HLS 16RS-1038 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 538
BY REPRESENTATIVE GAROFALO
COURTS/COURT REPORTERS: Provides relative to court reporter fees on appeal matters
and transcript contracts
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 13:980(D)(1), relative to court reporters for the Thirty-Fourth
3 Judicial District Court; to provide for court reporter fees on matters on appeal; to
4 provide for private contracts for transcripts of testimony for matters not on appeal;
5 and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 13:980(D)(1) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 §980. Court reporters for the Thirty-Fourth Judicial District
9 * * *
10 D(1) In all cases on appeal, the reporter shall be paid a fee as determined by
11 a majority of the judges en banc which fee shall not to exceed two dollars and
12 seventy five cents three dollars for each original thirty-two line page transcribed and
13 where a copy is requested by a litigant, shall furnish such copy and be paid a fee of
14 one dollar and fifty twenty five cents for each page thereof. At the request of any of
15 the party proceedings, or at the order of a district judge, the court reporter shall
16 transcribe all or part of the testimony or other matter taken down and shall furnish
17 as many copies thereof as may be required by law for an appeal. For matters not on
18 appeal, a litigant requesting a transcript of testimony or other matter transcribed shall
19 enter into a private civil contract with the court reporter for the payment of fees
20 applicable to those contracts. Such fees shall be in accordance with fees customarily
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 16RS-1038 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 538
1 charged in the judicial district for depositions. The reporter, except when ordered by
2 the judge, shall not be required to file or furnish any transcribed testimony until the
3 transcription fee is paid. If those parties, or the judge, direct the original transcription
4 fee is paid. If those parties, or the judge, direct the original transcription, each party
5 shall pay the expense of transcribing the testimony offered by him. No fee shall be
6 allowed for transcribing matter other than testimony, objections and rulings thereon,
7 bills, notes of evidence, and such other matters as may be ordered by the judge. All
8 such fees shall be paid directly to the court reporter performing the service as
9 additional compensation and shall be taxed as costs.
10 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 538 Original 2016 Regular Session Garofalo
Abstract: Increases the 34
th
J.D.C. court reporter fees paid for transcripts for all cases on
appeal and authorizes contracts for certain transcripts.
Present law provides that in all cases in the 34
th
J.D.C., the court reporter shall be paid a fee
as determined by a majority of the judges en banc which fee shall not exceed $2.75 for each
original 32-line page transcribed and where a copy is requested by a litigant, shall furnish
such copy and be paid a fee for each page of the transcript.
Proposed law removes present law relative to a majority of the judges determining the
amount of the fee.
Proposed law specifies that for all cases on appeal, the reporter shall be paid a fee not to
exceed $3 for each page transcribed and increases from 25¢ to $1.50 the per page fee paid
by a litigant requesting a copy of the transcript.
Proposed law provides that for matters not on appeal, a litigant requesting a transcript of
testimony shall enter into a fee-based private civil contract with the court reporter, which
fees shall be in accordance with fees customarily charged in the judicial district for
depositions.
(Amends R.S. 13:980(D)(1))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.