. al.) to allow them to do what they do best.
COURT REPORTERS
freelance reporters
Charles Fisher, Founder/Principal
Chuck was born in a manger in Thermopolis, Wyoming…he would tell you.
He grew up with his three sisters, mom and dad in Miles City, Montana, running around the hills along the river and adventuring before his parents moved the family to Wolf Point where they ran the local Sherman Hotel. Chuck helped with the hotel, and in the summers, Chuck worked on ranches that the O’Brien family owned. Chuck played drums in a band called the Exterminators and finished high school. Upon graduation, Chuck and his friend enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp and set off for bootcamp in California, and then were sent off to Okinawa and Vietnam; a harrowing and character-building experience. He is very proud of his service to our country.
VIEW FULL DESCRIPTIONAfter a tour in Vietnam, he returned to Montana and moved to Missoula to begin college at the University of Montana on the GI bill, but found that the university wasn’t really for him at the time. Having a mind and acumen for business and a penchant for hard work, he got into the recycling business with some friends and started the first recycling centers around Montana. He met Laura during this time, and they soon married. When they found out they were having their first child, they decided to seek a new professional career path. Searching for information on court reporting and for a change of scenery, they loaded up and headed off to Phoenix where he began school. Missing home and discovering that Phoenix was not quite where they wanted to start their business, Chuck and Laura decided to finish his schooling in Seattle, and then return home to Montana to establish their business. And Fisher Court Reporting was born.
Chuck has spent nearly 40 years court reporting and building his business with Laura, working out of various buildings in Bozeman, moving eastward down Mendenhall, ultimately to a little brick house where they spent most of their time churning and growing. He also relentlessly traveled the state and around the country reporting, and has incredible stories to tell about all the crazy and interesting adventures he’s had with many attorneys around the state.
About 10 years ago, having a vision to help alleviate some of that ongoing travel for the business, Chuck decided to open several Fisher hubs around the state to offer video conferencing and to be able to connect people for business in a meaningful way that would help save time, travel and expense. The business has continued to grow from there and currently supports a crew of 20+ people.
Over the years, Chuck and Laura loved to have a boat and bring their kids to the cabin at the lake during the summers. He loves music, playing the guitar, landscaping and working on projects. He mostly loves flying his Cessna 182 airplane which has continued for decades, flying all over the country, Canada, into the back country, and lately down into Mexico on the Baja, where he a Laura have found a wonderful little community to enjoy the sun and boat on the ocean amongst the sea creatures, when they’re not up in Montana working. He adores his 5 grandchildren who adore their “Pop”.
Kasey Fisher, RPR
Hi, I’m Kasey, one of the Fisher daughters and court reporter in our family business. Having been raised in this great industry and company with my parents, I knew court reporting was what I wanted to do when I grew up! I went to court reporting school at Green River Community College in Auburn, Washington from 1999-2002 and immediately returned to Bozeman to begin my career and have been at it ever since!
When I’m not pounding out the pages on my machine, I am enjoying lots of quality time with my three kids. My kids are super busy swimming on the Barracudas, and playing hockey, lacrosse and running cross-country. You will find me on the sidelines at each of their events cheering them on!
In addition to being super mom to my awesome kids, I love to SCUBA dive, travel near and far, camp, boat, ski, run a little, and spending time with my family and friends, cooking for them!
Deb Fabritz, RPR
Deb graduated from American Institute of Business in 1979 in Iowa where she grew up (that long ago!). She started her court reporting career in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1985, she returned home after a family death and started her own agency. She married and moved to the Chicagoland area in 1990 and kept busy working for two agencies in the area. She moved to Montana in 2009 and says she will never move from here! She and her husband like driving the backroads of Montana, fly fishing, golfing, hiking and snowmobiling. She has two sons.
Sharon Gaughan, RDR, CRR, CRC
A 32-year veteran of reporting, retiring from the State of Montana District Court at the end of 2014 and joining Fisher Reporting at the Billings Office January of 2015.
Sharon also holds NCRA’s Registered Professional Reporter, Registered Merit Reporter, Registered Diplomate Reporter, Certified Realtime Reporter and Certified Realtime Captioner certifications. She is also Past President of the Montana Court Reporters Association and recipient of their Distinguished Service Award in 1998. On the national level, she has been very involved with testing and certification for reporters since the early ‘90’s and is currently a member of NCRA’s Skills Test Writing Committee.
When not reporting, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, preferably outdoors on the back of a boat fishing in the summer and cruising to someplace warm in the winter.
Robyn Ori English
Robyn started her court reporting career in 1985 with the Honorable Joseph Gary in Bozeman, Montana, and continued on with the Honorable Tom Honzel in Helena, Montana, The Honorable Loren Tucker and the Honorable Luke Berger in Dillon, Montana. Robyn joined Fisher Court Reporting in 2015.
Robyn and her husband John recently moved back to their hometown of Dillon, MT. They have 5 children between them.
Mary Sullivan, RPR, RMR, CRR
Mary was born and raised in Madison, South Dakota. Upon graduating from the Stenotype Institute in Sioux Falls in 1981 at the age of 19, she accepted a job in Missoula, sight unseen. She knew when she arrived, she had come home.
She is married and has two sons, Brian and Patrick, who both live in Montana.
When she isn’t reporting, she enjoys gardening, knitting, sewing, baking, serving, and becoming adopted grandparents to young families at church.
Barbara Batts, RMR, CRR
Reporter for 35 years in Billings and Maui.
Registered Merit Reporter and Certified Realtime Reporter.
Interests: Books, music, movies, hiking, hot yoga, my puppy Hobie, spending time with friends and family.
Julie DeLong, RPR
Julie DeLong (Sampson) graduated with her Court Reporting degree in 1987 from the College of Legal Arts , Portland, Oregon. The majority of her career has been working as a freelance reporter, working as a contract reporter for Fisher many of those years. Julie also brings many years of courtroom experiencing, serving as an Official Reporter for two years in the Workers’ Compensation Court, five-plus years in State Court, and, most recently, five years as the Official Reporter in the Great Falls Division of the Federal Court, serving under both Federal Judge Sam E. Haddon, and then his successor, Federal Judge Brian M. Morris.
Julie remarried in November 2016 and relocated to from Great Falls to St. Ignatius to live with her husband, David. She has rejoined Fisher as a freelance reporter and covers mostly the Missoula to Kalispell area, and anywhere between on Highway 93. You may even see her in Bozeman, Butte, Helena, Great Falls, Billings or otherwise.
Julie and her husband have 6 grown children and 8 grandchildren.
Jackie Hill
Jackie Hill is a Billings native who graduated from Denver Academy of Court Reporting in 1988. Jackie has worked as an official for the State of Colorado, Pitkin County, as well as in freelance. After a long break from her career in court reporting to raise two boys with her husband Bruce, she has reentered the field. In the interim, Jackie has stayed active in the medical and legal community working home-based jobs. Jackie enjoys time with her family most of all, and is excited to have an incoming Freshman to the MSU Bozeman campus. GO CATS GO!