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

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Petition for transcript cost waiver or reduction

A litigant without existing in forma pauperis status who seeks a transcript-cost waiver or reduction must file a petition on the case docket.

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.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Transcript

After receiving notice that the transcript is complete and the balance due, the ordering party must send the balance by check to the District Court Administrator, payable to the County of Erie.

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.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Motion to appoint master

A party filing a motion to appoint a Master must include the appropriate court-established fee.

If the Motion is filed by a party, then the Motion must be accompanied by the appropriate fee, as established by the Court.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Copy of transcript

The full copying fee must be paid before receiving the copy, and checks must be payable to Erie County and delivered to the District Court Administrator.

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.

CRITICAL

The Clerk’s fees and costs shall be paid by credit or debit card, as set forth below, when legal papers are filed using the electronic filing system. Payment for all costs and fees for the filing of a legal paper presented by a filing party to the office of the Orphans’ Court Clerk for electronic filing shall be paid by credit or debit card as set forth below, or by check or cash.

The Clerk’s fees and costs shall be paid by credit or debit card, as set forth below, when legal papers are filed using the electronic filing system. Payment for all costs and fees for the filing of a legal paper presented by a filing party to the office of the Orphans’ Court Clerk for electronic filing shall be paid by credit or debit card as set forth below, or by check or cash.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Electronically filed legal paper

Applicable fees for electronically filed legal papers must be paid electronically to the Clerk of Courts at the time of filing.

Applicable filing fees for electronically filed legal papers shall be paid electronically to the Clerk of Courts simultaneously with the filing.

CRITICALCivil cases

Motions and petitions concerning alimony pendente lite are subject to fees established by the Domestic Relations Office.

(c) All Motions and Petitions for alimony pendente lite, modification, termination, or exceptions therefrom shall be subject to fees as established by the Domestic Relations Office.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Transcript

Transcription will not begin until the Administrator receives a deposit of half the estimated transcript cost or an order allowing in forma pauperis status or waiving costs; deposit checks must be payable to the County of Erie and delivered to the Administrator.

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.

WARNINGCivil cases

Fee

$3.5

Applies to

Expedited electronic transcript

An expedited transcript in electronic format costs $3.50 per page.

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

WARNINGCivil cases

Fee

$0.25

Applies to

Bound paper transcript

A bound paper transcript costs the applicable transcript rate plus $0.25 per page.

(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.

WARNINGCivil cases

Fee

$2.5

Applies to

Ordinary electronic transcript

An ordinary transcript in electronic format costs $2.50 per page.

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

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Transcript

The trial judge may impose a reasonable surcharge in unusually complex litigation when necessary because the reporter must significantly expand their dictionary.

(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.

WARNINGCriminal cases

A party granted in forma pauperis status is exempt from paying filing fees to the Clerk of Courts.

A party who was granted in forma pauperis status shall not pay filing fees to the Clerk of Courts.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Legal paper

The Prothonotary's fees and costs shall be paid by credit card when legal papers are filed using the electronic filing system.

The Prothonotary's fees and costs shall be paid by credit card when legal papers are filed using the electronic filing system.

WARNINGCivil cases

The Prothonotary will not accept advance deposits for future filing fees.

The Prothonotary will not accept advance deposit on account of future filing fees.

WARNINGCivil cases

Fee

$6.5

Applies to

Same day transcript

A transcript with same-day delivery costs $6.50 per page.

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

WARNINGCivil cases

Filing fees may be paid using American Express, Discover, Mastercard, or Visa credit or debit cards.

The Prothonotary will accept for payment of all filing fees the following credit and debit cards: American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Copy of transcript

The cost of a copy of a previously ordered and filed transcript is governed by Pa.R.J.A. 4008(D).

(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).

WARNINGCivil cases

Fee

$4.5

Applies to

Daily electronic transcript

A daily transcript in electronic format costs $4.50 per page.

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

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Transcript

A litigant already permitted to proceed in forma pauperis receives a waiver of transcript costs when the matter is under appeal or the transcript is necessary to advance the litigation.

(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.

WARNING

The Clerk accepts American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa for filing fees but does not accept advance deposits for future filing fees.

The Clerk will accept for payment of all filing fees the following credit and debit cards: American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa. The Clerk will not accept advance deposit on account of future filing fees.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Legal paper

Payment for all costs and fees for the filing of a legal paper presented by a filing party to the office of the Prothonotary for electronic filing shall be paid by credit card as set forth above, or by check or cash.

Payment for all costs and fees for the filing of a legal paper presented by a filing party to the office of the Prothonotary for electronic filing shall be paid by credit card as set forth above, or by check or cash.