Court Reporters Board of California urges judges and attorneys to learn about voice writing

The Court Reporters Board of California is urging judges and attorneys across the state to become familiar with voice writing, the board said, noting that the method requires the same certifications and board standards as machine (steno) writing.

Alena Murphy, a certified shorthand court reporter who works at a courthouse in Santa Clara County as a voice writer, described how the technique works and how it has been received by courtroom participants. "My courthouse is very open to voice writing," Murphy said, adding that attorneys sometimes glance at the equipment but did not challenge her qualifications.

Murphy said she often demonstrates the voice mask during breaks to show that what she speaks into the mask appears on her computer. "It's just the tool used to input the data into the computer is different, but everything else is the same," she said. "Make no mistake, this is court reporting. I would say I'm not recording the room. I am the record. I am dictating everything that I hear. I am identifying who is speaking with voice codes."

The board advised judges and attorneys who want more information to visit the Court Reporters Board of California website or call 877-ASK-CRB for resources and guidance on certification standards and demonstrations.

The board did not announce any rule changes in the transcript; the remarks in this recording were presented as an informational outreach about an alternative, certified method of producing the official court record.