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

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Inventory

A paper inventory filing through the Register of Wills office must be accompanied by the appropriate filing fee.

(Electronically through the Guardianship Tracking System, or in paper form through the Register of Wills office, along with the appropriate filing fee.)

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Annual report

A filing fee will be charged for paper annual reports.

(Filing fee will be charged for paper filings.)

CRITICALCriminal cases

4. A defendant accepted into ARD may be referred to any of the following programs and shall pay any costs associated with a program. If a defendant is referred to any of the following programs, the defendant shall contact the office or agency administering the program to ascertain the cost of the program and acceptable method of payment.

4. A defendant accepted into ARD may be referred to any of the following programs and shall pay any costs associated with a program. If a defendant is referred to any of the following programs, the defendant shall contact the office or agency administering the program to ascertain the cost of the program and acceptable method of payment.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Arbitration appeal

The cost to appeal an arbitration award is the lesser of the arbitrators’ compensation or 50% of the amount in controversy, unless the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure provide otherwise.

The cost for appealing the arbitration award shall be the amount of compensation paid to the arbitrators, or 50% of the amount in controversy, whichever is less, unless otherwise provided by the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure.

CRITICAL

A check for the final transcript balance must be made payable to and delivered to the filing office.

Checks for the final balance due shall be made payable to the filing office and shall be delivered to the filing office.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Pleading

A pleading lacking the required verified statement must still be accepted and filed without payment, with the form provided for completion; further proceedings require payment unless the court orders otherwise, and a request for further action without payment must be referred to a judge.

(b) If a pleading is filed which is not accompanied by the required verified statement, the prothonotary shall nevertheless accept the pleading for filing and file the same without payment of costs or fees and shall furnish to the applicant the form of the verified statement with a request that it be executed and returned for filing with the pleading. However, the prothonotary shall take no further steps in such proceedings without the payment of the required costs or fees, unless otherwise ordered by the court. If application is made to the prothonotary for any further filing or the taking of any further action without the payment of costs and fees, the matter shall be referred to the judge assigned to the case or, if none, to the emergency motions judge for disposition.

CRITICAL

A requester other than the Commonwealth or a political subdivision must complete a Request for Copy of Transcript form and pay $0.75 per page for a bound-paper copy of a transcript already on file.

(3) Where any person or entity other than the Commonwealth or a political subdivision thereof requests a copy of the transcript previously ordered, transcribed, and filed of record, such person or entity must complete a Request for Copy of Transcript form and may purchase the same by paying the filing office $0.75 for each page of bound paper format.

CRITICAL

If an electronic copy is available, a requester other than the Commonwealth or a political subdivision must complete a Request for Copy of Transcript form and pay $0.50 per page.

Where any person or entity other than the Commonwealth or a political subdivision thereof requests a copy of the transcript in electronic format (if available), such person or entity must complete a Request for Copy of Transcript form and may purchase the same by paying the filing office $0.50 for each page of transcript.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Annual report

A filing fee is charged for paper annual-report filings.

(Filing fee will be charged for paper filings.)

CRITICALCivil cases

The required fee must be submitted with the exceptions and transcript request for Support Argument.

File exceptions to the finding of fact and recommendations of the Support Hearing Officer with the Domestic Relations Section together with a request for transcript and the required fee.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Transcript request form

File the form and copies with a check payable to the appropriate court office—not the reporter—for the estimated one-half transcript cost; the designated office will not accept the request without payment at filing.

(d) Take the unauthorized Transcript Request Form and all copies along with a check payable to the appropriate office (not the official court reporter) in the amount of the estimated cost of one-half payment of transcript to one of the following offices: Criminal to the Clerk of Courts, Civil/Family/Equity to the Prothonotary, Orphans’ Court to the Register of Wills. NEITHER THE CLERK OF COURTS’ OFFICE, THE PROTHONOTARY’S OFFICE, NOR THE REGISTER OF WILLS’ OFFICE WILL ACCEPT THE TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM IF THE APPROPRIATE PAYMENT IS NOT INCLUDED AT THE TIME OF FILING;

CRITICAL

A litigant ordering a transcript must pay one-half of the payment to the appropriate court filing office.

(D)(1) When a litigant requests a transcript, the litigant ordering a transcript shall make payment in the amount of one-half payment to the appropriate filing office of the court;

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Praecipe to transmit record

If defects are not corrected within 60 days, a new praecipe and the administrative fee must be filed.

If the defects are not corrected within sixty (60) days, the file will be returned to the Prothonotary’s Office and a new praecipe to transmit the record together with the administrative fee will be required to be filed.

CRITICAL

The ordering party must pay any outstanding balance before receiving the transcript copy, and final-balance checks must be delivered to and made payable to the appropriate filing office.

(D)(4) Upon payment of any balance due and owing by the ordering party, the appropriate filing office shall deliver the copy of the transcript to the ordering party. Checks for the final balance due shall be delivered to and made payable to the appropriate filing office.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Praecipe to transmit record

An administrative fee set by the President Judge, in addition to Commonwealth fees, must be paid when the praecipe to transmit the record is filed.

An administrative fee in an amount set by the President Judge through an Administrative Order, in addition to any fees imposed by the Commonwealth, shall be paid upon the filing of the praecipe to transmit the record.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Fee

$100

Applies to

Summary case ARD program

The ARD program for summary cases costs $100.00.

1. The cost of the ARD program for summary cases is $100.00.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Inventory

The inventory filing requires the appropriate filing fee.

(Electronically through the Guardianship Tracking System, or in paper form through the Register of Wills office, along with the appropriate filing fee.)

CRITICAL

Applies to

Paper entered upon the record

A paper may not be entered upon the record without payment of the required filing fee unless payment is excused by statute, rule, or court order.

(b) Anything in subsection (a) above to the contrary notwithstanding, the prothonotary and clerk of courts shall not enter any paper upon the record without payment of the required filing fee, unless such payment is excused by statute, rule or order of court.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Certificate of readiness for arbitration

Counsel must pay the appropriate filing fee when filing a certificate of readiness for arbitration after a case is stricken from the trial list.

If a case is stricken from the trial list by the court, counsel shall file a certificate of readiness for arbitration on the form approved by the court, together with the appropriate filing fee.

CRITICALCivil cases

Filing fees may be paid through PayPal or as provided in the User Manual, but advance deposits for future filings are not accepted.

The Prothonotary will accept filing fees through PayPal or as set forth in the User Manual. The Prothonotary will not accept advance deposits for future filings.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Motion for appointment of divorce master

When filing the motion, the moving party must pay the amount set by the President Judge through an Administrative Order.

Upon filing a motion for the appointment of a Divorce Master, the moving party shall pay an amount set by the President Judge through an Administrative Order.

CRITICALCriminal cases

All costs and any restitution must be paid before the ARD program is completed.

6. All costs and restitution, if any, must be paid before completion of the ARD program.

CRITICAL

A requester other than the Commonwealth or its subdivision must pay half the estimated transcript cost in advance, at the stated per-page rates, and the balance upon completion.

(1) Any person or entity who obtains a Transcript Request Form shall pay to the appropriate filing office one-half the estimated cost for the transcript calculated at the rate of $2.75 for each page of bound ordinary original transcript and $0.75 for each page of copy to the requestor in bound paper format or $0.50 for each page of copy to the requestor in electronic format and shall pay the balance upon completion of the transcript.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Legal paper or exhibit

An electronic filing fee applies to each legal paper or exhibit, with the fee established by the Prothonotary subject to the President Judge’s approval.

The Prothonotary shall collect an electronic filing fee for each legal paper or exhibit filed as established by the Prothonotary with the approval of the President Judge of the Berks County Court of Common Pleas.

WARNING

Fee

4

Applies to

Secure electronic feed

A secure electronic feed in specified unusually complex cases costs $4.00 per page, but the court is not charged for the connection.

(C) In cases such as mass tort, medical malpractice, or other unusually complex litigation where a secure electronic feed is requested to instantaneously deliver the translated notes from the court reporter to a laptop or other electronic device via cable, WiFi, router, or Bluetooth to the parties, a fee of $4.00 per page shall be charged. There shall be no charge to the court for such a connection.

WARNING

Fee

2.5

Applies to

Rough draft transcript

A requested rough draft transcript produced while using a secure electronic feed costs $2.50 per page.

(D) In cases where a rough draft transcript is requested by the court and/or the parties of all or part of a proceeding while utilizing a secure electronic feed, a fee of $2.50 per page of rough draft shall be charged.

WARNING

Applies to

Ordinary original transcript

For a transcript chargeable to the Commonwealth or a subdivision, the court reporter must begin transcription immediately upon receiving the Transcript Request Form without requiring a deposit.

(1) Upon receipt of the Transcript Request Form, the court reporter shall immediately begin the transcription of his or her notes as directed by the Transcript Request Form without the necessity of a deposit.

WARNING

Fee

6.75

Applies to

Bound original same day delivery transcript

A bound original same-day delivery transcript costs $6.75 per page, payable to the court reporter.

(f) to the court reporter, the sum of $6.75 for each page of bound original same-day delivery transcript.

WARNING

Fee

2.25

Applies to

Ordinary original transcript

A Common Pleas judge, the District Attorney, or the County Solicitor may request an ordinary original transcript without charge; Berks County pays $2.25 per page when no other person or entity is liable for the cost.

(C) Any judge of the Court of Common Pleas, the District Attorney, and the County Solicitor shall each be entitled to request an ordinary original transcript in any proceeding upon request without charge. In such case, the County of Berks shall be liable for the cost of preparing the ordinary original transcript whenever no other person or entity is otherwise liable for the cost therefor and shall pay to the court reporter the sum of $2.25 for each page of ordinary original transcript.

WARNING

Fee

3.5

Applies to

Secure electronic feed

A secure electronic feed in a non-technical case costs $3.50 per page per hookup, but the court is not charged for the connection.

(B) In cases of a non-technical nature where a secure electronic feed is requested to instantaneously deliver the translated notes from the court reporter to a laptop or other portable electronic device via cable, WiFi, router, or Bluetooth to the parties, a fee of $3.50 per page per hookup shall be charged. There shall be no charge to the court for such a connection.

WARNING

Applies to

Ordinary original transcript

For an appeal-related or litigation-necessary ordinary original transcript, costs must be waived for a litigant permitted to proceed in forma pauperis or whose income is below 125% of the current HHS poverty line.

(A) Transcript costs for ordinary original transcripts in matters under appeal or where the transcript is necessary to advance the litigation shall be waived for a litigant who has been permitted by the court to proceed in forma pauperis or whose income is less than 125 percent of the poverty line as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) poverty guidelines for the current year.

WARNING

The court reporter need not begin transcription until the required one-half advance payment is made.

The court reporter shall not be required to start the transcription until such one-half advance payment has been made.

WARNING

Applies to

Ordinary original transcript

Costs for an appeal-related or litigation-necessary ordinary original transcript must be reduced by half for a litigant whose income is below 200% of the current HHS poverty line.

(B) Transcript costs for ordinary original transcripts in matters under appeal or where the transcript is necessary to advance the litigation shall be reduced by one-half for a litigant whose income is less than 200 percent of the poverty line as defined by the HHS poverty guidelines for the current year.

WARNING

When a litigant alleges economic hardship that prevents payment for a transcript, the court determines hardship under Rule 4008.2.

(E) When a litigant requests a transcript but cannot pay for the transcript because of alleged economic hardship, the court shall determine economic hardship pursuant to the procedure set forth in Rule 4008.2.

WARNING

Fee

2.25

Applies to

Ordinary original transcript

Upon completion, Berks County must pay the court reporter $2.25 per page for an ordinary original transcript.

(B) Upon completion of the transcript, the County of Berks shall pay to the court reporter the sum of $2.25 for each page of ordinary original transcript.

WARNING

Fee

0.5

Applies to

Ordinary original transcript

In specified unusually complex cases requiring significant reporter-dictionary expansion, the trial judge may impose a $0.50-per-page surcharge on ordinary original transcripts.

(A) In cases such as mass tort, medical malpractice, or other unusually complex litigation where there is a need for court reporters to significantly expand their dictionary, a trial judge may impose a surcharge of $0.50 per page for ordinary original transcript.

WARNING

Applies to

Ordinary original transcript

The court may waive costs for a non-appeal, non-necessary ordinary original transcript if the party qualifies under paragraph (A) or (B) and shows good cause.

(C) Transcript costs for ordinary original transcripts in matters that are not subject to an appeal, where the transcript is not necessary to advance the litigation, may be waived at the court’s discretion for parties who qualify for economic hardship under (A) or (B) and upon good cause shown.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Hard copy legal paper or exhibit

The Prothonotary may charge a separately set fee for each page of a hard-copy legal paper or exhibit that must be converted to the required format.

In addition to such electronic filing fee, the Prothonotary is authorized to charge a fee as set from time to time for each page of a legal paper or exhibit which is filed in hard copy format and which must be converted to the required format.

INFO

A litigant approved for representation by a legal aid service receives a transcript copy without charge.

(5) Where a litigant requests a copy of the transcript and has been approved for representation by a legal aid service, the court reporter shall provide the legal aid client with a copy without charge

INFO

No deposit is required when the court or county is responsible for the transcript’s cost.

(F) When a transcript is requested for which the court or county is responsible for the cost, the court reporter shall prepare the transcript without the necessity of a deposit.

INFO

The Commonwealth and its political subdivisions receive transcript copies without charge.

(4) Where the Commonwealth or any political subdivision requests a copy of the transcript, the court reporter shall provide the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof with a copy without charge.