Erie Cnty. C.P. ErieCountyLocalRulesCivilProcedure Rule 227.3

(a) Rule 227.3 shall govern the process for the request, payment and receipt of

transcripts of record proceedings before the Erie County Court of Common Pleas.

This Rule shall be read in conjunction with and supplement the Uniform Rules

Governing Court Reporting and Transcripts, as set forth in the Pennsylvania Rules

of Judicial Administration ("Pa.R.J.A."), Nos. 4001-4016. In the event of any

conflict between this Rule and the state rules, the Pennsylvania Rules shall control.

(b) Requests for Transcripts:

(i) The original transcript request shall be on a standardized form ("Transcript

Request Form") provided by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania

Courts and shall be filed with the appropriate filing office ofthe case docket.

The form is available on The Unified Judicial System's Web Portal, the

website for the Erie County Court of Common Pleas, or by contacting the

District Court Administrator for the Erie County Court of Common Pleas.

In order for the request to be processed, a copy ofthe request must be served

on the District Court Administrator, as well as on all other individuals

designed by Pa.R.J.A. 4007. For purposes of service on the District Court

Administrator, the request may be hand delivered to Room 210 of the Erie

County Courthouse, e-mailed to the District Court Administrator, or mailed

to: District Court Administrator, Erie County Courthouse, 140 West 6th

Street, Room 210, Erie, PA 16501.

(ii) The District Court Administrator will not direct the court reporter to proceed

with transcription until either (1) receipt of partial payment in the amount

of one-half of the estimated cost of the transcript; or (2) receipt of an order

granting permission to proceed in forma pauperis or waiving costs in

accordance with Pa.R.J.A. 4008(B) and Erie County Rule of Judicial

Administration 4008(B). The party ordering the transcript is responsible

for contacting the court reporter to determine the amount of deposit

required. Deposit checks shall be made payable to the County of Erie and

delivered to the District Court Administrator.

(iii) Upon receipt ofnotification from the court reporter ofthe completion of the

transcript and the amount of the balance owed, the party ordering the

transcript shall forward to the District Court Administrator a check in the

amount ofthe balance due. The check shall be made payable to the County

of Erie. Upon receipt of final payment, the District Court Administrator

will direct the court reporter to file and deliver the transcript in accordance

with Pa.R.J.A. 4007(D)(4).

(c) Transcript Costs Payable by a Requesting Party Other than the Commonwealth or

a Subdivision Thereof:

(i) The per page cost for a transcript in electronic format shall be as follows:

(1) $2.50 per page for an ordinary transcript;

(2) $3.50 per page for an expedited transcript;

(3) $4.50 per page for a daily transcript; and

(4) $6.50 per page for same day delivery.

(5) If the transcript is requested in bound paper format, the costs shall

be as stated above, plus a surcharge of $0.25 per page.

(6) The trial judge may impose a reasonable surcharge in cases such as

mass tort, medical malpractice or other unusually complex litigation

where the judge determines that the surcharge is necessary because

of the need for the court reporter to significantly expand their

dictionary.

(7) Costs for a copy of any transcript previously ordered, transcribed

and filed of record shall be in accordance with Pa.R.J.A. 4008(D).

Copy requests may be directed to the District Court Administrator

in person in Room 210 of the Erie County Courthouse, e-mailed to

the District Court Administrator, or mailed to: District Court

Administrator, Erie County Courthouse, 140 West 6th Street, Room

210, Erie, PA 16501. The District Court Administrator will inform

the requesting individual of the total amount due for copying. The

full copying fee shall be paid prior to receipt of the copy. Checks

shall be made payable to the County of Erie and delivered to the

District Court Administrator.

(ii) Economic Hardship

(1) In accordance with Pa.R.J.A. 4008(B)(l), a litigant who has already

been permitted to proceed with the commencement of the

underlying action or with the taking of the appeal in forma pauperis

will, in matters under appeal or where the transcript is necessary to

advance the litigation, receive waiver of transcript costs. The order

granting the litigant in forma pauperis status shall be attached to the

Transcript Request Form which is filed and served in accordance

with Pa.R.J.A. 4007 and Erie County Rule of Judicial

Administration 4007. In addition to attaching the order to the

request, the litigant should also attach a verified statement indicating

that the party is aware of their continuing obligation to inform the

court of improvement in their financial circumstances and that no

such improvement has occurred since entry of the order granting

permission to proceed in forma pauperis. A litigant's failure to

attach the in forma pauperis order to the transcript request may

result in delayed transcription.

(2) Any litigant who has not already been granted in forma pauperis

status, but who wishes to pursue waiver of or reduction in transcript

costs, shall file a petition requesting waiver of or reduction in

transcript costs under the docket of the case. The petition must

include:

(A) the caption and docket number of the case;

(B) a statement indicating whether or not the transcript is in a

matter which is currently under appeal;

(C) a statement indicating whether or not the transcript is

necessary to advance pending litigation; and

(D) a fully completed and executed affidavit substantially in the

form required by Pa.R.Civ.P. 240(b).

Upon filing the petition and affidavit, the party requesting waiver of or

reduction in transcript costs shall also serve a copy of the same on the judge

assigned to the case for disposition. The petitioner shall be responsible for

forwarding a copy ofthe resulting order to the District Court Administrator.

Failure to serve the order may result in delayed transcription.