Section 4010. Format of Transcript

(A) The format of paper transcripts shall be as follows:

(1) Size. Paper size shall be 8 1/2 x 11 inches.

(2) Paper. Paper shall be opaque, white, archival quality paper, at least 13 pounds for both originals and copies.

(3) Preprinted Marginal Lines. Pages shall contain preprinted solid left and right marginal lines. Preprinted top and bottom marginal lines are optional.

(4) Line Numbers. Each page shall bear numbers indicating each line of transcription on the page.

(5) Number of Lines per Page. Each page shall contain 25 lines of text. The last page may contain fewer lines if it is less than a full page of transcription. Page numbers or notations (e.g., page headers) shall not be considered part of the 25 lines of text.

(6) Margins. Typing shall begin on each page at the 1 3/4 inch left margin and continue to the 3/8 inch right margin.

(7) Type Size. The letter character size is to be 12 point with 10 letters to the inch. This type size provides for approximately 63 characters to each line. Courier 12 point type is recommended.

(8) Spacing. Lines of text shall be double spaced.

(9) Indentations.

(a) Q and A. All ‘‘Q’’ and ‘‘A’’ designations shall begin at the left margin. The statement following the ‘‘Q’’ and ‘‘A’’ shall begin on the fifth space from the left margin. Subsequent lines shall begin at the left margin. Since depositions read at a trial have the same effect as oral testimony, the indentations for ‘‘Q’’ and ‘‘A’’ should be the same as described above. In the transcript, each question and answer read should be preceded by a quotation mark. At the conclusion of the reading, a closing quotation mark should be used.

(b) Colloquy. Speaker identification shall begin on the tenth space from the left margin followed directly by a colon. The statement shall begin on the third space after the colon. Subsequent lines shall begin at the left margin.

(c) Quotations. Quoted material other than depositions shall begin on the tenth space from the left margin, with additional quoted lines beginning at the tenth space from the left margin, with appropriate quotation marks used.

(d) Interruptions of Speech and Simultaneous Discussions. Interruptions of speech shall be denoted by the use of a dash at the point of interruption, and again at the point the speaker resumes speaking.

(e) Page Heading (also known as ‘‘Headers’’). A page heading is brief descriptive information noted to aid in locating a person and/or event in a transcript. Page headings shall appear above line 1 on the same line as the page number. This information shall not to be counted as a line of transcript.

(f) Parentheses. Parenthetical notations shall be marked by parentheses. They shall begin with an open parenthesis on the fifth space from the left margin, with the remark beginning on the sixth space from the left margin. Parentheses are used for customary introductory statements such as call to order of court or swearing in a witness. Parentheses are also used for indicating non-verbal behavior, pauses, and readback/playback.

(B) Electronic transcripts shall comply with the format standards set forth in Rule 4010(A)(3) through (9) for paper transcripts and, in addition, shall be in PDF format with the following settings:

(1) functions disabled: content changes

(2) functions enabled: search, select, copy, paste and print.

Comment

Rule 4010 standards for both paper and electronic transcripts, which closely follow federal court standards, assure that all transcripts of proceedings before the Pennsylvania courts are formatted in the same way, whether prepared by official court reporters or transcriptionists, contract or per diem personnel, or by transcription companies.