Court of Common Pleas of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania Filing Fees and Waivers

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Custody action

A party initiating a custody action must pay the Prothonotary a custody conciliation conference fee in addition to the filing fee, with the amount set by administrative order.

(a) Every party who initiates a custody action by the filing of a custody complaint, custody count in a divorce action, or petition for modification of custody, shall, in addition to the filing fee assessed by the Prothonotary, pay to the Prothonotary a custody conciliation conference fee in an amount to be set from time to time by administrative order of court.

CRITICALCivil cases

The Domestic Relations Section must not require a filing fee for the complaint or impose that fee as a cost on any party.

The Domestic Relations Section shall not require a filing fee in connection therewith; nor shall it impose the filing fee as a cost upon any party.

CRITICALCivil cases

Fee

$20

Applies to

Praecipe directing appointment of a Board of Arbitration

A $20 fee must be paid to the Prothonotary when the appointment praecipe is filed; it is paid to the chairperson after appointment and credited toward appeal costs if the decision is appealed.

A fee of $20.00 shall be paid to the Prothonotary at the time of the filing of a praecipe directing appointment of a Board of Arbitration. The Prothonotary shall subsequently pay the sum of $20.00 to the duly appointed chairperson immediately after the appointment. Upon any appeal of the decision of the Board of Arbitration, the appellant shall be credited for such payment toward the costs payable as a result of the appeal.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Affidavit of surety

A fee set by court order must be paid to the Clerk when the affidavit of surety is submitted, and the defendant or a surety must bear costs arising from perfection, release, or satisfaction of a judgment lien.

(f) A fee shall be paid to the Clerk of Courts at the time of the submission of the affidavit of surety. The amount of the fee shall be determined from time to time by Order of the Court. No cost arising from the perfection, release or satisfaction of a judgment lien shall be paid by the Clerk, but shall be borne by the defendant or a surety.

CRITICALCivil cases

An evidentiary hearing on unresolved issues may be scheduled only after additional security for the master’s fees and costs has been paid and satisfactory proof of payment has been presented to the master.

After payment to the Prothonotary of an additional sum of money as security for payment of the master’s fees and costs, the master shall schedule an evidentiary hearing to receive evidence on all issues which were not resolved at the preliminary conference. The master shall schedule the evidentiary hearing only after a party has presented satisfactory proof to him that the additional security for costs have been paid.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Motion for appointment of master

When filing a motion for appointment of a master, the moving party must pay the Prothonotary a sum set by court order as security for the master’s fees and costs.

The moving party shall pay a sum of money to the Prothonotary at the time the motion is filed, which sum shall be determined from time to time by order of Court, as security for payment of master’s fees and costs.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applicable filing fees must be paid using the Clerk of Courts' procedures, at the time and in the amount required by the governing statute, court rule or order, or published fee schedule.

H. Applicable filing fees shall be paid through procedures established by the Clerk of Courts and at the same time and in the same amount as required by statute, Court rule or order, or published fee schedule.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applicable filing fees must be paid using the Clerk of Courts' procedures, at the time and in the amount required by the applicable authority.

Applicable filing fees shall be paid through procedures established by the Clerk of Courts and at the same time and in the same amount as required by statute, Court rule or order, or published fee schedule.

WARNING

Fee

6.5

Applies to

Same day transcript

An electronic transcript with same-day delivery costs $6.50 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

(d) for same-day delivery, $6.50 per page

WARNING

Fee

1

Applies to

Real time feed

An electronic real-time feed costs $1.00 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

(e) for a real-time feed, $1.00 per page

WARNING

Fee

1

Applies to

Rough draft transcript

An electronic rough draft transcript costs $1.00 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

(g) for rough drafts, $1.00 per page

WARNING

Applies to

Ordinary transcript

A legal aid client may obtain an ordinary transcript at no cost if the representing legal aid agency first gives the President Judge a certification letter verifying financial eligibility and that the transcript is for an appeal or necessary to advance current litigation.

Legal aid clients shall be entitled to obtain an ordinary transcript at no cost, provided that Laurel Legal Services, or any other legal aid agency representing the requester, must first provide the President Judge with a letter of certification verifying, as provided in R.J.A. 4008(B), that the client meets financial eligibility and that the matter is under appeal or that the transcript being requested is necessary to advance the current litigation.

WARNING

The president judge may impose a reasonable surcharge in unusually complex litigation, including cases involving unusually complex expert testimony.

The president judge may impose a reasonable surcharge in cases of unusually complex litigation, such as litigation where unusually complex expert testimony is received.

WARNING

Fees paid to court reporters for their work products must be reasonable.

All such fees shall be reasonable.

WARNING

Applies to

Transcript request

The Local Rule's deposit and final-payment provisions do not apply when the transcript requester is the Commonwealth or one of its subdivisions, or has in forma pauperis status.

The provisions of this Local Rule regarding deposits and final payments shall not apply to a request for a transcript where the Commonwealth or any subdivision thereof is the requester, or where the requester has been given in forma pauperis status.

WARNING

Fee

2.75

Applies to

Ordinary transcript

An ordinary transcript in paper format costs $2.75 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

(a) for an ordinary transcript, $2.75 per page

WARNING

Fee

4.75

Applies to

Daily transcript

A daily transcript in paper format costs $4.75 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

(c) for a daily transcript, $4.75 per page

WARNING

Fee

6.75

Applies to

Same day transcript

A paper transcript with same-day delivery costs $6.75 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

(d) for same-day delivery, $6.75 per page

WARNING

Fee

2.5

Applies to

Ordinary transcript

An ordinary transcript in electronic format costs $2.50 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

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

WARNING

Fee

3.75

Applies to

Expedited transcript

An expedited transcript in paper format costs $3.75 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

(b) for an expedited transcript, $3.75 per page

WARNING

Fee

3.25

Applies to

Complex litigation transcript

A paper-format transcript for complex litigation costs $3.25 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

(f) for complex litigation, $3.25 per page

WARNING

Fee

3.5

Applies to

Expedited transcript

An expedited transcript in electronic format costs $3.50 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

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

WARNING

Fee

3

Applies to

Complex litigation transcript

An electronic transcript for complex litigation costs $3.00 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

(f) for complex litigation, $3.00 per page

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Conciliation conference fee

If the parties settle or withdraw the case before the conciliation conference, the filing party may request a refund of the conference fee by written motion filed with the Prothonotary.

(i) If the parties reach a final settlement agreement, or the case is withdrawn, prior to the conciliation conference, the filing party may request a refund of the conciliation conference free by filing a written motion with the Prothonotary requesting the same.

WARNING

Applies to

Transcript request

A litigant seeking a transcript for an appeal or to advance litigation may request a fee waiver or reduction by simultaneously filing a petition to proceed in forma pauperis with the transcript request, using the form prescribed by Pa.R.C.P. No. 240(h).

A litigant who requests a transcript in a matter under appeal or where the transcript is necessary to advance the litigation, may seek a waiver or reduction of the fees otherwise payable by simultaneously filing a petition to proceed in forma pauperis together with the request for a transcript. The petition shall be in the form prescribed by Pa.R.C.P. No. 240(h).

WARNING

Fee

4.5

Applies to

Daily transcript

A daily transcript in electronic format costs $4.50 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

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

WARNING

Fee

1.25

Applies to

Rough draft transcript

A paper-format rough draft transcript costs $1.25 per page for requesting parties other than the Commonwealth or its subdivisions.

(g) for rough drafts, $1.25 per page