We’re thrilled to welcome Meagan Davis, a certified voice writer, to our team! With her exceptional skills and commitment to delivering an accurate record, Meagan is playing a key role in expanding our services and enriching the experience we offer to our clients. We had the chance to sit down with Meagan to learn about her unique path into voice writing, the inspiration behind her work, and how she leverages technology to maintain accuracy. Here’s what she had to share:
Q: Can you start by telling us a little about yourself and your background? Where are you from, and how did you get into voice writing?
Meagan: My name is Meagan Davis, and I’m originally from Arkansas. About 15 years ago, I first heard about court reporting through a friend of a friend. At the time, I thought about switching careers but ultimately decided to stick with where I was at. Fast forward about ten years, we moved to a new area, and I met a neighbor who was a court reporter. Spending time with her and learning about her work reignited that initial curiosity. I took advantage of opportunities to shadow other reporters and realized that court reporting was the career path for me.
Q: How long have you been working as a voice writer, and what led you to start collaborating with Coash Court Reporting and Video?
Meagan: I’ve been a certified court reporter for about eight months now. I hold a national certification with the National Verbatim Reporters Association and a Certified Court Reporter license with the Arkansas Supreme Court. I’m currently waiting for licensure with the Arizona Supreme Court. After my husband’s job transfer brought us to Arizona, I began exploring local agencies to collaborate with. Coash Court Reporting and Video came highly recommended by colleagues, and after researching the company, I knew it was the right fit for me.
Q: Voice writing requires a lot of focus and precision. How do you stay sharp and ensure that you’re always capturing the details accurately during a deposition?
Meagan: To stay sharp, I make sure to warm up my voice before I arrive at a job. On my drive, I do phonation exercises, like straw phonation, and run through short dictations to help me get in the zone and find my dictation voice. If I have NODs (Notice of Depositions) or documents ahead of time, I practice any unfamiliar names or locations and enter them into software for easier takedown. Preparation and focus are key to maintaining accuracy during a deposition.
Q: Technology plays a big role in voice writing. What tools or technologies do you use in your work, and how have they impacted your process?
Meagan: I use Dragon NaturallySpeaking as my voice recognition software and Eclipse as my CAT (Computer-Aided Transcription) software for transcription. When I’m taking down the record, I use a voice-silencing stenomask to dictate everything—the spoken words, speaker IDs, punctuation, parentheticals, and more—into the software. I also use voice codes or briefs to streamline the process and capture longer phrases with fewer spoken words. For example, when the record reads:
Q. Please state your name for the record.
A. Meagan Davis.
Q. Are you married, Ms. Davis?
A. Yes.
Speaker 2: Object to form.
I say, “keiko please state your name for the record kayco Meagan Davis keiko are you married kak Ms. Davis yes-ski form two.”
For machine writers, their steno notes are the record, but for voice writers, their spoken words are the record. Each job is a chance to refine my technique and improve my Dragon profile to work more efficiently.
We’re beyond excited to welcome Meagan to the Coash Court Reporting & Video family! Her passion for voice writing, combined with her dedication to accuracy, makes her a great addition to our team.
Whether you need a court reporter for a deposition, hearing, or any other legal proceeding, Meagan is here to meet your needs with precision and professionalism.