A.  There shall be appointed one court reporter for the district judge in the Thirteenth Judicial District, and the qualifications, mode of appointment, duties and compensation of the reporter shall be as provided in this section.

B.  The judge shall appoint one court reporter whose term of office shall continue for the current term of the judge making the appointment, or until the office is declared vacated by the judge, or his successor in office.

C.  The court reporter shall take an oath of office and furnish bond for the faithful performance of his duties.  The bond shall be in the sum of one thousand dollars and shall be in favor of the judge for the purpose of protecting litigants against any acts of incompetency or neglect of duty by the court reporter.  The bond shall be recorded and filed in the clerk’s office in each of the parishes of the district.  Any party litigant or aggrieved person may sue on the bond for any damage sustained through any wrongful act or neglect of duty by the court reporter in the performance of his duties; provided, however, that the aggregate liability of the surety to all such persons shall in no event exceed the sum of such bond.

D.  The court reporter shall report in shorthand, stenograph, voice recording with equipment approved by the presiding judge, or in any recognized manner approved by the presiding judge, and transcribe into longhand by typing all the testimony taken in all civil appealable cases tried in open court, and furnish, for the purpose of appeal, the necessary carbon copies of the testimony required by law.  In criminal cases, the making of objections to the admissibility of any portion of the evidence adduced therein, or any matter incident to the trial of which a bill of exception is desired to be taken, shall have the right to have a court reporter called into court and have that portion of the evidence taken down in any recognized manner, as hereinabove provided, together with the ruling of the court thereon and the reservation of bill of exception thereto, which portion of evidence shall be transcribed by the reporter and filed with the clerk of court in the parish where the case is being tried, to be annexed to and form the basis of the bill of exception so taken.

E.  The reporter shall have the power to administer oaths in all matters pertaining to depositions taken outside of court to be used in the thirteenth judicial district court or in other courts.  Certificates issued by the said reporter and signed by him, within the scope of his authority, shall be received in the courts of this state as are the certificates now issued by notaries public.

F.  In addition to the duties set out in Subsection (D), the court reporter shall serve as secretary to the district judge in such district.

G.  The court reporter shall work under the direction and supervision of the judge making the appointment according to the needs and requirements in the various parishes comprising the district in the interest of expediting the business before the court.

H.  Each court reporter shall receive a monthly salary of not more than one thousand three hundred dollars to be fixed and determined by the police jury of Evangeline Parish, which constitutes the district, which sum is to be paid monthly throughout the year.  The  police jury of Evangeline Parish shall budget the salary of each court reporter in its budget of annual expenses.

I.(1)(a)  In all civil cases, a fee of two dollars and twenty-five cents per page and twenty-five cents per copy of each page reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to each court reporter for reports and for transcribing the testimony.

(b)  In criminal cases, a fee not to exceed two dollars per page and twenty-five cents per copy of each page reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to such court reporter for performing such duties.

(2)  These fees shall be retained by him as compensation in addition to the salary as provided herein and shall be taxed as cost of the suit in which the testimony is taken.

(3)  Except in pauper cases, payment of the fees shall be made primarily by the plaintiff immediately upon the transcription of the evidence, and each court reporter shall not be required to file the transcript with the clerk before payment.  Should the plaintiff fail or refuse to make such payment, the defendant or any other party to the suit may make the same and have it assessed as a cost.

(4)  No fee shall be charged for taking evidence on bills of exception, motions, or other pleadings in criminal cases.

(5)  All copies required to perfect appeals shall be furnished at no additional cost.

J.  The police jury of Evangeline Parish may furnish and provide the court reporter with an office or a suitable place of accommodations equipped with the necessary office furniture, including typewriters, a telephone, a desk, a chair, a table, supply cabinet, and files.  The court reporter shall furnish all other supplies and equipment such as adding machines, paper, carbon paper, stenograph machines, shorthand pads and all other supplies and equipment necessary for the taking and transcribing of said testimony.  In addition, the court reporter shall be responsible for all traveling expenses and other expenses incurred in the discharge of his duties.

K.  The court reporter will file and retain his notes for a period of one year after judgment is rendered.

L.  The court reporter shall make out an itemized statement of the fees charged for reporting and transcribing the notes of evidence.  He shall deliver the original of the statement to the clerk of court of the parish where the suit is pending and retain a copy in his files.  The party litigant, except one entitled to the benefits of La. Rev. Stat. 13:4525 through 13:4529, immediately shall pay to the court reporter the fee charged.  The fee shall be paid by a litigant entitled to the benefits of La. Rev. Stat. 13:4525 through 13:4529 when the litigant recovers judgment for costs and realizes a sufficient amount therefrom to pay his fee.  No compromise shall be valid which does not provide for the payment of all reporting fees due and owing as provided herein for regular litigation.

M.  In every civil appealable case set for trial, the court reporter may demand and secure from the plaintiff, before the trial of the case begins, a bond to guarantee the payment of the fees to the reporter, except where said plaintiff is exempt by existing law from paying costs in advance or as they accrue.  No bond shall be required in forma pauperis cases, but the court reporter may test by rule the plaintiff’s right to the benefits of La. Rev. Stat. 13:4525 through 13:4529.

N.  The court reporter may appoint, with the consent of the judge, as many deputy reporters to assist him in the work of the office consistent with the work to be done, and the reporter making the appointment shall be responsible for the work of his deputies under his oath of office and bond.  The reporter shall have the power to administer oaths in all matters pertaining to depositions taken outside of court to be used in the Thirteenth Judicial District court or in other courts.  Certification issued by the said reporter and filed by him within the scope of his authority shall be received in the courts of this state as are the certificates of notaries public.

Added by Acts 1968, No. 459, §1.  Amended by Acts 1982, No. 106, §1; Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 101, §1.