Rule 4008 - Transcript Costs Payable By A Requesting Party - Local RuleA. Transcript Costs: 1. The charge to a requesting party for transcripts of judicial proceedings in the Courts of Carbon County prepared by a court reporter shall be as follows: a. For a requesting party other than the Commonwealth or a political subdivision of this Commonwealth when the transcript is provided in electronic format: (1) $2.50 per page for an ordinary transcript;(2) $3.50 per page for an expedited transcript (when available);(3) $4.50 per page for daily transcript (when available); and(4) $6.50 per page for same day delivery for transcripts delivered within six (6) hours of the close of the court session (when available). Any transcript prepared in bound paper format shall include a $0.25 per page surcharge.
b. For the Commonwealth or a Political Subdivision of this Commonwealth when the transcript is provided in electronic format:(1) $2.00 per page for an ordinary transcript, plus $1.00 per page for a copy requested by a party other than the Commonwealth or a political subdivision (provided that if more than one such party requests a copy, the aggregate cost of these copies to all requesting parties shall not exceed $2.50 per page);(2) $3.00 per page for an expedited transcript (when available), plus $1.00 per page for a copy requested by a party other than the Commonwealth or a political subdivision (provided that if more than one such party requests a copy, the aggregate cost of these copies to all requesting parties shall not exceed $3.50 per page);(3) $4.00 per page for a daily transcript (when available), plus $1.00 per page for a copy requested by a party other than the Commonwealth or a political subdivision (provided that if more than one such party requests a copy, the aggregate cost of these copies to all requesting parties shall not exceed $4.50 per page); and(4) $5.00 per page for same day delivery for transcripts delivered within six (6) hours of the close of the court session (when available), plus $1.00 per page for a copy requested by a party other than the Commonwealth or a political subdivision (provided that if more than one such party requests a copy, the aggregate cost of these copies to all requesting parties shall not exceed $6.50 per page). Any transcript prepared in bound paper format shall include a $0.25 per page surcharge.
c. For cases such as mass tort, medical malpractice or unusually complex litigation for which court reporters need to significantly expand their dictionary, upon certification of this need by the court reporter and approval by the presiding trial judge, a surcharge of $0.25 per page will be added to the foregoing rates charged the requesting party.2. The charge for a rough draft transcript of judicial proceedings in the Courts of Carbon County prepared by a court reporter is hereby set at $1.00 per page for an ordinary draft and $2.25 per page for a daily rough draft (when available).3. For any party who requests real time transmission of the court reporter's translated notes instantaneously by an electronic feed to a laptop, tablet, phone or other portable electronic device via cable, Wi-Fi, router or Bluetooth, the party, media or other interested individual making such request (after first checking with the District Court Administrator that real time transmission is available) shall (1) file their request with the District Court Administrator a minimum of fourteen days in advance of the proceeding; (2) be required to cover the cost of the electronic connection to accommodate such request; and (3) be charged a fee of $150.00 for each half day or less of transcription services provided by the court reporters and $300.00 for each day in which the proceedings exceed a half day.B. Waiver/Reduction of Transcript Costs:1. Ordinary transcripts requested by litigants in matters under appeal or where the transcript is necessary to advance the litigation who meet the minimum standards for economic hardship pursuant to Pa. R.J.A. 4008(B) (1) and (B) (2) shall attach to their transcript request an affidavit in support of any request to waive all or a portion of the transcription costs.2. The cost for ordinary transcripts in matters that are not under appeal or where the transcript is not necessary to advance the litigation, and the cost for expedited, daily, rough draft or same day delivery transcripts (when available) to litigants who meet the minimum standards for economic hardship pursuant to Pa.R.J.A. 4008(B) (1) and (B) (2) and who request a waiver or reduction in transcript fees shall have attached to the transcript request an affidavit in support of any request to waive all or a portion of the costs of transcription. Costs may be waived at the Court's discretion upon good cause shown.3. The affidavit required by Subsection (B) (1) and (B) (2) shall be in substantially the form required by Pa.R.C.P. 240(h).4. Litigants who have been approved for representation by legal aid services shall not be required to prove economic hardship and shall be entitled to obtain ordinary transcripts at no cost. Legal aid services must provide to the Presiding Judge and attach to their transcript request a letter of certification verifying in accordance with Pa.R.J.A. 4008(B) that the represented client meets financial eligibility and that the matter is under appeal or that the transcript being requested is necessary to advance the current litigation.C. Cost for Copies of Filed Transcripts: 1. Any requests for copies of transcripts that have been previously ordered, transcribed and filed of record shall be provided by the filing office at the following copy rates, which funds shall be turned over to the County of Carbon: a. $0.75 per page bound, paper format; andb. $0.50 per page electronic copy.