Section 13:2487.20 - Court reporter; feesA. The city judge shall appoint the clerk as court reporter or appoint a competent court reporter to take the evidence in any case in which it is necessary to do so under the laws applicable to district courts, unless the parties waive the appointment of the reporter. At the request of any party, the judge shall order the transcription of the testimony taken by the court reporter.B. Except in pauper cases, the fees of the court reporter in civil cases shall be charged as costs in the litigation, but shall be paid primarily by the plaintiff upon completion of the transcript of the testimony, and the plaintiff shall be primarily responsible therefor, or on his failure to do so, by the defendant or any other party, and the reporter shall not be required to file the transcript before payment.