IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

IN AND FOR PINELLAS AND PASCO COUNTIES, FLORIDA

 

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2004-030 PA/PI-CIR

 

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RE: COURT REPORTING RATES FOR WEST PASCO COUNTY

 

            The Supreme Court, in In Re: Florida Rules of Judicial Administration--Court Reporting, 650 So.2d 38 (Fla. 1995), directed the Chief Judge, after consultation with the circuit court and county court judges in the circuit, to enter an administrative order developing and implementing a circuit wide plan for court reporting of all proceedings required to be reported at public expense.  The Supreme Court further provided that a circuit’s plan may use full or part time court employees or independent contractors.  The Sixth Judicial Circuit plan is currently promulgated in Administrative Order 2004-018 PA/PI-CIR.  In accordance with the plan, an independent contractor provides court-reporting services at the West Pasco Judicial Center, New Port Richey.[1]   

            The Supreme Court further provided in Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.070(f) now codified in rule 2.070(d) that the Chief Judge has the discretion to adopt an administrative order establishing maximum fees for court reporting services not covered in the plan.  Historically, the Chief Judge has set the maximum fees to be charged by court reporters of the Sixth Judicial Circuit for services performed in the reporting of proceedings within judicial facilities.  The last order setting court-reporting fees, Administrative Order 2003-066 PA/PI-CIR, was done on September 23, 2003, nunc pro tunc to October 1, 2002.

            After consideration of the court-reporting services in West Pasco County, the recent adoption of the current Court Reporting Plan in Administrative Order 2004-018 PA/PI-CIR, and the requirement that parties utilize the court's contract court reporter for reporting all court proceedings, it is necessary that the court update the administrative order establishing maximum fees for court reporting services for which State or county dollars will not be utilized for payment.  Adoption of this administrative order is necessary to ensure continued court-reporting services and access to the courts.  It is therefore

 

            ORDERED:

            1.         That, effective July 1, 2004, the maximum fees that may be charged by the independent contract court reporter in West Pasco County for services for which State dollars will not be utilized for payment are hereby set as listed below. 

Appearance/Attendance:

            A.        All court divisions, circuit or county court and depositions:

                        First hour (per half day)                                          $51.25

                        Each additional quarter hour                                      $9.00

 

            B.         All court divisions, circuit or county court and depositions

after 5:00 p.m.; weekends and court holidays:                           1.5 the regular rate

 

            C.        All court divisions, circuit or county proceedings unscheduled hires without 24 hours notice:

                        First hour (per half day)                                          $60.00

                        Each additional quarter hour                                    $10.00

 

            D.        All court divisions, circuit or county court real time proceedings:

                        First hour (per half day)                                        $100.00

                        Each additional quarter hour                                    $17.50

 

            E.         All court divisions, circuit or county court cancellations without notice and no shows:                                                                                                      $50.00

 

Transcripts:

 

            A.        Routine transcripts:                                                      

                        Original                                                                    $4.00 per page

                        Copy to the Original requestor                      $1.00 per page

                        Copy to requestors that did not order the original  $1.50 per page

 

            B.         Appeal transcripts:                                                       

                        (includes original and two copies)                              $6.00 per page

 

            C.        Expedited transcripts:

                        i.          One business day                                          $7.50

                        ii.          Two business days                                        $6.00

                        iii.         Three business days                                      $5.60

           

            2.         Court reporters shall timely file all criminal depositions with the Clerk of Court. Unless otherwise provided herein, timely filing shall mean no later than one business day after the transcript has been mailed or delivered to the requesting party, which ever occurs first. The transcript shall be filed with the clerk on the date it is provided to the requesting party when the trial or hearing is scheduled on that date.

            3.         Nothing in this Order shall affect the contracts entered into between the court and any court reporter.

           

            Administrative Order 2003-066 PA/PI CIR is hereby rescinded effective July 1, 2004.

 

            DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, this

______ day of June 2004.

 

                                                                        _________________________________________

                                                                        David A. Demers, Chief Judge

 

cc:        All Pasco Judges

            The Honorable Bernie McCabe, State Attorney

            The Honorable Robert H. Dillinger, Public Defender

            The Honorable Jed Pittman, Clerk of Court, Pasco County

            The Honorable Karleen F. DeBlaker, Clerk of Court, Pinellas County

            Robert Sumner, County Attorney, Pasco County

            Betty Henderson, Assistant Court Services Director, Pasco County Clerk’s Office

            Gay Lynne Inskeep, Trial Courts Administrator

            Kerry L. Rice, Deputy Courts Administrator, Pasco County

            Bar Associations, Pasco and Pinellas Counties

            Judy G. Moukazis & Associates

            Law Libraries, Pasco and Pinellas Counties

 

 

 

 



[1]Also in accordance with the plan, effective July 1, 2004, proceedings in the other courts of the Sixth Judicial Circuit will be reported using:  electronic recording; court employees; independent contractors specially authorized by the Chief Judge in exceptional circumstances; and, for proceedings where the court does not provide a record, any certified court reporter.  The rates in this administrative order do not apply to those proceedings.