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HLS 26RS-816 ENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 527
BY REPRESENTATIVE MUSCARELLO
COURTS/COURT REPORTERS: Provides for a statewide revision of court reporter fees
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 13:961(C)(1) and (F)(1), 962(H), 963(I)(1), 964(H), 964.1(B),
3 966(A) and (C), 967(C)(1), 969(G) and (I), 970(L), 971(B)(1)(a), (2), and (7) and
4 (C)(1) and (2), 972(D)(1), 975(B), 976(C), 978(H)(1)(a), 979(H), and 980(D)(1) and
5 to repeal R.S. 13:970(K), Act No. 126 of the 2017 Regular Session of the Legislature
6 of Louisiana, Act No. 232 of the 2020 Regular Session of the Legislature of
7 Louisiana, Act Nos. 52 and 228 of the 2023 Regular Session of the Legislature of
8 Louisiana, and the provisions of Act No. 447 of the 2018 Regular Session of the
9 Legislature of Louisiana enacting R.S. 13:961(F)(1)(v), relative to court reporter
10 fees; to provide for a statewide revision of court reporter fees; and to provide for
11 related matters.
12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
13 Section 1. R.S. 13:961(C)(1) and (F)(1), 962(H), 963(I)(1), 964(H), 964.1(B),
14 966(A) and (C), 967(C)(1), 969(G) and (I), 970(L), 971(B)(1)(a), (2), and (7) and (C)(1) and
15 (2), 972(D)(1), 975(B), 976(C), 978(H)(1)(a), 979(H), and 980(D)(1) are hereby amended
16 and reenacted to read as follows:
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1 §961. Court reporters; generally
2 * * *
3 C.(1) The duties of the official court reporter shall be to report in shorthand,
4 stenotype, or any other recognized manner, and transcribe into longhand by
5 typewriting all the testimony taken in all civil appealable cases tried in the judicial
6 district served by the court reporters, when ordered so to do by the presiding judge,
7 and to furnish for the purpose of appeal the necessary copies of the testimony
8 required by law for such appeal. In criminal cases tried in the judicial districts, the
9 official court reporter shall record all portions of the proceedings required by law or
10 the court and shall, when required by law or the court, transcribe those portions of
11 the proceedings required, which shall be filed with the clerk of court in the parish
12 where the case is being tried. Electronic signatures are authorized to certify a
13 transcript provided that the reporter shall utilize the platform that is authorized by the
14 judges in the jurisdiction where the official reporter is employed.
15 * * *
16 F.(1)(a) In all civil and criminal cases a fee not to exceed one dollar and fifty
17 cents per thirty-one-line page and twenty-five cents per copy reported and
18 transcribed shall be charged by and be paid to the court reporter who reported and
19 transcribed the testimony. (i) In all civil and non-indigent criminal cases, a fee not
20 to exceed six dollars per thirty-two-line page transcript and not to exceed two dollars
21 per page per certified copy reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to
22 the court reporter who reported and transcribed the testimony. Fees may be set up
23 to the statutory amount by a majority of the judges in the court for which the reporter
24 is employed.
25 (ii) In all criminal indigent cases, a fee not to exceed three dollars and fifty
26 cents per thirty-two-line page transcript and not to exceed one dollar per page per
27 certified copy reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court
28 reporter who reported and transcribed the testimony. Fees may be set up to the
29 statutory amount by a majority of the judges in the court for which the reporter is
30 employed.
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1 (iii) These fees shall be retained by him the court reporter as compensation,
2 in addition to the salary as provided in Subsection E of this Section, and shall be
3 taxed as costs of the case in which such testimony is taken.
4 (iv) The Judicial Council may review the standard page rates for potential
5 adjustment every three years from the effective date of this provision.
6 (b) An electronic copy may be furnished with a certified copy upon request.
7 (c) Salaried court reporters shall not, in any civil or criminal case, charge a
8 sitting fee.
9 (d) When an expedited transcript is requested, the following expedited fees
10 may be charged:
11 (i) For transcription within twenty-four hours, a court reporter may charge
12 two times the allowable per page rate set pursuant Subparagraph (a) of this
13 Paragraph.
14 (ii) For transcription within forty-eight hours, a court reporter may charge
15 an additional three dollars per page over the allowable per page rate set pursuant to
16 Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph.
17 (iii) For transcription within five days, a court reporter may charge an
18 additional one dollar per page over the allowable per page rate set pursuant to
19 Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph.
20 (b) In the Ninth Judicial District such fee shall not exceed two dollars and
21 fifty cents per thirty-one-line page.
22 (c) In the Seventeenth Judicial District such fee shall not exceed two dollars
23 and fifty cents for each thirty-one line page and fifty cents for each copied page.
24 (d) In the Third Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the
25 amount to be paid for each page and for each copied page of all testimony reported
26 and transcribed in all cases.
27 (e) In the Second, Fifth, and Eighteenth Judicial Districts, in all cases, except
28 those to be filed in forma pauperis, a fee determined by a majority of the judges for
29 each page and each copied page of all testimony reported and transcribed shall be
30 charged by and paid to the court reporter.
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1 (f) In the Twenty-Third Judicial District, in all cases, except those to be filed
2 in forma pauperis, a fee determined by a majority of the judges for each page not to
3 exceed two dollars and fifty cents for each thirty-one line page and each copied page
4 of all testimony reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court
5 reporter.
6 (g) In the Twenty-Eighth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall
7 determine the amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and
8 transcribed in all cases, which fee shall not be less than one dollar and fifty cents nor
9 exceed two dollars and fifty cents per thirty-one-line page.
10 (h) In the Thirty-Fifth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall
11 determine the amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and
12 transcribed in all cases, which fee shall not be less than one dollar and fifty cents nor
13 exceed two dollars and fifty cents per thirty-one-line page.
14 (i) In the Twenty-First Judicial District, in all cases, except those to be filed
15 in forma pauperis, a fee determined by a majority of the judges for each page not to
16 exceed two dollars and fifty cents for each thirty-one-line page and each copied page
17 of all testimony reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court
18 reporter.
19 (j) In the Eighth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the
20 amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases,
21 which fee shall be not less than one dollar and fifty cents nor exceed two dollars and
22 fifty cents per thirty-one line page and a fee not to exceed fifty cents per copy per
23 page of transcribed testimony.
24 (k) In the Fourth Judicial District, in all cases, except those to be filed in
25 forma pauperis, a fee determined by a majority of the judges for each page not to
26 exceed two dollars and fifty cents for each thirty-one-line page and each copied page
27 of all testimony reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court
28 reporter.
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1 (l) In the Sixth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall determine the
2 amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases,
3 which fee shall not exceed two dollars and fifty cents for each thirty-one line page
4 and a fee not to exceed fifty cents per copy per page of transcribed testimony.
5 (m) In the Twenty-Sixth Judicial District, parish of Bossier, in all cases a fee
6 determined by a majority of the judges for each page not to exceed two dollars and
7 fifty cents for each thirty-one line page and fifty cents for each copied page of all
8 testimony reported and transcribed shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter.
9 (n) In the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court, a majority of the judges
10 shall determine the amount to be paid for each page and for each copied page of all
11 testimony reported and transcribed in all cases.
12 (o) In the Thirty-Sixth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall
13 determine the amount of the fee which shall be paid to the court reporter for the
14 transcription of each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases,
15 which fee shall not be less than one dollar and fifty cents and shall not exceed two
16 dollars and seventy-five cents per thirty-one-line page and the amount of the fee per
17 copy of each page of transcribed testimony, which shall not exceed twenty-five
18 cents.
19 (p) In the Eleventh Judicial District, a majority of the judges en banc shall
20 determine the amount to be paid for each page and for each copied page of all
21 testimony reported and transcribed in all cases in an amount not to exceed two
22 dollars and seventy-five cents per page and in an amount not to exceed twenty-five
23 cents per copy.
24 (q) In the Thirty-Ninth Judicial District, a majority of the judges shall
25 determine the amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and
26 transcribed in all cases, which fee shall not exceed two dollars and seventy-five cents
27 for each thirty-two-line page and a fee not to exceed twenty-five cents per copy per
28 page of transcribed testimony.
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1 (r) In the Twenty-Ninth Judicial District, a majority of the judges en banc
2 shall determine the amount to be paid for each page and for each copied page of all
3 testimony reported and transcribed as required by law, which fee shall not exceed
4 two dollars and seventy-five cents for each thirty-two-line page and a fee not to
5 exceed twenty-five cents per copy per page of transcribed testimony.
6 (s) In the Thirty-Third Judicial District Court, in all civil and criminal
7 appeals, a fee not to exceed two dollars and seventy-five cents per thirty-two-line
8 page and twenty-five cents per copy reported and transcribed shall be charged by and
9 be paid to the court reporter who reported and transcribed the testimony. These fees
10 shall be retained by him as compensation in addition to any other salary and shall be
11 taxed as costs of the case in which such testimony is taken.
12 (t) In the Thirty-Seventh Judicial District, the judge shall determine the
13 amount to be paid for each page of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases,
14 which fee shall not exceed two dollars and seventy-five cents for each thirty-two-line
15 page and a fee not to exceed twenty-five cents per copy per page of transcribed
16 testimony.
17 (u) In the Twentieth Judicial District Court, a majority of the judges shall
18 determine the amount to be paid for each page and for each copied page of all
19 testimony reported and transcribed in all cases.
20 * * *
21 §962. Court reporters for the First Judicial District
22 * * *
23 H. As compensation, each court reporter shall be paid a salary from the fund
24 hereinafter created of not less than one thousand seventy-five dollars per month, and
25 such additional amounts as are determined by a majority of the judges; plus an
26 amount to be determined by a majority of the judges at the rate established pursuant
27 to R.S. 13:961 for each thirty-one line thirty-two line page and for each copied page
28 of all testimony reported and transcribed in all cases, said salary to be paid monthly
29 and other compensation as submitted for payment. The length of the transcript page
30 may be changed from thirty-one lines to twenty-five lines at the discretion of a
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1 majority of the court. All recording and transcribing machines, typewriters, supplies,
2 and extra help shall be paid by such court reporters personally. Additional
3 compensation, recording and transcribing machines, supplies, and extra help may be
4 provided to the court reporters for work in criminal court as required and as ordered
5 by the majority of the judges, the cost thereof to be paid from the criminal court
6 fund, or indigent defender fund, any other available fund, or as otherwise provided
7 by law and as ordered by a majority of the judges.
8 * * *
9 §963. Court reporters for Thirteenth Judicial District
10 * * *
11 I.(1)(a) In all civil cases, a fee of two dollars and twenty-five cents per page
12 and twenty-five cents per copy of each page reported and transcribed at the rate
13 established pursuant to R.S. 13:961 shall be charged by and paid to each court
14 reporter for reports and for transcribing the testimony.
15 (b) In criminal cases, a fee not to exceed two dollars per page and twenty-
16 five cents per copy of each page reported and transcribed at the rate established
17 pursuant to R.S. 13:961 shall be charged by and paid to such court reporter for
18 performing such duties.
19 * * *
20 §964. Court reporters for Fourteenth Judicial District
21 * * *
22 H. In all cases, a majority of the judges shall determine the amount of the fee
23 which shall be at the rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961 and shall be paid to the
24 court reporter for the transcription of each page of all testimony reported and
25 transcribed and the amount of the fee per copy of each page of transcribed testimony.
26 The provisions of this Subsection shall also apply to cases which are reported but
27 not transcribed. Such fees shall be retained by the reporter as compensation, in
28 addition to the salary provided for in Subsection G of this Section, and shall be taxed
29 as costs of the suit in which the testimony is taken.
30 * * *
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1 §964.1. Fourteenth Judicial District; indigent transcript fund; reporter's fees
2 * * *
3 B. Court reporters shall be paid three dollars and twenty-five cents per thirty-
4 two-line page for such work, and seventy-five cents per page for each copy at the
5 rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961, as funds become available, all such
6 payments to be made from the criminal indigent transcript fund by the court
7 administrator.
8 * * *
9 §966. Nineteenth judicial district Judicial District; payments in suits under pauper
10 act
11 A. Out of its general fund, the governing authority for East Baton Rouge
12 Parish shall pay the court reporters of the nineteenth judicial district Nineteenth
13 Judicial District for the taking and transcribing of the testimony in suits filed under
14 the provisions of R.S. 13:4525 through 13:4529 at the rate of seventy-five cents per
15 legal page of thirty-one lines pursuant to R.S. 13:4529 at the rate established in R.S.
16 13:961. The original and one copy shall be furnished in cases appealable to the court
17 of appeals; in cases appealable to the supreme court the original and three copies
18 shall be furnished. The payment shall be made monthly to the court reporters upon
19 presentation of an itemized statement of the costs approved by any of the judges of
20 the district. The payments to be made by the governing authority under the
21 foregoing provisions shall not exceed the gross sum of fifteen hundred dollars for
22 any one year to each of the court reporters.
23 * * *
24 C. All judgments rendered in cases, in which the party availing himself of
25 the provisions of R.S. 13:4525 through 13:4529 R.S. 13:4529 shall be cast for costs,
26 together with a statement of such costs, shall be recorded by the clerk of court in the
27 mortgage records of the parish of East Baton Rouge. Such judgments when recorded
28 shall operate as a judicial mortgage in favor of the governing authority of East Baton
29 Rouge parish Parish for the amount of costs paid to the court reporters. The
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1 governing authority of East Baton Rouge parish Parish, at its expense, may have this
2 judgment and statement of costs (or a certified copy thereof) recorded in the
3 mortgage records of any other parish or parishes, and when recorded the judgment
4 shall operate as a judicial mortgage in favor of the governing authority of East Baton
5 Rouge parish Parish for the amount of costs paid.
6 * * *
7 §967. Twenty-Fourth Judicial District; court reporters; civil filing fees
8 * * *
9 C.(1) In all cases on appeal, the reporter shall be paid a fee not to exceed two
10 dollars and fifty cents for each original page transcribed at the rate established
11 pursuant to R.S. 13:961 and, when a copy is requested by a litigant, shall furnish
12 such copy and be paid a fee not to exceed one dollar for each page thereof the rate
13 established pursuant to R.S. 13:961, except that in criminal cases on appeal by
14 indigent defendants, no more than a total of two dollars and seventy-five cents for
15 each page transcribed the rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961, including all
16 copies necessary for appeal, shall be charged to and paid from any fund established
17 by law for the payment of expenses incurred in the defense of indigent persons in
18 criminal proceedings. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to make the
19 governing authority of the parish of Jefferson responsible for the expenses or costs
20 associated with the preparation of transcripts for an indigent defendant in a criminal
21 proceeding, including but not limited to bills of exceptions, trials, motions, hearings
22 on writs, or any other costs associated with an appeal in a criminal proceeding.
23 * * *
24 §969. Court reporters for the Twenty-Ninth Judicial District Court
25 * * *
26 G. In all civil cases, a fee determined by a majority of the judges en banc for
27 each original page and for each copied page of testimony, which fee shall not exceed
28 two dollars and seventy-five cents for each thirty-two-line page and a fee not to
29 exceed twenty-five cents per copy per page of transcribed testimony, at the rate
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1 established pursuant to R.S. 13:961 shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter
2 for reports and for transcribing the testimony which shall be retained by him the
3 court reporter as compensation, in addition to the salary as provided herein, and shall
4 be taxed as costs of the suit in which the testimony is taken to be collected by the
5 clerk of court, except in pauper cases; payment. Payment of the fees shall be made
6 primarily by the appellant immediately upon the transcription of the evidence, and
7 the court reporter shall not be required to file the transcript with the clerk of court
8 before payment. Should If the appellant fail or refuse fails or refuses to make such
9 payment, the appellee or any other party to the suit may make the same payment and
10 have it assessed as cost. Even though Though counsel may attempt to procure a
11 transcript of the entire record by alleging that the entire record is necessary to
12 support a motion for a new trial, the trial judge shall not order the entire transcript
13 to be typed unless he deems it indispensable to the record of the motion or
14 proceedings.
15 * * *
16 I. The court reporters shall record such criminal proceedings as may be
17 required by law or as ordered by the court. No fee shall be charged for taking
18 evidence on assignments of error, motions, or other pleadings in criminal cases,
19 unless approved by the presiding judge. In all criminal cases where a transcript is
20 required by law, a fee determined by a majority of the judges en banc for each
21 original page and each copied page of testimony, which fee shall not exceed two
22 dollars and seventy-five cents for each thirty-two-line page and a fee not to exceed
23 twenty-five cents per copy per page of transcribed testimony, at the rate established
24 pursuant to R.S. 13:961 shall be charged by and paid to the court reporters for
25 reporting and transcribing the testimony which shall be retained by him the court
26 reporters as compensation in addition to the salary as provided herein. When so
27 approved, any such payment may be made from the criminal court cost fund. In such
28 cases, however, only properly designated portions of the record shall be transcribed.
29 * * *
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1 §970. Court reporter for Twenty-sixth Twenty-Sixth Judicial District for Webster
2 Parish
3 * * *
4 L. Additionally, in civil and criminal cases, the Webster Parish Police Jury
5 shall be paid two dollars and fifty cents per thirty-one-line legal size page and fifty
6 cents per page at the rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961 for copies for all
7 testimony transcribed by the court reporters. This charge shall be taxable as court
8 costs and shall be advanced to the court reporter assigned to the case for delivery to
9 the Webster Parish Police Jury for deposit in the clerk of court reporter's fund.
10 * * *
11 §971. Sixteenth and Twenty-Seventh Judicial Districts; additional court reporters;
12 fees charged by court reporters; indigent transcript fund
13 * * *
14 B.(1)(a) In the Twenty-Seventh Judicial District, in all civil cases, a fee of
15 three dollars and fifty cents per page for the original and fifty cents per page at the
16 rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961 for copies reported and transcribed shall be
17 charged by and paid to the court reporter who reports and transcribes the testimony
18 and shall be retained by him the court reporter as compensation in addition to the
19 salary as provided herein.
20 * * *
21 (2) In all criminal cases, except those involving indigent defendants, a fee
22 of three dollars and fifty cents per page for the original, and fifty cents for each copy
23 thereafter reported and transcribed at the rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961
24 shall be paid to the court reporter who reports and transcribes the testimony and shall
25 be retained by him the court reporter as compensation in addition to the salary as
26 provided herein. The payment of fees in criminal cases involving indigent
27 defendants shall be governed by the provisions of R.S. 13:4529.
28 * * *
29 (7) Court reporters shall be paid three dollars and fifty cents per
30 thirty-one-line page for such work, and twenty-five cents per page for each copy at
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1 the rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961, as funds become available, with all such
2 payments to be made from the criminal indigent transcript fund by the court.
3 * * *
4 C.(1)(a) In the Sixteenth Judicial District, in all civil cases, a fee of two
5 dollars and fifty cents per page for the original and fifty cents per page each for the
6 first and second copies for cases reported and transcribed at the rate established
7 pursuant to R.S. 13:961 shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter who
8 reports and transcribes the testimony and shall be retained by him the court reporter
9 as compensation in addition to the salary as provided herein.
10 (b) In all civil cases which are reported but not transcribed, one-half of the
11 fees provided in this Subsection for originals shall be charged by and be paid to the
12 reporter.
13 (c) In every civil appealable case set for trial, the court reporter may demand
14 and secure from the plaintiff, before the trial of the case begins, a bond to guarantee
15 the payment of the fees to the reporter, except where said plaintiff is exempt by
16 existing law from paying costs in advance or as they accrue. No bond shall be
17 required in in forma pauperis cases, but the court reporter may test by rule the
18 plaintiff's right to the benefits of Articles 5181 through 5188 of the Code of Civil
19 Procedure.
20 * * *
21 (2) In all criminal cases, except those involving indigent defendants, a fee
22 of two dollars and fifty cents per page for the original and fifty cents per page each
23 for the first and second copies reported and transcribed at the rate established
24 pursuant to R.S. 13:961 shall be paid to the court reporter who reports and
25 transcribes the testimony and shall be retained by him the court reporter as
26 compensation in addition to the salary as provided herein. The payment of fees in
27 criminal cases involving indigent defendants shall be governed by the provisions of
28 R.S. 13:4529.
29 * * *
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1 §972. Court Reporters for the Twenty-Fifth Judicial District
2 * * *
3 D.(1) In all cases, the reporter shall be paid a fee of two dollars and seventy-
4 five cents for each original thirty-two line page transcribed and, where a copy is
5 requested by a litigant, shall furnish such copy and be paid a fee of twenty-five cents
6 for each page thereof at the rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961. At the request
7 of any of the parties to any proceedings, or at the order of a district judge, the court
8 reporter shall transcribe all or part of the testimony or other matter taken down and
9 shall furnish as many copies thereof as may be required by law for an appeal. The
10 reporter, except when ordered by the judge, shall not be required to file or furnish
11 any transcribed testimony until the transcription fee is paid. If those parties, or the
12 judge, direct the original transcription, each party shall pay the expense of
13 transcribing the testimony offered by him the court reporter. No fee shall be allowed
14 for transcribing matter other than testimony, objections and rulings thereon, bills,
15 notes of evidence, and such other matters as may be ordered by the judge. All such
16 fees shall be paid directly to the court reporter performing the service as additional
17 compensation and shall be taxed as costs.
18 * * *
19 §975. Court reporters and judges' secretaries for the twenty-third judicial district
20 Twenty-Third Judicial District
21 * * *
22 B. In civil cases which are reported and transcribed, a fee of one dollar and
23 twenty-five cents per page at the rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961 shall be
24 charged by and paid to the reporter. Provided, however, that no additional fee shall
25 be charged for reporting or transcribing civil cases except when ordered for purposes
26 of appeal of a decision of the court or when ordered by the court of appeal.
27 * * *
28 §976. Thirty-Second Judicial District; additional court reporters; transcript fees
29 * * *
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1 C. The civil and criminal transcript fee for all court reporters in the Thirty-
2 Second Judicial District should not exceed two dollars and seventy-five cents per
3 thirty-one-line page and twenty-five cents per page copy the rate established
4 pursuant to R.S. 13:961. These fees shall be charged by and be paid to the court
5 reporter who reported and transcribed the testimony, shall be retained by him the
6 court reporter as compensation in addition to his salary, and shall be taxed as costs
7 of the suit in which the testimony is taken.
8 * * *
9 §978. Court reporters for Thirtieth Judicial District
10 * * *
11 H.(1)(a) In all civil cases, a fee of one dollar and fifty cents per page and
12 fifty cents per page additional for the first copy, thirty-five cents per page additional
13 for copies reported and transcribed beyond the first copy, at the rate established
14 pursuant to R.S. 13:961 shall be charged by and paid to the court reporter for reports
15 and for transcribing the testimony which shall be retained by him the court reporter
16 as compensation in addition to the salary as provided in this Section, and shall be
17 taxed as costs of the suit in which the testimony is taken to be collected by the clerk
18 of court, except in pauper cases. Payment of the fees shall be made primarily by the
19 plaintiff immediately upon the transcription of the evidence, and the court reporter
20 shall not be required to file the transcript with the clerk of court before payment.
21 * * *
22 §979. Court reporters for thirty-eighth judicial district Thirty-Eighth Judicial
23 District
24 * * *
25 H. In civil and criminal cases which are reported and transcribed, a fee of
26 two dollars and twenty-five cents per page for originals, and twenty-five cents per
27 page for each copy, at the rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961 shall be charged
28 by and paid to the reporter. In those civil cases which are reported but not
29 transcribed, one-half of the fee provided herein for originals shall be charged by and
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1 paid to the reporter. Such fees shall be retained by the reporter, as compensation in
2 addition to the salary provided for in Subsection G of this Section, and shall be taxed
3 as costs of the suit in which the testimony is taken.
4 * * *
5 §980. Court reporters for the Thirty-Fourth Judicial District
6 * * *
7 D.(1) In all cases on appeal, the reporter shall be paid a fee not to exceed
8 three dollars for each original page transcribed and where a copy is requested by a
9 litigant, shall furnish such copy and be paid a fee of one dollar and fifty cents for
10 each page thereof at the rate established pursuant to R.S. 13:961. At the request of
11 any of the party proceedings, or at the order of a district judge, the court reporter
12 shall transcribe all or part of the testimony or other matter taken down and shall
13 furnish as many copies thereof as may be required by law for an appeal. For matters
14 not on appeal, a litigant requesting a transcript of testimony or other matter
15 transcribed shall enter into a private civil contract with the court reporter for the
16 payment of fees applicable to those contracts. Such fees shall be in accordance with
17 fees customarily charged in the judicial district for depositions. The reporter, except
18 when ordered by the judge, shall not be required to file or furnish any transcribed
19 testimony until the transcription fee is paid. If those parties, or the judge, direct the
20 original transcription, each party shall pay the expense of transcribing the testimony
21 offered by him the court reporter. No fee shall be allowed for transcribing matter
22 other than testimony, objections and rulings thereon, bills, notes of evidence, and
23 such other matters as may be ordered by the judge. All such fees shall be paid
24 directly to the court reporter performing the service as additional compensation and
25 shall be taxed as costs.
26 * * *
27 Section 2. R.S. 13:970(K) is hereby repealed in its entirety.
28 Section 3. Act No. 126 of the 2017 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana,
29 Act No. 232 of the 2020 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana, and Act Nos. 52
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are additions.
HLS 26RS-816 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 527
1 and 228 of the 2023 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana are hereby repealed in
2 their entirety and shall never become effective.
3 Section 4. The provisions of Act No. 447 of the 2018 Regular Session of the
4 Legislature of Louisiana enacting R.S. 13:961(F)(1)(v) are hereby repealed in their entirety
5 and shall never become effective.
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 527 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Muscarello
Abstract: Provides for a statewide revision of court reporter fees in order to provide for a
uniform fee schedule for all judicial district courts.
Present law provides that the duties of an official court reporter in the judicial district courts
of the state shall include transcription, reporting, and certifying the official transcript of
proceedings in the district court.
Proposed law authorizes an official court reporter to certify a transcript utilizing an
electronic signature provided that the court reporter utilizes the platform authorized by the
judges of the jurisdiction where the court reporter is employed.
Present law provides that in all civil and criminal cases, a fee not to exceed $1.50 per 31-line
page and $.25 per copy reported and transcribed shall be charged by and be paid to the court
reporter who reported and transcribed the testimony.
Present law provides for varying court reporter fees for each of the judicial district courts:
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd,
23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th, 37th, 38th, and
39th.
Proposed law repeals present law and provides for a uniform court reporter fee schedule for
all judicial district courts by providing that the fee not exceed $6 per 32-line page transcript
and up to $2 per page per certified copy reported and transcribed. Proposed law further
provides that fees may be set up to the statutory amount by a majority of the judges.
Proposed law provides that in all criminal indigent cases, a fee not to exceed $3.50 per
32-line page transcript and $1 per page per certified copy reported and transcribed shall be
charged by and paid to the court reporter who reported and transcribed the testimony.
Proposed law further provides that fees may be set up to the statutory amount by a majority
of the judges.
Proposed law provides that the fees shall be retained by the court reporter as compensation,
in addition to the salary, and shall be taxed as costs of the case in which such testimony is
taken.
Proposed law provides that an electronic copy may be furnished with a certified copy upon
request.
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HLS 26RS-816 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 527
Proposed law provides that a salaried court reporter shall not, in any civil or criminal case,
charge a sitting fee.
Proposed law provides that when an expedited transcript is requested, the following
expedited fees may be charged:
(1) For transcription within 24 hours, a court reporter may charge two times the
allowable per page rate set pursuant to proposed law.
(2) For transcription within 48 hours, a court reporter may charge an additional $3 per
page over the allowable per page rate set pursuant to proposed law.
(3) For transcription within five days, a court reporter may charge an additional $1 per
page over the allowable per page rate set pursuant to proposed law.
Present law (Acts 2017, No. 126; Acts 2018, No. 447; Acts 2020, No. 232; and Acts 2023,
No. 52 and No. 228) provides for varying proposed fee increases for various judicial district
courts, and each such increase is contingent upon approval by the Judicial Council, which
has not been granted.
Proposed law repeals present law.
(Amends R.S. 13:961(C)(1) and (F)(1), 962(H), 963(I)(1), 964(H), 964.1(B), 966(A) and
(C), 967(C)(1), 969(G) and (I), 970(L), 971(B)(1)(a), (2), and (7) and (C)(1) and (2),
972(D)(1), 975(B), 976(C), 978(H)(1)(a), 979(H), and 980(D)(1); Repeals R.S. 13:970(K),
Act No. 126 of the 2017 R.S., Act No. 232 of the 2020 R.S., Act Nos. 52 and 228 of the
2023 R.S., and the provisions of Act No. 447 of the 2018 R.S. enacting R.S. 13:961(F)(1)(v))
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are additions.