Section 4009. Fees Payable to the Court Reporter or Transcriptionist by the Judicial District. Local Rule

Each judicial district shall promulgate and publish a local rule establishing the fees to be paid to court reporters and transcriptionists for all court reporting products.

Official Note

For rules governing the promulgation of local rules, see Pa.R.J.A. No. 103(c).

Comment

By local rule, each judicial district shall set forth a comprehensive schedule of fees to be paid to court reporting personnel for all transcript products. While the maximum costs that may be charged to litigants or the public is fixed by Rule 4008, and may not be exceeded, a judicial district has the discretion to pay court reporters and transcriptionists a differing amount. In sum, these rules provide that litigants pay the transcript costs to the court according to the statewide schedule set forth in Rule 4008. The court, in turn, pays transcript fees to the court reporting personnel according to the fee schedule set by the judicial district.

The fee schedule of a judicial district must specify the fees that court reporters and transcriptionists are paid for both transcripts requested by litigants and transcripts requested by the Commonwealth or a subdivision thereof. Therefore, at a minimum, the local rule required in Rule 4009 must include the fees payable to court reporters and transcriptionists for (1) private-party transcripts, (2) transcripts ordered by governmental entities, (3) indigency and economic hardship cases, and (4) accelerated delivery surcharges.