Voice Writers Are Here And They Just Saved California Court Reporting
I’ve spent 25 years working in the court reporting industry. First being a freelance reporter. Then building this agency. And all the while watching stenographers retire faster than we can groom rookies. The result? Empty chairs, delayed depos, and agencies (mine included) scrambling for cover. But the Court Reporters Board of California just flipped the script: voice writers are now eligible for the exact same CSR license as steno reporters. Translation? The shortage’s days are numbered.
[I wrote about this in 2023 and even recorded a demo of voice writing in action: The End of the Court Reporter Shortage In Sight]Why We Hit DEFCON 1 in the First Place
- 10% pass rate. Four voices, ten minutes, 200-wpm, 95% accuracy—most students crash and burn. (Note: The pass rate was lowered from 97.5% to 95% effective January 1, 2025, per Sunset Bill AB 3252.)
- Retiring demographics. The average reporter age clocks in at 55-ish and dreams of pickleball, not rough drafts.
- Zoom-era backlog. Virtual depo boom means more jobs, fewer reporters.
- Agency scramble. We shuffle schedules, beg freelancers, and somehow get through another day’s calendar!
End result? Bottlenecked justice and court reporting agencies pulling their hair out.
Enter Voice Writers -- Same Badge, Faster Runway
Because most humans already speak near 180 wpm, the learning curve is a hill, not Everest. Schools can churn out licensed talent three times faster, plugging gaps before they turn into scheduling sinkholes. We’re onboarding our first voice-writer cohort this year; they’ll have the same CSR license you already trust.
Digital Recorders? Not Even the Same Sport
A quick PSA: voice writers ≠ digital recorders.
- Risks of Digital Recording - https://www.risksofdigitalrecording.com/
- Voice writer: Certified pro, live diction, AI-backed CAT, instant verbatim scroll.
- Digital recorder: Presses record, crosses fingers the HVAC hum doesn’t drown out the testimony!
One safeguards the record; the other hopes the record is audible later. Big difference.
Five Rapid-Fire Reassurances for Attorneys
- Same license, no asterisks. The CRB doesn’t mark transcripts ‘voice-written.’ A transcript created by me as a stenographic writer and one created by a voice writer hold the same weight and force. They both have the same certification at the end of the day.
- Mirror-image coursework. Grammar, legal/med terminology, ethics, transcript prep—twin syllabi.
- Real-time hookup. Your transcript looks identical whether the reporter used a steno machine or whispered into a mask.
- Depo Room Composure. Same dress code, same oath, zero circus vibes.
- Proven numbers. They conquer the 95% benchmark, ensuring accuracy while getting there faster. (Updated pass rate effective January 1, 2025.)
In other words: new pipeline, old-school reliability.
Ripple Effects We’ll All Feel
- Lawyers breathe easier. Fewer continuances and ‘Sorry, no reporter available’ emails.
- Law firms regain rhythm. Calendars unclog; billable prep stays on track.
- Students see daylight. A one-year pathway pulls fresh talent who’d never gamble on the six-year plan (which is how long it took yours truly).
- Technology jumps. More realtime reporters = broader adoption of live exhibits, instant roughs, and analytics.
- Regulatory updates strengthen the profession. As of January 1, 2025, Sunset Bill AB 3252 allows NVRA-certified voice writers to bypass the CRB skills test, lowers the skills test pass rate to 95%, requires public-facing email addresses for licensees, and mandates stating name and license number at proceedings. These changes streamline certification and enhance transparency.
Give it half a decade and the reporter shortage will sound like dial-up internet—ancient history we joke about at conventions.
Final Word
Court reporting’s prime directive is simple: protect the record. By opening the CSR gate to voice writers, California just fortified that mission for decades. Steno or voice, keyboard or mask—we’re one guild, united by accuracy and sworn testimony. I’m fired up to watch this next chapter unfold, and I hope you are, too.
Let’s get back to making a verbatim difference.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
