Louisiana Revised Statutes 13:971 – A. In addition to the court reporters appointed under the provisions of R.S. 13:961(A), the judges of the Sixteenth Judicial District may appoint one additional court reporter, and e
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 13:971
- Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
- Court reporter: A person who makes a word-for-word record of what is said in court and produces a transcript of the proceedings upon request.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- In forma pauperis: In the manner of a pauper. Permission given to a person to sue without payment of court fees on claim of indigence or poverty.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
- Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
- Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
A. In addition to the court reporters appointed under the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 13:961(A), the judges of the Sixteenth Judicial District may appoint one additional court reporter, and each of the judges of the Twenty-Seventh Judicial District may appoint one additional court reporter. Each court reporter shall be assigned by the judges of his respective district to assist the other court reporters in their duties.
B.(1)(a) In the Twenty-Seventh Judicial District, in all civil cases a fee of three dollars and fifty cents per page for the original and fifty cents per page for copies reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter who reports and transcribes the testimony and shall be retained by him as compensation in addition to the salary as provided herein.
(b) In all civil cases which are reported but not transcribed, one-half of the fees provided in this Subsection for originals shall be charged by and be paid to the reporter.
(c) 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 in forma pauperis cases, but the court reporter may test by rule the plaintiff’s right to the benefits of Articles 5181 through 5188 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(2) In all criminal cases, except those involving indigent defendants, a fee of three dollars and fifty cents per page for the original, and fifty cents for each copy thereafter reported and transcribed shall be paid to the court reporter who reports and transcribes the testimony and shall be retained by him as compensation in addition to the salary as provided herein. The payment of fees in criminal cases involving indigent defendants shall be governed by the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 13:4529.
(3) The fees provided by this Subsection, to the extent herein provided, shall be retained by the reporter as compensation in addition to the salary provided for herein.
(4) The court of the Twenty-Seventh Judicial District Court shall establish an indigent transcript fund for the deposit of all monies that may be received under the provisions of this Subsection relative to the payment of court reporter fees for transcripts prepared for indigents, except as provided in this Subsection.
(5) All funds received and deposited therein shall be used and paid out:
(a) To compensate criminal court reporters for the preparation of all transcripts for indigent defendants, including trials, motions, hearings on writs, and all court proceedings.
(b) To compensate juvenile court reporters for the preparation of all transcripts arising from juvenile proceedings when the juvenile’s parent or legal custodian or the adult, over whom the court is exercising juvenile jurisdiction, is found to be indigent in accordance with Children’s Code Articles 320 and 321.
(6) If funds are available at the end of the fiscal year, the court may retain three thousand dollars from the fund as compensation for administration of the fund.
(7) Court reporters shall be paid three dollars and fifty cents per thirty-one-line page for such work, and twenty-five cents per page for each copy, as funds become available, all such payments to be made from the criminal indigent transcript fund by the court.
(8)(a) In all criminal cases over which the court has original, appellate, supervisory, or concurrent jurisdiction, including traffic violations, except parking, there shall be assessed as costs against every defendant who is convicted after trial or after a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or who forfeits his bond, the sum of five dollars, which shall be transmitted to the court for further disposition in accordance herewith.
(b) In all civil cases over which the court has original, appellate, supervisory, or concurrent jurisdiction, there shall be collected the sum of three dollars for every civil filing, which shall be transmitted to the court for further disposition in accordance herewith.
(9) The court shall cause to be conducted annually an audit of the fund and the books and accounts relating thereto in accordance with the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 24:513. The cost of the audit shall be paid from monies in the fund.
C.(1)(a) In the Sixteenth Judicial District, in all civil cases a fee of two dollars and fifty cents per page for the original and fifty cents per page each for the first and second copies for cases reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter who reports and transcribes the testimony and shall be retained by him as compensation in addition to the salary as provided herein.
(b) In all civil cases which are reported but not transcribed, one-half of the fees provided in this Subsection for originals shall be charged by and be paid to the reporter.
(c) 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 in forma pauperis cases, but the court reporter may test by rule the plaintiff’s right to the benefits of Articles 5181 through 5188 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(2) In all criminal cases, except those involving indigent defendants, a fee of two dollars and fifty cents per page for the original and fifty cents per page each for the first and second copies reported and transcribed shall be paid to the court reporter who reports and transcribes the testimony and shall be retained by him as compensation in addition to the salary as provided herein. The payment of fees in criminal cases involving indigent defendants shall be governed by the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 13:4529.
(3) The fees provided by this Subsection, to the extent herein provided, shall be retained by the reporter as compensation in addition to the salary provided for herein.
Added by Acts 1968, No. 570, §1. Amended by Acts 1969, No. 105, §1; Acts 1970, No. 75, §1; Acts 1977, No. 227, §1; Acts 1977, No. 307, §1; Acts 1978, No. 529, §1; Acts 1983, No. 249, §1; Acts 1983, No. 45, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1128, §1; Acts 1999, No. 451, §1; Acts 1999, No. 846, §2; Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 78, §1; Acts 2015, No. 194, §1; Acts 2017, No. 129, §1.
NOTE: See Acts 2017, No. 129, §1, regarding contingency eff. date.