Pike Cnty. C.P. Local Rules Local Rule 703

A. All pre-sentence reports and related psychiatric and psychological reports shall be

confidential, and not of public record. They shall be available to the sentencing judge,

and to:

1. The attorney for the Commonwealth and counsel for the defendant,

for inspection only.

B. If the defendant or the Commonwealth alleges any factual inaccuracy in a report under

this rule, the sentencing judge shall, as to each inaccuracy found, order that the report be

corrected accordingly.

C. After sentencing, unless the sentencing judge otherwise orders, and subject to the

provisions of paragraph (B), psychiatric, psychological, and pre-sentence reports shall

also be available to:

1. Correctional institutions housing the defendant; and

2. Departments of probation or parole supervising the defendant; and

3. Departments of probation or parole preparing a pre-sentence

investigation report regarding the defendant.

The reports shall continue to be confidential and not of public record.

D. On the order of the sentencing judge, a psychiatric, psychological, or pre-sentence

investigation report may be made available to any other person or agency having a

legitimate professional interest in the disposition of the case.

E. The sentencing judge may at any time impose further conditions of confidentiality on a

person or agency receiving a report under paragraphs (C) or (D) of this rule.

Rules of Judicial Administration

Local Rule 4007---Request for Transcripts

A. All requests for transcripts shall be set forth on a standardized form provided by the Pike

County Court Administrator. The form shall be found at court.pikepa.org

B. For an ordinary transcript, the party requesting a full or partial transcript of a trial,

Hearing or other proceeding shall file the original request with the Prothonotary, Clerk of

Court or Clerk of the Orphans’ Court. Copies of the formal request shall be delivered to:

(1) the judge presiding over the matter;

(2) the court reporters’ Office;

(3) the district court administrator; and

(4) opposing counsel, but if not represented, the opposing party.

D. Private Litigants

(1) the litigant ordering a transcript shall make payment in the amount of 50% of the

estimated cost of the transcript as deposit. Deposit checks are to be made payable

to the County of Pike and delivered to the Pike County Court Administrator.

(2) Upon receipt of the 50% deposit, the assigned court reporter or court

transcriptionist shall be directed by the Pike County Court Administrator to

prepare the transcript.

(3) The court reporter or court transcriptionist shall notify the ordering party and the

Pike County Court Administrator of the completion of the transcript and shall

indicate the balance due. Checks for the final balance are to be made payable to the

County of Pike.

(4) Upon payment of the final balance owed, the court reporter or court

transcriptionist shall deliver the original transcript to the appropriate filing office

and copies to the parties pursuant to L.R.J.A 4008.

E. When a transcript is requested by the Court, the Commonwealth or a County

agency, the court reporter or court transcriptionist shall prepare the transcript

upon receipt of the request form, at no cost.

Local Rule 4008---Transcript Costs Payable by the Requesting

Party

(A) Costs

(1) When a transcript is requested by the Court, the Commonwealth, Court Appointed

Counsel or a County agency, no cost shall be assessed.

(2) The costs payable by the initial requesting party for the generation of the original

transcript shall not exceed:

(a) for an ordinary transcript, $2.50 per page;

(b) for an expedited transcript, $3.50 per page; and

(c) for a daily transcript, $4.50 per page.

(3) When the original transcript is prepared, the costs shall be in accordance with

paragraph (2) plus a surcharge of $0.25 per page for one hard copy to the requestor.

(4) Electronic transcripts are not presently available

(B) Economic hardship

(1) Transcript costs for ordinary transcripts shall be waived for a litigant who has been

permitted by the court to proceed in forma pauperis. Self-Represented litigants

claiming economic hardship, who have not been previously granted in forma

pauperis status, must attach to their transcript request form, a fully and complete

In Forma pauperis Petition.

(C) Assignment and allocation of transcript costs

(1) Assignment of costs. The requesting party shall be responsible for the cost of

the transcript.

(2) Allocation of costs. When more than one party simultaneously requests a transcript,

the cost shall be divided equally among the parties.

(D) Copies of transcript

(1) A paper copy of an existing transcript shall be provided to a requesting party other

than the at a rate of $0.25 per page

Rule 5102.1 Custody of Exhibits Generally.

(a) Application. These Rules, 60th Jud. Dis. R. Jud. Adm. 5102.1 - 5105 and Pa. R.J.A.

5101-5105, shall apply to Court Proceedings as defined by Pa. R.J.A. 5101(a)(1).

(b) Index of Exhibits and Confidential Information.

1. During all court proceedings, the court Stenographer/Transcriptionist shall

maintain the index of exhibits. The court Stenographer/Transcriptionist shall

utilize the index of exhibits form denoted at the end of these Rules.

2. In all court proceedings, the proponent shall include a properly completed

confidential information form or confidential document form for any exhibit

offered into evidence that contains confidential information or confidential

documents as defined in the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified

Judicial System of Pennsylvania. These forms shall be given by the proponent to

the court Stenographer/Transcriptionist maintaining the Index of Exhibits at the

time evidence is introduced.

3. The index of exhibits shall be filed of record with the corresponding Records

Office, as defined by Pa. R.J.A 5101(a)(7), not later than five business days after

the conclusion of the Court Proceeding pursuant to Pa. R.J.A. 5104(a)(2).

Rule 5102.2 Custody of Exhibits.

(a) During Court Proceedings. The Court Stenographer/Transcriptionist shall be

designated the Custodian of all exhibits admitted or rejected during a Court

proceeding. The Court Stenographer/Transcriptionist shall secure and maintain all

exhibits during the court proceeding, including breaks and recesses, except:

1. If a non-documentary exhibit is bulky, oversized, or physically impractical for the

Custodian to maintain, the Custodian may direct that the Proponent offering the

exhibit maintain custody of it, and secure it during the Court proceedings.

2. If weapons, cash, items of value, drugs, or dangerous materials are offered into

evidence, the Proponent shall secure the exhibits while the Court proceeding is in

session, and during all breaks and recesses.

(b) After Court Proceedings.

1. Within five days of the conclusion of any Court proceeding, the Court

Stenographer/Transcriptionist shall transfer custody of all exhibits admitted or

rejected during the Court proceeding to the Prothonotary, Clerk of the Criminal

Court or Clerk of the Orphans' Court, as may be the applicable Records Office,

which shall take custody of all exhibits, file all documentary exhibits and

photographs, and secure and maintain all exhibits.

2. Index of Exhibits. Together with the exhibits from the Court Proceeding, the Court

Stenographer/Transcriptionist shall provide a numbered list of exhibits to the

Prothonotary, Clerk of the Criminal Court or Clerk of the Orphans' Court not later

than five business days after the Court proceeding. For each exhibit, the

Stenographer/Transcriptionist shall identify the Proponent, whether the exhibit

was admitted or rejected from evidence, and a textual description or identification

of the exhibit. The original index of exhibits shall be filed with the appropriate

Records Office simultaneously with the exhibits from the Court Proceeding. The

Stenographer/Transcriptionist shall retain a copy of the index.

3. Confirmation. If exhibits are transferred from a Court

Stenographer/Transcriptionist back to a Proponent-Custodian pursuant to

subsection (a)(2) of this Rule, the Court Stenographer/Transcriptionist shall

confirm that the Proponent-Custodian has provided the appropriate photographic

exhibit as required by Rule 5103.1 (a) to the Court Stenographer/ Transcriptionist

at the conclusion of the Court proceeding, unless the Court otherwise directed by

the Court.

(c) During and After Domestic Relations Master and Hearing Officer Proceedings.

1. The Master or Hearing Officer conducting a Domestic Relations hearing shall be

the Custodian of the exhibits admitted during the hearing—with the exception of

weapons, cash, items of value, drugs or dangerous materials, which shall be

retained by the Proponent during the proceeding.

2. The Master or Hearing Officer shall confirm that the Proponent-Custodian has

transferred custody of any exhibit maintained in his/her custody during the

proceeding to the Master or Hearing Officer at the end of the proceeding. Such

latter exhibits shall be maintained by the appropriate filing office or as directed by

the Hearing Officer or Master.

3. The Master or Hearing Officer shall file all exhibits, together with an index of the

exhibits, with the Prothonotary within five business days of the filing of their

Report and Recommendation with the Court. The exhibits index shall include a

numbered list of exhibits, and for each exhibit shall identify the Proponent,

whether the exhibit was admitted or rejected from evidence, and a textual

description or identification of the exhibit.

Rule 5103. Custody of Exhibits. Special Provisions.

(a) Photographs of Non-Documentary Exhibits.

1. In advance of any court proceeding, the proponent shall prepare a physical,

photographic copy of all non-documentary exhibits pursuant to Pa. R.J.A.

5103(b).

2. Any non-documentary exhibit shall be retained by the Proponent during and

after the Court, Master, or Hearing Officer proceeding.

3. The non-documentary exhibit must be photographed in color by the Proponent

and presented in a letter-sized form (8 1/2 by 11 inches) document for

inclusion in the record prior to the end of the proceeding. The photograph

shall be marked as an exhibit and identified in the exhibits index.

(b) Media & Videos. Any media or videos presented at a Court Proceeding shall be

retained by the proponent. The proponent shall submit a copy of the media or video

on a portable Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive and it shall be entered into the

record.

(c) Reproduction of Oversized or Voluminous Documentary Exhibits. Where the

intended, original documentary exhibit(s) exceeds 150 pages (single sided), the

proponent shall cause the exhibit to be transformed into a portable document file

(“pdf”) and placed onto a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive and it shall be

entered into the record.

(d) Weapons, Contraband, and Hazardous Materials Pursuant to Pa. R.J.A.

5103(d), and Other Dangerous Items.

1. Dangerous Items Defined. “Dangerous Items” within these Rules shall

include, but are not limited to, weapons, cash, currency, money, negotiable

instruments, other items of value, drugs, dangerous materials, guns, knives,

explosives, controlled substances, narcotics, intoxicants, toxic materials,

biological items, and biohazards. “Dangerous Items” may also include other

items not specifically defined herein as determined by the presiding judge.

2. The presiding judge in any court proceeding may issue special instructions to

address the method by which dangerous items are offered into evidence,

including the party that shall secure the exhibits while the court proceeding is

in session, as well as during all breaks and recesses, which method shall be

confirmed by court order.

3. In the absence of a court order, in any court proceeding where dangerous

items are offered as evidence, the proponent shall secure the exhibits while the

court proceeding is in session, as well as during all breaks and recesses.

4. During a court proceeding, the proponent shall exercise all appropriate

safeguards necessary to protect the public based on the nature of the exhibit.

Exhibits comprised of dangerous items are prohibited from viewing in the jury

room. The presiding judge may direct alternative viewing arrangements for

such exhibits upon the request of the jury.

5. At the conclusion of a court proceeding, all dangerous items which have been

offered into evidence, whether or not admitted of record, shall be kept in the

custody of the proponent, the proponent’s Designee, or such other person as

designated by the presiding judge.

6. Dangerous items categorized under this Rule may only be disposed of or

destroyed by a court order.

7. If there are dangerous items which require temporary storage, the Sheriff's

Office shall provide the proponent with an escort to the Records Office, as

defined by Pa. R.J.A 5101(a)(7), or other secure area designated by the

presiding judge.

8. In advance of any court proceeding, the proponent shall prepare a physical,

photographic copy of any weapon, contraband hazardous material or

dangerous items exhibits pursuant to Pa. R.J.A. 5103(b).

9. The weapon, contraband hazardous material or dangerous items exhibit must

be photographed in color by the Proponent and presented in a letter-sized form

(8 1/2 by 11 inches) document for inclusion in the record prior to the end of

the proceeding. The photograph shall be marked as an exhibit and identified in

the exhibits index.

Rule 5105. Confidentiality. Exhibits Under Seal.

(a) The Proponent of an exhibit containing confidential information or confidential

documents, as defined in the Case Records Access Policy of the Unified Judicial

System of Pennsylvania, shall include a confidential document form, prepared in

compliance with the Policy, so the exhibit may be sealed by the Records Office.

(b) Exhibits sealed by the Court during the Court proceeding shall not be accessible by

the public. The Prothonotary, Clerk of the Criminal Court or Clerk of the Orphans'

Court shall ensure the confidentiality of such documents as defined in the Case

Records Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.

THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF

PIKE COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA

Index of Exhibits

Date: _________________________________________

Case Caption:_________________________________________________________________

Docket Number: _______________________________

Proceeding: ________________________________________________________________

Presiding:______________________________________________________

Parties / Counsel Present:

___________________________ ___________________________

_____________________________ ___________________________

Exhibit Proponent Description Admitted? Rejected? Sealed Confidential

Number by Info Sheet?

Court?

Exhibit Proponent Description Admitted? Rejected? Sealed Confidential

Number by Info Sheet?

Court?