PART V. COURT REPORTERS

§961. Court reporters; generally

            A. In any judicial district there may be appointed as many official court reporters as there are district judges in said judicial district. Each district judge may appoint one court reporter who shall hold office until it is declared vacated by the judge making the appointment. In judicial districts having more than one district judge, the judges, sitting en banc, with the approval of each police jury, may appoint such additional court reporters as in their discretion are required, who shall serve at the pleasure of the court en banc and may be assigned to the various divisions of the court, or to the grand jury, as the court en banc may direct.

            B. Each court reporter appointed under the provisions of Subsection A of this Section shall be required to take an oath of office and to furnish bond for the faithful performance of the duties of the office. The bond shall be in the sum of one thousand dollars and shall be approved by the judge making the appointment. The bond shall be in favor of the judge making the appointment, and any party litigant, for the purpose of protecting litigants against any acts of incompetence or neglect of duty on the part of the reporters. It shall be recorded and filed in the clerk's office in each of the parishes comprising the judicial district in and for which such appointment is made. Any party litigant shall have a right to sue on said bond for any damages sustained by said party litigant by any wrongful act or neglect of duty committed or omitted by the official court reporters in the performance of the duties of official court reporters.

            C.(1) The duties of the official court reporter shall be to report in shorthand, stenotype, or any other recognized manner, and transcribe into longhand by typewriting all the testimony taken in all civil appealable cases tried in the judicial district served by the court reporters, when ordered so to do by the presiding judge, and to furnish for the purpose of appeal the necessary copies of the testimony required by law for such appeal. In criminal cases tried in the judicial districts, the official court reporter shall record all portions of the proceedings required by law or the court and shall, when required by law or the court, transcribe those portions of the proceedings required, which shall be filed with the clerk of court in the parish where the case is being tried.

            (2) The official reporters appointed under Subsection A of this Section shall work concurrently under the direction and supervision of the judges appointing them, according to the needs and requirements in the various parishes comprising the district, in the interest of expediting the business before the judges of the court in said judicial district.

            D.(1) Each of the court reporters may appoint as many deputy reporters to assist them in the work of the office consistent with the volume of work to be done, and the reporter making the appointment shall be responsible for all compensation to be paid said deputies and for their work under his oath of office and bond.

            (2) Each deputy reporter appointed under the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection or appointed under any other provisions of law shall be required to furnish bond for the faithful performance of the duties of the office. The bond shall be in the sum of one thousand dollars and shall be approved by the court reporter making the appointment and the judge who appointed the said court reporter. The bond shall be in favor of the court reporter making the appointment, the judge who appointed the reporter, and any party litigant, for the purpose of protecting litigants against any acts of incompetence or neglect of duty on the part of the deputy reporter. It shall be recorded and filed in the clerk's office in each of the parishes comprising the judicial district in and for which such appointment is made. Any party litigant shall have a right to sue on the bond for any damages sustained by reason of any wrongful act or neglect of duty committed or omitted by the deputy reporter in the performance of the duties required of him; however, any such litigant shall also have the right to sue on the bond of the court reporter making the appointment.

            E. Each of the official court reporters provided for in Subsection A of this Section shall receive a monthly salary to be fixed and determined by the judge making the appointment. The salaries shall be paid out of the general fund of the parish or parishes comprising the judicial district for which the appointment is made. In districts which comprise more than one parish, the amount to be paid by each of the parishes comprising the district is to be in the proportion that the assessed value of each parish bears to the total assessed value of all the parishes comprising the district. The police jury of each parish shall budget the salary or the pro rata part of its share of the salary of the official court reporters in its budget of annual expenses.

            F.(1)(a) In all civil and criminal cases a fee not to exceed one dollar and fifty cents per thirty-one-line page and twenty-five cents per copy reported and transcribed shall be charged by and be paid to the court reporter who reported and transcribed the testimony. These fees shall be retained by him as compensation, in addition to the salary as provided in Subsection E, and shall be taxed as costs of the case in which such testimony is taken.

            (b) In the Ninth Judicial District such fee shall not exceed two dollars and fifty cents per thirty-one-line page.

            (c) In the Seventeenth Judicial District such fee shall not exceed two dollars and fifty cents for each thirty-one line page and fifty cents for each copied page.

            (d) In the Third Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount to be paid for each page and for each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases.

            (e) In the Second, Fifth, and Eighteenth Judicial Districts, in all cases, except those to be filed in forma pauperis, a fee determined by a majority of the judges for each page and each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter.

            (f) In the Twenty-Third Judicial District, in all cases, except those to be filed in forma pauperis, a fee determined by a majority of the judges for each page not to exceed two dollars and fifty cents for each thirty-one line page and each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter.

            (g) In the Twenty-Eighth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases, which fee shall not be less than one dollar and fifty cents nor exceed two dollars and fifty cents per thirty-one-line page.

            (h) In the Thirty-Fifth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases, which fee shall not be less than one dollar and fifty cents nor exceed two dollars and fifty cents per thirty-one-line page.

            (i) In the Twenty-First Judicial District, in all cases, except those to be filed in forma pauperis, a fee determined by a majority of the judges for each page not to exceed two dollars and fifty cents for each thirty-one-line page and each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter.

            (j) In the Eighth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases, which fee shall be not less than one dollar and fifty cents nor exceed two dollars and fifty cents per thirty-one line page and a fee not to exceed fifty cents per copy per page of transcribed testimony.

            (k) In the Fourth Judicial District, in all cases, except those to be filed in forma pauperis, a fee determined by a majority of the judges for each page not to exceed two dollars and fifty cents for each thirty-one-line page and each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter.

            (l) In the Sixth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases, which fee shall not exceed two dollars and fifty cents for each thirty-one line page and a fee not to exceed fifty cents per copy per page of transcribed testimony.

            (m) In the Twenty-Sixth Judicial District, parish of Bossier, in all cases a fee determined by a majority of the judges for each page not to exceed two dollars and fifty cents for each thirty-one line page and fifty cents for each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter.

            (n) In the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount to be paid for each page and for each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases.

NOTE: Subparagraph (F)(1)(o) eff. until if and when the Judicial Council provides a favorable recommendation to the Louisiana Legislature. See Acts 2023, No. 52.

            (o) In the Thirty-Sixth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount of the fee which shall be paid to the court reporter for the transcription of each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases, which fee shall not be less than one dollar and fifty cents and shall not exceed two dollars and seventy-five cents per thirty-one-line page and the amount of the fee per copy of each page of transcribed testimony, which shall not exceed twenty-five cents.

NOTE: Subparagraph (F)(1)(o) eff. if and when the Judicial Council provides a favorable recommendation to the Louisiana Legislature. See Acts 2023, No. 52.

            (o) In the Thirty-Sixth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount of the fee which shall be paid to the court reporter for the transcription of each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases and the amount of the fee per copy of each page of transcribed testimony.

            (p) In the Eleventh Judicial District, a majority of the judges en banc shall determine the amount to be paid for each page and for each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases in an amount not to exceed two dollars and seventy-five cents per page and in an amount not to exceed twenty-five cents per copy.

            (q) In the Thirty-Ninth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases, which fee shall not exceed two dollars and seventy-five cents for each thirty-two-line page and a fee not to exceed twenty-five cents per copy per page of transcribed testimony.

            (r) In the Twenty-Ninth Judicial District, a majority of the judges en banc shall determine the amount to be paid for each page and for each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed as required by law, which fee shall not exceed two dollars and seventy-five cents for each thirty-two-line page and a fee not to exceed twenty-five cents per copy per page of transcribed testimony.

            (s) In the Thirty-Third Judicial District Court, in all civil and criminal appeals, a fee not to exceed two dollars and seventy-five cents per thirty-two-line page and twenty-five cents per copy reported and transcribed shall be charged by and be paid to the court reporter who reported and transcribed the testimony. These fees shall be retained by him as compensation in addition to any other salary and shall be taxed as costs of the case in which such testimony is taken.

            (t) In the Thirty-Seventh Judicial District, the judge shall determine the amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases, which fee shall not exceed two dollars and seventy-five cents for each thirty-two-line page and a fee not to exceed twenty-five cents per copy per page of transcribed testimony.

            (u) In the Twentieth Judicial District Court, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount to be paid for each page and for each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases.

NOTE: Subparagraph (F)(1)(v) eff. upon issuance of a recommendation by the Judicial Council. See Acts 2018, No. 447.

            (v) In the Fifteenth Judicial District, in all cases, except those to be filed in forma pauperis, a fee determined by a majority of the judges for each page and each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter.

            (2) If the transcript is ordered to be filed prior to judgment, the payment of fees shall be made immediately upon the transcription of such evidence, and the court reporter shall not be required to file the transcript with the clerk before payment. The fees in civil cases shall be paid by the party requesting the matter to be reported and transcribed, except in pauper cases, and in criminal cases the fees shall be paid primarily by the defendant, except in indigent cases. If the party requesting the matter to be reported and transcribed fails or refuses to make such payment in civil cases, any other party in the suit may pay the same and have it assessed as costs.

            (3)(a) If the transcript is ordered after judgment for purposes of appeal the following shall apply:

            (i) In appeals by a pauper in civil cases and an indigent in criminal cases, the court reporter shall transcribe the testimony after the order of appeal is granted.

            (ii) In all other civil appeals and criminal appeals, the court reporter shall transcribe the testimony after the deposit provided by Article 2126 of the Code of Civil Procedure or Article 914.1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is made by the appellant.

            (b)(i) Upon completion of the transcription, the court's reporter shall file the transcript with the clerk of court, together with a statement of the fees due in connection therewith.

            (ii) Upon receipt of such statement and the transcript, the clerk shall pay the fees of the court reporter or, where the amount of the deposit is insufficient to pay all of the fees of the court reporter, the clerk shall make partial payment to the court reporter and shall serve notice of additional costs due upon the appellant in the manner provided by Article 2126 of the Code of Civil Procedure or Article 914.1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

            (iii) Thereafter, upon receipt of the additional deposit, the clerk shall pay the remaining fee of the court reporter.

            (4)(a) In civil pauper cases, the fees shall be assessed as costs and be paid by the party or parties ultimately cast in judgment as provided by Articles 5186, 5187, and 5188 of the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure.

            (b) In indigent criminal cases, the fees shall be paid primarily from the criminal court fund, the indigent defender fund, or as otherwise provided by law upon approval by the judge and shall be assessed as costs.

            G. The police jury of each of the parishes which comprise a judicial district for which court reporters are appointed shall furnish and provide the official court reporters with an office or a suitable place or accommodation equipped with the necessary office furniture and equipment for the reporting and transcription of any notes of evidence taken by the official court reporters. Each court reporter shall furnish all supplies, such as paper, carbon paper, shorthand pads, and all other supplies necessary for taking and transcribing said testimony; provided that additional salary or compensation, recording and transcribing machines, supplies and extra help may be provided to the court reporters for work in criminal court as required and as ordered by the judge, or by the judges en banc in judicial districts with more than one district judge, the cost thereof to be paid from the criminal court fund, or as otherwise provided by law and as ordered by the judges.

            H. The official court reporter, reporting and transcribing any evidence taken in any case by the reporter, shall make out an itemized statement of the fees charged for reporting and transcribing the notes of evidence and shall deliver the original of the statement to the clerk of court of the parish where the suit is pending, and a copy to the party litigant requesting the evidence to be reported and transcribed, or to his attorney of record. The party litigant, except the plaintiff in pauper cases, shall immediately pay to the court reporter the fee charged.

            I. This Section shall not repeal or supersede any other statute providing for the appointment or payment of official court reporters in any particular judicial district, but in such instances, this Section shall be construed as providing for an additional method of appointing court reporters.

            Acts 1991, No. 920, §1; Acts 1992, No. 625, §1; Acts 1995, No. 785, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1161, §1; Acts 1997, No. 617, §1; Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 115, §1; Acts 1999, No. 451, §2; Acts 1999, No. 617, §1; Acts 2001, No. 818, §1; Acts 2001, No. 830, §1; Acts 2001, No. 969, §1; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 119, §1, eff. April 23, 2002; Acts 2005, No. 158, §1; Acts 2005, No. 201, §1; Acts 2005, No. 211, §1; Acts 2006, No. 576, §1; Acts 2007, No. 2, §1, eff. June 8, 2007; Acts 2008, No. 220, §5, eff. June 14, 2008; Acts 2008, No. 713, §1; Acts 2011, 1^st Ex. Sess., No. 38, §1; Acts 2012, No. 189, §1; Acts 2018, No. 447, §1, See Act; Acts 2023, No. 52, §1, See Act.